When Writing Songs, Paul McCartney Frequently Envisions John Lennon's Perspective and Input

Paul McCartney • The Beatles • John Lennon: When The Beatles disbanded in 1970, Paul McCartney had concerns about his solo career without his long-time songwriting partner, John Lennon. Following Lennon's death in 1980, McCartney realized that there was a creative aspect of their collaboration that could never be replaced. Despite being a talented songwriter on his own, McCartney often imagines Lennon's perspective while writing songs.

Even before The Beatles formed, Lennon and McCartney began writing songs together during their upbringing in Liverpool. Some of their earliest compositions made it into the band's repertoire, like "I Saw Her Standing There," while others were left out. The Lennon-McCartney duo holds the distinction of being the most successful songwriting partnership ever, even though there is ongoing debate about who wrote which songs.

Both Lennon and McCartney wrote solo songs for The Beatles, such as "Yesterday" and "Across the Universe," and they continued to write individually in their solo careers. McCartney acknowledged that it was easier when they worked together. He shared in an interview with the This Cultural Life podcast, "When I'm writing on my own, and when he was writing on his own, we obviously missed each other. But, I wrote 'Yesterday' on my own. He wrote 'Imagine' on his own. So, it's not impossible, but as you just said, it's easier. If you're stuck with a line, he'll provide it. If he's stuck with a bit of a melody, I'll provide it. You know, we just helped each other."

McCartney also revealed that when he doubts the quality of his work, he often imagines what Lennon would think of it. This habit demonstrates the strength of their partnership and the influence Lennon had on McCartney's creative process. "Occasionally, I will refer to him and just sort of think, 'Wait a minute. Is this any good?'" McCartney shared. "Everyone who's writing always stops and goes, 'Oh, God. This is terrible. Oh my God.' It's just part of the creative process. So if I'm at that moment, 'This is terrible,' I'll go, 'What would John think of this?' And I'll sort of, you know, imagine I'm playing it to him. And he'll say, 'It's great. Carry on.' Or he'll say, 'It's rubbish. Fix it.'"

McCartney compared writing alone to "writing a novel" and described it as a more challenging and solitary experience. In an interview with his website, Paulmccartney.com, he explained that it allows for a deeper immersion in one's own thoughts, similar to being secluded while writing. While it can lead to better outcomes, it is also more demanding because there is no one else to rely on for input and support.

"Working on your own isn't quite as easy, but it's something different altogether. It's more like writing a novel," McCartney shared. "You do the opposite of sitting in a room with someone; you go off as far as you can, into the quietest part of the house when no one can hear you and no one can see you, hiding away under the staircase or something, until you're very much in your own thoughts. It can make something that turns out better, really. But yes, it's not as easy."