The One and Only Compliment John Lennon Ever Paid Paul McCartney

Most good friendships don’t entirely entail sunshine and rainbows. Friendship also encompasses themes of jealousy, competition, and pride. It’s just the way it goes, and as a matter of fact, one could argue that those are signs of a true and passionate friendship. One example of this emotional paradigm on a very public scale was between The Beatles legends Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

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Everyone who fancies themselves a music fan is very aware of the complex relationship between Lennon and McCartney. They were both great mates and fierce competitors, as they were always trying to one-up one another when it came to their songwriting. Frankly, that is likely one of the reasons they consistently pumped out no. 1 hits.

However, in addition to the success this competition entailed, it also led to a lack of communication between the two. Specifically, Paul McCartney and John Lennon were always reluctant to pay credit where credit was due. However, there was one time when Lennon broke this trend, and it was when McCartney wrote The Beatles classic, “Here, There, And Everywhere”.

A Moment With John Lennon That Paul McCartney Remembers to This Day

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Paul McCartney divulged the details of his and Lennon’s working relationship.

“We later admitted, ‘Yeah, you know, Paul’s written a good one there, I’d better get going,’” said McCartney. “And I would similarly, ‘That’s a bit good, right, here we go, come on.’ If he’d have written ‘Strawberry Fields’, I would write ‘Penny Lane’. He’s remembering his old area in Liverpool, so I’ll remember mine.”

Per McCartney’s comments, this type of behavior went on for the duration of their careers together. Though, when McCartney finished “Here, There, And Everywhere”, Lennon simply had to pay his respects to his good mate and collaborator.

“I think it was ‘Revolver’, but ‘Here, There, And Everywhere’ was one of my songs on it, and John, just when it finishes, [said], ‘That’s a really good song, lad,’” McCartney revealed. “‘I love that song.’”

McCartney, flabbergasted and shocked, celebrated the moment and recalls it to this day.

“I was like, ‘Yes, he likes it!’”McCartney gushed. “I remember it to this day. It’s pathetic, really.”

This moment might seem insignificant and small in relation to The Beatles’ grand history. However, it isn’t, as it marks a monumental moment in the relationship of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. If you’ve had a friendship such as this one, then you know exactly what McCartney is talking about and why it is so important.

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