Lennon/McCartney
Encyclopedia
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting
partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history. Between 1962 and 1969, the partnership published approximately 180 jointly credited songs, of which the vast majority were recorded by The Beatles
and form the bulk of their catalogue.
Unlike many songwriting partnerships which comprise separate lyricist and composer, both John Lennon
and Paul McCartney
wrote words and music. Sometimes, especially early on, they would collaborate extensively when writing songs, working "eyeball to eyeball". Later, it became more common for one of the two credited authors to write all or most of a song with limited input from the other. However, by an agreement made before the Beatles became famous, Lennon and McCartney agreed to share equal writing credit on songs that either one of them wrote while their partnership lasted.
Lennon–McCartney compositions have been the subject of numerous cover version
s. According to Guinness World Records
, "Yesterday
" has been recorded by more artists than any other song.
, Buddy Holly
and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and they learned many of their songs and imitated their sound. Their first compositions were written at McCartney's home (20 Forthlin Road
), at Lennon's aunt Mimi
's house at 251 Menlove Avenue
, or at the Liverpool Institute. They often invited friends—including George Harrison
, Nigel Walley, Barbara Baker, and Lennon's art school
colleagues—to listen to performances of their new songs.
Although Lennon and McCartney often wrote independently—and many Beatles songs are primarily the work of one or the other—it was rare that a song would be completed without some input from both writers. In many instances, one writer would sketch an idea or a song fragment and take it to the other to finish or improve; in some cases, two incomplete songs or song ideas that each had worked on individually would be combined into a complete song. Often one of the pair would add a so-called middle eight or bridge
section to the other's verse and chorus. Lennon called it "Writing eyeball-to-eyeball", and "Playing into each other's noses". This approach of the Lennon–McCartney songwriting team—with elements of competitiveness and mutual inspiration as well as straightforward collaboration and creative merging of musical ideas—is often cited as a key reason for The Beatles' innovation and popular success.
As time went on, the songs increasingly became the work of one writer or the other, often with the partner offering up only a few words or an alternate chord. "A Day in the Life
" is a notable and well-known example of a later Beatles song that includes substantial contributions by both Lennon and McCartney, where a separate song fragment by McCartney ("Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head...") was used to flesh out the middle of Lennon's composition ("I read the news today, oh boy..."). "Hey Jude
" is another example of a later Paul McCartney
song that had input from Lennon: while auditioning the song for Lennon, when McCartney came to the lyric "the movement you need is on your shoulder," McCartney assured Lennon that he would change the line—which McCartney felt was nonsensical—as soon as he could come up with a better lyric. Lennon advised McCartney to leave that line alone, saying it was one of the strongest in the song.
In his 1980 Playboy interview, Lennon said of the partnership, "he provided a lightness, an optimism, while I would always go for the sadness, the discords, the bluesy notes. There was a period when I thought I didn't write melodies, that Paul wrote those and I just wrote straight, shouting rock 'n' roll. But, of course, when I think of some of my own songs—"In My Life
", or some of the early stuff, "This Boy
"—I was writing melody with the best of them."
However, Lennon said the main intention of The Beatles' music was to communicate, and that, to this effect, he and McCartney had a shared purpose. The book Help! 50 Songwriting, Recording and Career Tips Used by The Beatles, points out that at least half of all Lennon–McCartney lyrics have the words "you" and/or "your" in the first line.
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership makes up the majority of The Beatles' catalogue. The first two UK studio albums included twelve cover tunes and fifteen Lennon–McCartney songs, with one track ("Don't Bother Me
") credited to George Harrison
. Their third UK album, A Hard Day's Night
is made up entirely of Lennon–McCartney compositions. The next album released, Beatles For Sale
included six covers and eight Lennon–McCartney originals. The subsequent release Help!
had two covers and two Harrison compositions along with ten Lennon–McCartney tracks. Beginning with Rubber Soul
, The Beatles released only original material on their studio albums, with George Harrison contributing between one and four songs on each record, Ringo Starr
writing two songs ("Don't Pass Me By
" and "Octopus's Garden
") and being given joint credit with Lennon and McCartney for a third ("What Goes On"), and a fourth joint credit on Flying (credited to all four Beatles), and the rest of the catalogue coming from Lennon and McCartney.
