Paul McCartney Says Yoko Ono Questioned John Lennon’s Sexuality After His Death

While the Beatles only lasted a single decade, their impact on the music industry continues today. Inspiring and entertaining generations of fans, Paul McCartney never forgot his time alongside George Harrison, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr. Although McCartney fashioned a legendary solo career, he stayed connected to the friends who helped him take over the world. But even with the band working, traveling, and living together, McCartney was shocked when Yoko Ono once claimed that Lennon was “gay.” 

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On December 8, 1980, Lennon was sadly shot and killed in New York. Only 40 at the time, the shocking tragedy sent waves throughout the music world and left fans mourning the loss of one of the most influential songwriters in history. For McCartney and the other Beatles, the moment marked the end of an era.  

But that didn’t mean Lennon’s legacy was over. With McCartney and Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, keeping his spirit alive, the singer revealed, “I swear [Ono] rang me shortly after John died and said, ‘You know, I think John might have been gay.’” Supposedly, this conversation took place shortly after he was murdered. 

[RELATED: The Story Behind the First Songs Paul McCartney and John Lennon Wrote for Ringo Starr After the Beatles’ Split]

“I Had No Reason To Believe This at All”

Again, spending a great deal of time with Lennon, McCartney was unsure about the claims. “I went, ‘I’m not sure.’ I said, ‘I don’t think so. Certainly not when I knew him’… because we’d been in the ’60s. We’d been around with loads and loads of girls. And I bumped into seeing him jacking … a lot of girl action.”

Besides sharing the stage and road, McCartney noted how they even shared beds during the early years. Taking every step to save money, the singer insisted, “There was never a gesture, never an expression. It was nothing. So I had no reason to believe this at all.”

With McCartney having more than a few stories to tell about Lennon, he remained somewhat perplexed by the statement from Ono. But no matter Lennon’s sexual preference, his talents brought him both fame and membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. Once as a member of the Beatles and the other as a solo artist.  

In the end, whatever stories surfaced after Lennon’s death, his music remains his true legacy.

(Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)