Lennon–McCartney
On the 6th of July 1957, a fifteen-year-old Paul McCartney stood in front of a local church fête in Liverpool. He watched a sixteen-year-old John Lennon play guitar with his skiffle group called the Quarrymen. McCartney impressed Lennon by playing Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock" on his own instrument. Lennon asked him to join the band that same afternoon. McCartney accepted and began writing songs at home on Forthlin Road or at Menlove Avenue. They created their first joint composition titled "Too Bad About Sorrows" in January 1958. The boys kept song scraps in a notebook marked "another Lennon, McCartney original." This phrase came from theatrical teams like Rodgers and Hammerstein. They invited friends including George Harrison and Barbara Baker to listen to performances. Most compositions during this time were written by McCartney alone. By summer 1959 they wrote mostly separately and presented each other with their own songs for approval.
In May 1962, Paul McCartney wrote a new song called "P.S. I Love You" after a long dry spell. The Beatles recorded three old originals at their failed Decca Records audition on the 1st of January 1962. Ardmore & Beechwood publishers heard a tape of "Like Dreamers Do" and lobbied EMI management to sign the band. Producer George Martin initially doubted the pair could write hit songs. His attitude changed when "Love Me Do" reached the UK top 20 in late 1962. Martin offered ideas to record an LP composed largely of Lennon, McCartney tunes. He also used Dick James as song publisher for these songs. On the 1st of October 1962, Lennon, McCartney, and Brian Epstein signed a publishing agreement with Ardmore & Beechwood. In February 1963, James proposed creating Northern Songs. This arrangement gave Lennon, McCartney, and Epstein collective ownership of 50% of the company. From that date forward, unstoppable twin energies ran strong together and separate side by side.
The songwriting dynamic shifted from joint composition to individual creation between 1963 and 1969. Early on they worked eyeball to eyeball when writing songs. Later it became common for either one to write most of a song alone. Sometimes there was no input from the other writer at all. An agreement made before fame ensured both received equal credit regardless of actual contribution. A Day in the Life included substantial contributions from both writers. McCartney added a middle section using lyrics about waking up and dragging a comb across his head. Lennon provided the opening lines reading news today oh boy. Hey Jude shows another example where McCartney sought advice from Lennon. The lyric movement you need is on your shoulder felt nonsensical to McCartney. Lennon advised him to leave that line alone as one of the strongest in the song. By 1969 Lennon stated that Paul was there for five or ten years and he would not write like he writes now if it were not for Paul.
Conflicting retrospective claims regarding specific song contributions emerged after the partnership ended. In 1972, Lennon offered Hit Parader a list of Beatles songs with comments on contributions. McCartney disputed only one entry in his response. Help! appeared in 1965 with Lennon claiming full authorship in later interviews. McCartney estimated the song as 70, 30 to Lennon based on countermelody work. Ticket to Ride showed similar confusion. Lennon claimed three-quarters of the tune while McCartney said they wrote it together giving him 60 percent. Eleanor Rigby sparked debate over lyrical contribution. Pete Shotton remembered Lennon's contribution as absolutely nil while McCartney said he finished the song with more substantial collaboration. The credit order also caused friction. The first single Love Me Do credited Lennon, McCartney in October 1962. The next three releases listed McCartney, Lennon instead. An April 1963 band meeting decided to consistently order the credit with Lennon first. She Loves You released in August 1963 reverted to Lennon, McCartney. Decades later McCartney used reversed credits on Wings over America and Back in the U.S.
The dominance of the partnership affected other band members' own songwriting opportunities and status. Lennon and McCartney privately discussed but rejected including George Harrison in their songwriting partnership during 1962. Harrison claimed an attitude came over John and Paul saying We're the grooves and you two just watch it. He felt like an observer of the Beatles even though he was inside them. Harrison eventually became a songwriter himself without major assistance from his bandmates. He admitted that the high standard of Lennon, McCartney songs intimidated him from presenting new songs. We'd be in a recording situation churning through all this Lennon, McCartney! Then I'd say meekly can I do one of these? Ringo Starr wrote two songs in total and received joint credit for What Goes On. Flying and Dig It were credited to all four Beatles. McCartney acknowledged that Harrison made vital uncredited contributions such as the guitar riff in And I Love Her.
Lennon, McCartney inspired changes to the music industry because they were bands that wrote and performed their own music. This trend threatened professional songwriters dominating the American music industry. Ellie Greenwich said when the British Invasion came in there was no more room for us. The Sunday Times called Lennon and McCartney the greatest composers since Ludwig van Beethoven in 1963. The brand proved a model for other teams including Jagger, Richards according to Lennon. Squeeze's partnership got dubbed the new Lennon, McCartney by writers. Chris Difford noted the label might have been a burden on Tilbrook. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark emerged as the Lennon and McCartney of the electronic world. McCartney filed suit against Sony/ATV Music Publishing in January 2017 seeking ownership beginning in 2018. Under US copyright law authors can reclaim copyrights assigned after 56 years. McCartney and Sony agreed to a confidential settlement in June 2017. Their sons Sean and James later wrote a song together titled Primrose Hill.
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Common questions
When did Paul McCartney meet John Lennon and join the Quarrymen?
Paul McCartney met John Lennon on the 6th of July 1957 at a local church fête in Liverpool. He joined the band that same afternoon after impressing Lennon with his guitar playing.
What was the first joint composition written by Lennon and McCartney?
The first joint composition created by the pair was titled Too Bad About Sorrows in January 1958. They kept song scraps from this period in a notebook marked another Lennon, McCartney original.
How did the songwriting dynamic change between 1963 and 1969 for the duo?
The songwriting dynamic shifted from joint composition to individual creation between 1963 and 1969. Early on they worked together but later it became common for either one to write most of a song alone without input from the other writer.
Which Beatles songs have conflicting retrospective claims regarding specific contributions?
Help! appeared in 1965 with Lennon claiming full authorship while McCartney estimated the song as 70 percent his own work. Ticket to Ride showed similar confusion where Lennon claimed three-quarters of the tune while McCartney said they wrote it together giving him 60 percent.
When did Paul McCartney file suit against Sony/ATV Music Publishing seeking ownership rights?
Paul McCartney filed suit against Sony/ATV Music Publishing in January 2017 seeking ownership beginning in 2018. He and Sony agreed to a confidential settlement in June 2017 under US copyright law which allows authors to reclaim copyrights assigned after 56 years.