Lennon and McCartney gave songs to Starr to sing, and to Harrison before he started writing his own material. As for the songs they kept for themselves, each partner sang his own composition, often with the other providing harmonies, or they shared lead vocal. If each contributed a fragment to make a whole song, he might sing his portion (see "I've Got a Feeling
" and "A Day in the Life
"). "Every Little Thing
" (written by Paul, sung by John) is a very rare example of a Lennon–McCartney composition written by one member of the partnership and sung by the other.
" and "One After 909
", were credited to the partnership when published in the following decade. The earliest Beatles recording credited to Lennon–McCartney to be officially released is "You'll Be Mine", recorded at home in 1960 and included on Anthology 1
35 years later.
However, some other compositions from the band's early years are not credited to the partnership. "In Spite of All the Danger
", a 1958 composition that the band (then The Quarrymen) paid to record to disc, is attributed to McCartney and George Harrison
. "Cayenne
", recorded at the same time as "You'll Be Mine", is a solo McCartney composition. "Cry for a Shadow
", recorded during The Beatles' sessions with Tony Sheridan
in June 1961, was written by Lennon and Harrison.
By 1962, the joint credit agreement was in effect. From the time of The Beatles' first A&R
audition in January that year, until Lennon's announcement in September 1969 that he was leaving the band, virtually all songs by McCartney or Lennon were published with joint credit. The only exceptions were a handful of the McCartney compositions released by other artists (viz. "Woman
" by Peter and Gordon in 1966, "Cat Call" by Chris Barber
in 1967, and "Penina" by Carlos Mendes in 1969).
After the partnership had ended, Lennon and McCartney each gave account of their individual contribution to each jointly-credited song. In only three known cases is there a substantial difference between their recollections:
", credited to "Lennon–McCartney". However, on their next three releases (viz. the single "Please Please Me
", the Please Please Me
LP, and the single From Me To You
), the credit was given as "McCartney–Lennon". With the "She Loves You
" single, released in August 1963, the credit reverted to "Lennon–McCartney", and all subsequent official Beatles singles and albums list "Lennon–McCartney" (UK) or "J.Lennon/P.McCartney" (US) as the author of songs written by the two.
In 1976, after the Beatles had disbanded, McCartney released his live album Wings over America
with songwriting credits for five Beatles songs reversed to place McCartney's name first. Neither Lennon nor Yoko Ono
publicly "voiced a word of disapproval about it". Several years after Lennon's death however, in the late 1990s, McCartney and Ono became involved in a dispute over the credit order. McCartney's 2002 live album, Back in the U.S.
, also used the credit "Paul McCartney and John Lennon" for all of the Beatles songs. When Ono objected to McCartney's request for the reversed credit to be used for the song "Yesterday
", McCartney said that he and Lennon had agreed in the past that the credits could be reversed, if either of them wanted to, on any future releases. Later, however, he relented, saying "I'm happy with the way it is and always has been. Lennon and McCartney is still the rock 'n' roll trademark I'm proud to be a part of—in the order it has always been." An in-depth analysis of the legal issues surrounding the dispute is the subject of a sixty-six page Pepperdine Law Review article from 2006.
The German-language
versions of "I Want to Hold Your Hand
" and "She Loves You
" were also credited to additional songwriters for assisting with the translation: "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand
" was credited to Lennon–McCartney–Nicholas
–Heller and "Sie Liebt Dich
" was credited to Lennon–McCartney–Nicholas–Montague.
. Recording a Lennon–McCartney song helped launch new artists' careers. Many of the recordings below were included on the 1979 compilation album The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away
. Beatles versions of some of these were recorded; some were not released until after their split, on compilations such as Live at the BBC
(1993) and The Beatles Anthology
(1995-6).
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history. Between 1962 and 1969, the partnership published approximately 180 jointly credited songs, of which the vast majority were recorded by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and form the bulk of their catalogue.
