Paul McCartney and John Lennon go way back. They lived in the same neighborhood as teenagers and started playing music together shortly after meeting one another. During those first few years, the duo wrote over 100 songs together. Today, those songs are lost. Here are two accounts of what happened to them, and a look back at the early days of Lennon and McCartney.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney | Fox Photos/Getty Images Young Paul McCartney and John Lennon were very different, but got along great
When McCartney met Lennon, they couldn’t have been more different. McCartney got good grades. He had a strong moral compass, bordering on self-righteous. Lennon, on the other hand, was a trouble-maker. He had emotional outbursts and could be cruel to his peers and authority figures alike. Plus, there was a two-year age difference between them. But the boys’ interests drew them together. They were both incredibly passionate about music,...
John Lennon and Paul McCartney | Fox Photos/Getty Images Young Paul McCartney and John Lennon were very different, but got along great
When McCartney met Lennon, they couldn’t have been more different. McCartney got good grades. He had a strong moral compass, bordering on self-righteous. Lennon, on the other hand, was a trouble-maker. He had emotional outbursts and could be cruel to his peers and authority figures alike. Plus, there was a two-year age difference between them. But the boys’ interests drew them together. They were both incredibly passionate about music,...
- 5/10/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When John Lennon was in his late teenage years, he had one thing on his mind and one thing only — rock and roll. He was obsessed with music, Elvis in particular, and getting his hands on a guitar. Here’s the story of his first guitar, and the story of his first group, the Quarrymen.
John Lennon | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi broke down and bought him a guitar
As soon as the Elvis craze got to Liverpool, Lennon was bought in. It was all he wanted to talk about at his Aunt’s house (where he grew up) and his mother and stepfather’s house. Mimi quickly grew weary of all the Elvis talk.
“Elvis Presley’s all very well, John, but I don’t want him for breakfast, dinner and tea,” she told him, according to the book The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines.
John Lennon | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi broke down and bought him a guitar
As soon as the Elvis craze got to Liverpool, Lennon was bought in. It was all he wanted to talk about at his Aunt’s house (where he grew up) and his mother and stepfather’s house. Mimi quickly grew weary of all the Elvis talk.
“Elvis Presley’s all very well, John, but I don’t want him for breakfast, dinner and tea,” she told him, according to the book The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines.
- 4/30/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Before forming The Beatles, John Lennon found himself in a complicated position with a bandmate. He founded the group The Quarrymen in the 1950s with some of his school friends. By the time Paul McCartney joined the group, it was clear that Lennon was ready to move on to other, bigger things. He fired one of his bandmates and longtime friends by smashing an instrument over his head.
John Lennon | Helmut Reiss/United Archives via Getty Images John Lennon worked closely with a bandmate in The Quarrymen
Lennon spent some of the earliest days of his music career in The Quarrymen, a skiffle band he formed with school friends. The original lineup was Lennon, Eric Griffiths, Bill Smith, and Pete Shotton. They named the group after their school song.
Lennon and Shotton were particularly close friends, having met in school and discovering that they had similar senses of humor.
“My...
John Lennon | Helmut Reiss/United Archives via Getty Images John Lennon worked closely with a bandmate in The Quarrymen
Lennon spent some of the earliest days of his music career in The Quarrymen, a skiffle band he formed with school friends. The original lineup was Lennon, Eric Griffiths, Bill Smith, and Pete Shotton. They named the group after their school song.
Lennon and Shotton were particularly close friends, having met in school and discovering that they had similar senses of humor.
“My...
- 4/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the late 1950s, before The Quarry Men became The Beatles, and years before Ringo Starr joined the band, completing what would become the Fab Four, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Colin Hanton, and John “Duff” Lowe recorded their first-ever recording.
Although some might think “In Spite of All the Danger” is an early John song, Paul initiated it with George’s help. Therefore, it is the only song with a “McCartney-Harrison” writing credit.
The Beatles | Hulton Archive/Getty Images How The Quarry Men formed
In the late 1950s, John formed a skiffle group called The Quarry Men, named after his school, Quarry Bank High School. Later, in July 1957, the band performed at the Woolton Village Fête at St Peter’s Church. They were playing The Del-Vikings‘ “Come Go With Me” when Paul arrived.
Eric Griffiths was on the guitar, Colin Hanton played the drums, Rod Davies a banjo,...
Although some might think “In Spite of All the Danger” is an early John song, Paul initiated it with George’s help. Therefore, it is the only song with a “McCartney-Harrison” writing credit.
The Beatles | Hulton Archive/Getty Images How The Quarry Men formed
In the late 1950s, John formed a skiffle group called The Quarry Men, named after his school, Quarry Bank High School. Later, in July 1957, the band performed at the Woolton Village Fête at St Peter’s Church. They were playing The Del-Vikings‘ “Come Go With Me” when Paul arrived.
Eric Griffiths was on the guitar, Colin Hanton played the drums, Rod Davies a banjo,...
- 3/4/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney thought John Lennon was “ingenious” the first time he saw him performing with The Quarry Men. There was something about John that Paul instantly connected with, and they became bandmates soon after.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Gab Archive/Getty Images Paul McCartney had seen John Lennon around before they officially met
In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul wrote that he’d seen John around Liverpool before they officially met in 1957. Paul said he thought John looked cool, but he doesn’t know if they’d have started talking to each other.
“I’d seen him a couple of times and thought, ‘Wow, you know, he’s an interesting looking guy,'” Paul told John’s youngest son Sean Ono Lennon during a BBC Radio 2 special commemorating what would have been John’s 80th birthday.
Then, Paul saw John at a fish and chips shop and...
Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Gab Archive/Getty Images Paul McCartney had seen John Lennon around before they officially met
In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul wrote that he’d seen John around Liverpool before they officially met in 1957. Paul said he thought John looked cool, but he doesn’t know if they’d have started talking to each other.
“I’d seen him a couple of times and thought, ‘Wow, you know, he’s an interesting looking guy,'” Paul told John’s youngest son Sean Ono Lennon during a BBC Radio 2 special commemorating what would have been John’s 80th birthday.
Then, Paul saw John at a fish and chips shop and...
- 2/18/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney said it was typical that John Lennon had someone else tell him he could join The Quarry Men. The future songwriting partners met in 1957 and instantly connected.
Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison | Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images Paul McCartney and John Lennon met at a village fete in 1957
On a hot summer’s day in 1957, Paul and his school friend, Ivan Vaughan, attended a village fete (garden party) at St. Peter’s, Woolton’s Parish Church in Liverpool. When they arrived, they saw a band performing, John’s skiffle group, The Quarry Men.
During an interview for Beatles Anthology, Paul remembered that he landed eyes on John immediately as he came to the church’s field. He seemed “cool,” wearing his checkered shirt and playing a guitar “guaranteed not to crack.”
Eric Griffiths played the guitar, Colin Hanton played the drums, Rod Davies a banjo, Pete Shotton a washboard,...
Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison | Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images Paul McCartney and John Lennon met at a village fete in 1957
On a hot summer’s day in 1957, Paul and his school friend, Ivan Vaughan, attended a village fete (garden party) at St. Peter’s, Woolton’s Parish Church in Liverpool. When they arrived, they saw a band performing, John’s skiffle group, The Quarry Men.
During an interview for Beatles Anthology, Paul remembered that he landed eyes on John immediately as he came to the church’s field. He seemed “cool,” wearing his checkered shirt and playing a guitar “guaranteed not to crack.”
Eric Griffiths played the guitar, Colin Hanton played the drums, Rod Davies a banjo, Pete Shotton a washboard,...
- 1/26/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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