Sir Paul Says "You Will See Me"

Usually it's his strenuous efforts to be ingratiating that makes people hate Paul McCartney, but the knighted ex-Beatle's reversal of the "Lennon-McCartney" credit order won't make him any new friends. "The truth is that this is much ado about nothing," the inveterate clich?-slinger intones, "and there is no need for anybody to get their knickers in a twist." The switch only effects songs for which McCartney was the sole or main writer, and he has explained in the past that he's concerned about having his name suppressed or cut off when songs are catalogued alphabetically by composer. Given his durable but unfair reputation as a sidekick for the greatest musical genius since Pan (and more importantly, his forgettable output over the last three decades), it makes sense for His Lordship to guard his legacy. Still, if he really wanted to salvage his reputation, he'd try to blame sonic cowflops like "Martha, My Dear" and "Your Mother Should Know" on Ringo.

Comments

[William]

Please Tim, get a clue. Lennon was a genius, but only because he had Paul---and conversely. Why knock Paul for an argument with Yoko, not John?

McCartney wanted his name first on "Yesterday", Yoko shot him down---because it would diminish the value of the "John Lennon" brand. Appears the issue has escalated from there.

The two were always better in competition with one another. Afterwards, they're little better than Elton John on a good day. "Imagine" and "Say, Say, Say" both naseate me.

[Wayne Engle]

I don't have documentation here before me, but I seem to remember that Paul only wanted the "McCartney-Lennon" order of composers for "Yesterday." Considering that it's the most-covered song ever, and was written solely by Paul, I don't think that's unreasonable. As to the comment that the two only did their best work together, I don't agree with that. Both did some great stuff after the break-up of the Beatles. Paul just did a lot more of it than John -- and not just because so far he's lived 23 years longer.