What do you think of the [Rolling] Stones today?Lennon: I think it's a lot of hype, you know. I like "Honky Tonk Woman" and I think Mick's a joke, with all that fag dancing, I always did. I enjoy him, you know, I'll go and see his films and all probably, like everybody else, but really, I think it's a joke.
Do you see him much now?
Lennon: No, I never do see him. We saw a bit of each other when Allen was first coming in. I think Mick got jealous, but I was always very respectful about Mick and the Stones. But he said a lot of sort of tarty things about the Beatles, which I am hurt by, because, you know, I can knock the Beatles, but don't let Mick Jagger knock them. Because I would like to just list what we did and what the Stones did two months after, on every f*ckin' album and every f*ckin' thing we did. And Mick does exactly the same -- he imitates us. And I would like one of you f*ckin' underground people to point it out. You know Satanic Majesties is Pepper. "We Love You", man, it's the most f*ckin' bullsh*t, that's "All You Need Is Love". I resent the implication that the Stones are like revolutionairies and that the Beatles weren't. If they were or are, the Beatles really were too. They are not in the same class, music-wise or power-wise, never were.
Lennon is absolutely right, and had not Lennon lended "I Want to Be Your Man" to the Stones back in their very early days, they may never have broken out in the first place.