Paul McCartney on Rekindled Friendship with John Lennon and Reflecting on His Post-Beatles Journey
Paul McCartney recently shared insights into the rebuilding of his friendship with John Lennon in the years following The Beatles’ breakup, and his reflections on navigating life after the band. The discussion took place as part of an extended interview for the Audible series Words + Music, specifically in the installment titled ‘The Man on the Run’.
A Friendship Reborn Through Shared Experiences
McCartney described how a renewed connection with Lennon blossomed as both became fathers again. Lennon welcomed his son Sean, and McCartney noted that shared experiences of parenthood became a common ground for them. He recalled a simple conversation about baking bread, where Lennon enthusiastically responded to McCartney’s newfound hobby with his own bread-making efforts.
“The things that we had in common were just ordinary, little domestic things,” McCartney said. “Somehow that was peaceful. It was nice that we had that in common. And we weren’t fighting anymore. I would go and visit him and we had quite a bit of interaction, and the same with George and Ringo. It was all getting much nicer.”
The Weight of Lennon’s Death and a Sense of Relief
McCartney expressed that the restoration of their friendship was a significant comfort after Lennon’s tragic murder in 1980. “I thought, ‘Thank God we got it back together’,” he stated. “I don’t know what I would have thought if we hadn’t and we were still warring.” He acknowledged the senselessness of the event, noting the continued presence of the perpetrator in jail.
‘Man on the Run’ Documentary Offers Introspective Look
The conversation coincided with the release of the documentary Paul McCartney: Man On The Run, which explores McCartney’s decade of transformation after The Beatles disbanded. McCartney described watching the film as “like a period of my life flashing before my eyes.” He appreciated the inclusion of footage featuring his late wife, Linda McCartney, for himself and their children.
McCartney initially hesitated about including potentially embarrassing moments, such as a performance of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” with a red nose and the band Wings in silly outfits. However, director Morgan Neville convinced him that these moments contributed to the authenticity and emotional impact of the film. “I think he’s right,” McCartney conceded. “it’s a success story. The sizeable question after the Beatles was: How do you follow that? Do you not bother? Or if you try, how? I think we did it in a particularly madcap way, and that’s what’s good about the film, it shows how we pulled it off.”
Documentary Features Archival Footage and Interviews
Man On The Run incorporates archival footage and interviews with McCartney, as well as contributions from Mick Jagger, Chrissie Hynde, Sean Ono Lennon, and McCartney’s daughters, Mary and Stella McCartney. NME gave the film a four-star review, praising Neville’s ability to capture the immense expectations placed upon McCartney after The Beatles’ breakup and the complexities surrounding the band’s dissolution.
Remembering Len Garry
McCartney also recently paid tribute to Len Garry, a bandmate from his early days with The Quarrymen, following Garry’s death at the age of 84.