Paul McCartney Reflects on Reconnecting with John Lennon Before His Passing as ‘One of the Greatest Blessings’ in His Life
By Website Content Manager
In the new Prime Video documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run, McCartney shares insights into his relationship with Lennon.
Paul McCartney says he will always be thankful that he and John Lennon were able to reconcile.
The iconic musicians shared a bond as close as brothers, but their friendship became strained after the Beatles broke up in 1970.
In the new Prime Video documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run, McCartney reflects on being able to resolve their differences before Lennon’s untimely death on December 8, 1980.
“One of the greatest blessings of my life is that we made peace,” the 83-year-old musician says. “It’s both beautiful and bittersweet. We loved each other our whole lives.”
McCartney and Lennon first crossed paths as boys in Liverpool and later rose to worldwide fame as part of the Beatles alongside George Harrison and Ringo Starr. However, tensions grew after the band’s split, especially following a legal dispute McCartney initiated over the management of their finances by Allen Klein.
Further straining their relationship, Lennon released the 1971 track “How Do You Sleep?” aimed at McCartney, which caused a deeper rift between them.
In the documentary, McCartney recounts finally reconnecting with Lennon and even remembers visiting him in New York City with his wife, Linda. The two watched Saturday Night Live, where creator Lorne Michaels offered them money to make an impromptu Beatles reunion at Studio 8H.
“We got excited about the idea, but then wondered—would it really be for us or just for them?” McCartney recalls. “In the end, we decided to just have another cup of tea and let it go.”
McCartney touches only briefly on Lennon’s death, noting that “time can ease the pain,” while his daughter and Lennon’s son reflect on his response to the loss.
Sean Ono Lennon adds that his father and McCartney “shared a once-in-a-millennium chemistry that we’re unlikely to see again.”
Man on the Run, premiering on Prime Video on February 27, offers an intimate look at McCartney’s post-Beatles life in the 1970s, including his family life in Scotland and his journey forming and touring with Wings.