Paul Explains Lennon-McCartney vs. McCartney-Lennon

Reuters ^ | 4-5-03 | Michelle Green

[Pharmboy]

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Beatle Paul McCartney hit back at critics on Saturday, saying a decision to reverse the traditional "Lennon-McCartney" songwriting credit on his new album was not a slur on his band mate but a chance to "put the record straight."

In an interview with Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper, 60-year-old McCartney -- currently on the European leg of his Back in the World tour -- said he was simply "letting people know that the songs I sing today are my own."

He said he had no doubts that fellow Beatle John Lennon -- killed by a gunman on his New York doorstep 23 years ago -- would understand the decision.

"The bottom line is I know what I wrote and so did John," McCartney told the paper.

"I'm doing nothing wrong. There was an agreement between (us) that if we ever wanted to, we could switch the Lennon and McCartney thing."

And he dismissed claims from die-hard Beatles fans that he was tarnishing the legend of Lennon.

"It has come out like I'm trying to dance on John's grave which is a pity because I am his biggest fan," he said.

"I'm the guy who knew him best ... I'd hate people to think I'm trying to do him down."

McCartney has been performing 22 Beatles songs at each of his world tour dates, almost twice as many as the band ever played during its own British shows.

As well as classics such as "All My Loving," "Can't Buy Me Love" and "She's Leaving Home," McCartney performs a dozen hits from his time as a solo artist and with band Wings.

ALBUM SPARKS ROW WITH YOKO ONO

All of which has been captured on a live album, which last December sparked a high-profile row with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono.

Ono was reported to be considering legal action after McCartney switched the songwriter credits on the album to read "McCartney and Lennon," a move she said contravened a 40-year agreement.

Her spokesman, Elliot Mintz, told Reuters that Ono had repeatedly rejected McCartney's requests to reverse the credits on the grounds that a "deal is a deal."

But McCartney, who has long complained that Lennon, for instance, had no input in the hit "Yesterday," wants the songs fairly labeled.

"I personally don't see any harm in John's songs such as "Strawberry Fields" and "Help" being labeled Lennon and McCartney and my songs such as "Let It Be" and "Eleanor Rigby" being labeled McCartney and Lennon," he said last year.

Speaking to the Mirror, he reiterated that point: "I wasn't being big headed. I just asked that for once in 30 years, my name could be switched as a reward."

McCartney's 16-country, sell-out world tour, starts its British leg on Saturday, before moving on to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Vienna and Antwerp.

The tour grossed $70 million in America, breaking box-office records in 21 cities, won Billboard's Tour of the Year and has made the former Beatle the highest-earning celebrity on Earth.

[Pharmboy]

With all the money and accolades he's gotten over the years , was this really necessary? You just can't love yourself enough now, can you Paul?

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Agreed, Pharmboy. It sure is a strange world when I find myself taking the side of Yoko Ono, but then again, we've had a lot of surprises lately.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Lennon was not the driving intellect of the Beatles (the members of which were together for a tiny fraction of time, and who were the subject of a very aggressive marketing campaign - I don't see them as groundbreaking). Time has proven that over and over. This is a glorious two for one - because if that talentless witch Ono takes it in the chops, so much the better.

[DJ MacWoW]

With all the money and accolades he's gotten over the years , was this really necessary?

I'd have to say yes, it is necessary. As an old Beatle fan from the 60's, no matter what the credits were, we knew who wrote what. New fans do not know. I remember Lennon saying that Yesterday was all Pauls song. Let it Be references "Mother Mary", Pauls mother. Why should Lennon get credit for something that he said years ago he had nothing to do with? Lennons work stands on it's own, as does Pauls.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

The Beagles were a bunch of snot-nosed little punks. I wish someone had held them down and shaved their heads. With dull clippers. After that, I would have dowsed their bloody scalps with a bracing aftershave. That would have given new meaning to their song, 'Help!'

[lucidloony]

Get back to the hollow from which you came.

[DJ MacWoW]

Aren't you the life of the party.

[MississippiMan]

I see nothing wrong with the reversal. I'm a Beatle fan and also like a lot of McCartney's solo music. I had a ticket to one of his shows a few years back and backed out of going when the tripmates made it clear they'd be taking a stash of pot for the road trip. No thanks. Also heard that concert had a whole lot of animal rights footage shown. I have no problem with MAINSTREAM animal rights activists, but I do have a problem with any issue being shoved down my throat at an event I pay premium bucks to attend for the purpose of being entertained.

MM

[Dec31,1999]

Nonetheless, one must appreciate and not forget Paul's post-911 song "Fight For Freedom", or whatever it was called. Sure beats Maddonna and the Dixie Chicks crapola.

Yoko is still doing the "Let's give peace a chance schtick! (Although I wouldn't regard her as talentless, either.)

[LibKill]

"It is a tale told by an idiot. Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

[Dec31,1999]

I think the Rutles were much better than the Beagles, anyway.

[Dec31,1999]

ping.

[FITZ]

LOL!!

[Dec31,1999]

Interesting similarity of names. I thought you were the other. No harm intended. Did you know of Walkin Man? I checked your number. It's 101k plus, which confused me.

[TLBSHOW]

LOL

#10 this week and moving towards #1

Walking On Thin Ice - Ono

Mindtrain/Twisted | 82669 | The Right Stuff http://www.billboard.com/bb/charts/airplay/dance.jsp

[FITZ]

that talentless witch Ono takes it in the chops

It wasn't enough that she turned John against Paul and the others in the first place ---she's still trying to determine their relationship.

[Illbay]

Poor Paul. He didn't make that "hot career move": Death.

[Illbay]

None of them hold a candle to Spinal Tap, though.

[wardaddy]

I agree. Paul seems like a reasonable fellow but is known to be a bit of a control freak about money. He and Mick share this basic instinct.

I remember in the old days...The Wings bandmembers would grumble about Paul and Linda being very tight with tour funds.