The Fab Four was the epitome of British rock and roll music. When the Beatles disbanded in 1970, the news shook the world as the famous band had been obliterated. The tension was real and the band was in its rocky ways. After the death of their manager Brian Epstein, there was a big gap.
George Harrison had problems with Paul over album space and John’s heroin addiction and the romantic circle of Yoko Ono, everything contributed to the band’s break. In the 70s and everyone in the Beatles was pursuing their own solo career. The lingering resentment was seen even in the early days with McCartney. While Lennon and garrison were close and worked on Imagine Together.
Despite all those, those feelings were inevitably cut off. The group was affectionate with each other even after the breakup. They often praised each other’s skills. In 1972 Lennon did the same and talked about his partner’s songwriting abilities. He picked out his favorite McCartney songs.
He pointed out ‘Hey Jude’ as his all-time favorite. He said, “That’s his best song, It started off as a song about my son Julian because Paul was going to see him. Then he turned it into ‘Hey Jude’. I always thought it was about me and Yoko, but he said it was about him and his.”
He also explained about it in his 1980 Playboy interview. He explained, “He said it was written about Julian,” John opined. “He knew I was splitting with Cyn and leaving Julian then. He was driving to see Julian, to say hello. He had been like an uncle. And he came up with ‘Hey Jude.’ But I always heard it as a song to me.”
“Now I’m sounding like one of those fans reading things into it… Think about it: Yoko had just come into the picture. He is saying. ‘Hey, Jude’—’Hey, John.’ Subconsciously, he was saying, ‘Go ahead, leave me.’ On a conscious level, he didn’t want me to go ahead. The angel in him was saying, ‘Bless you.’ The devil in him didn’t like it at all because he didn’t want to lose his partner.”
He also revealed another song he loved. It was the classic song ‘Here There and Everywhere’. It was in the album Revolver. He said, “This was a great one of his, That’s Paul’s song completely, I believe. And one of my favorite songs of the Beatles.” McCartney himself later remarked that it “was the only song that John ever complimented me on.” It is also one of the songs McCartney ranks among his personal favorites.”
Another song that appeared on the list was ‘All My Loving’. He called it “a damn good piece of work.”
The final song he talked about was ‘Oh! Darling’. He even went on to say, “I should have written that song; it sounds like a song I’d written.” That was a great praise from Lennon. It suggested that he respected and adored his fellow partner.
Listen to Oh! Darling down below.
