John and Paul: A Beatles Love Story in Songs (Part Two)

Apr 3, 2025

Ian Leslie, author of "John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs," dives deep into the remarkable, complex relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. He reveals how their contrasting personalities fueled their creativity and shaped The Beatles' iconic sound. The discussion highlights the emotional weight behind songs like 'Yesterday' and how their bond evolved post-Beatles, influenced by partners such as Yoko Ono and Linda McCartney. Leslie captures the essence of their musical dialogue, filled with tension, regret, and enduring affection.

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ANECDOTE

Yesterday's Impact

John Lennon worried about Paul McCartney leaving the partnership after the success of "Yesterday".
This triggered insecurities stemming from childhood experiences of abandonment.

INSIGHT

Distance Fuels Creativity

Physical distance between John and Paul, after they stopped touring, fostered individual musical growth.
This separation enhanced their distinctive styles, resulting in more diverse and creative music.

ANECDOTE

Opposites Attract

"A Day in the Life" showcases Lennon and McCartney's contrasting styles, blending John's introspection with Paul's optimism.
Ray Davies highlights their differences: Paul's competitive nature versus John's inherent belief in his superiority.

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In 1957 John Lennon and Paul McCartney were two ordinary teenagers who met in suburban Liverpool and decided to play rock and roll together. Twenty-three years later that friendship came to a tragic end when Lennon was murdered. But those 23 years changed the world. Lennon and McCartney became global stars, created a body of work that has never been matched in popular music, and arguably had more influence on our culture than any other figures in the past century.

InMarch 2025 writer Ian Leslie came to Intelligence Squared to tell a new history of the world’s most influential creative relationship and explain why Lennon and McCartney were a combination of friends, rivals and collaborators. Drawing from his new book John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs, Leslie explored how both Beatles had the fabric of their world ruptured at a young age, and longed to make emotional connections – with each other, and with audiences. The pop song was a vessel into which they poured feelings of grief and euphoria and everything in between. When they couldn’t speak what they felt, they sang it. After the break-up of their group, they maintained a musical dialogue at a distance, in songs full of recrimination, regret, and affection.

Leslie traced the twists and turns of the Lennon/McCartney relationship through the music it produced and the huge impact it still has on the world today.

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