Unlike many songwriting partnerships which comprise separate lyricist and composer, both John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
wrote words and music. Sometimes, especially early on, they would collaborate extensively when writing songs, working "eyeball to eyeball". Later, it became more common for one of the two credited authors to write all or most of a song with limited input from the other. However, by an agreement made before the Beatles became famous, Lennon and McCartney agreed to share equal writing credit on songs that either one of them wrote while their partnership lasted.
Lennon–McCartney compositions have been the subject of numerous cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s. According to Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, "Yesterday
Yesterday (song)
"Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded...
" has been recorded by more artists than any other song.
Working partnership
Lennon and McCartney's first musical idols were the Everly Brothers, Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and they learned many of their songs and imitated their sound. Their first compositions were written at McCartney's home (20 Forthlin Road
20 Forthlin Road
20 Forthlin Road is a National Trust property in south Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is the house in which Paul McCartney lived for several years before he rose to fame with The Beatles. It was also the home of his brother Mike.- History :...
), at Lennon's aunt Mimi
Mimi Smith
Mary Elizabeth "Mimi" Smith was the maternal aunt and parental guardian of the English musician John Lennon. Mimi was born in Liverpool, England and was the oldest of five daughters. She became a resident trainee nurse at the Woolton Convalescent Hospital, and later worked as a private secretary...
's house at 251 Menlove Avenue
251 Menlove Avenue
251 Menlove Avenue, named "Mendips", was the childhood home of John Lennon, singer and songwriter with the Beatles, and is now preserved by the National Trust....
, or at the Liverpool Institute. They often invited friends—including George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, Nigel Walley, Barbara Baker, and Lennon's art school
Art school
Art school is a general term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. The term applies to institutions with elementary, secondary, post-secondary or undergraduate, or graduate or...
colleagues—to listen to performances of their new songs.
Although Lennon and McCartney often wrote independently—and many Beatles songs are primarily the work of one or the other—it was rare that a song would be completed without some input from both writers. In many instances, one writer would sketch an idea or a song fragment and take it to the other to finish or improve; in some cases, two incomplete songs or song ideas that each had worked on individually would be combined into a complete song. Often one of the pair would add a so-called middle eight or bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
section to the other's verse and chorus. Lennon called it "Writing eyeball-to-eyeball", and "Playing into each other's noses". This approach of the Lennon–McCartney songwriting team—with elements of competitiveness and mutual inspiration as well as straightforward collaboration and creative merging of musical ideas—is often cited as a key reason for The Beatles' innovation and popular success.
As time went on, the songs increasingly became the work of one writer or the other, often with the partner offering up only a few words or an alternate chord. "A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
"A Day in the Life" is a song by The Beatles, the final track on the group's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the song comprises distinct segments written independently by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with orchestral additions...
" is a notable and well-known example of a later Beatles song that includes substantial contributions by both Lennon and McCartney, where a separate song fragment by McCartney ("Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head...") was used to flesh out the middle of Lennon's composition ("I read the news today, oh boy..."). "Hey Jude
Hey Jude
"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song widely accepted as being written to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce—although this explanation is not...
" is another example of a later Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
song that had input from Lennon: while auditioning the song for Lennon, when McCartney came to the lyric "the movement you need is on your shoulder," McCartney assured Lennon that he would change the line—which McCartney felt was nonsensical—as soon as he could come up with a better lyric. Lennon advised McCartney to leave that line alone, saying it was one of the strongest in the song.
In his 1980 Playboy interview, Lennon said of the partnership, "he provided a lightness, an optimism, while I would always go for the sadness, the discords, the bluesy notes. There was a period when I thought I didn't write melodies, that Paul wrote those and I just wrote straight, shouting rock 'n' roll. But, of course, when I think of some of my own songs—"In My Life
In My Life
"In My Life" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney . The song originated with Lennon, and while Paul McCartney contributed to the final version, the extent of his contribution is in dispute. George Martin contributed the instrumental bridge...
", or some of the early stuff, "This Boy
This Boy
"This Boy" is a song by English rock band The Beatles released in November 1963 as the B-side of the British Parlophone single "I Want to Hold Your Hand". The Beatles performed it live on 16 February 1964 for their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show...
"—I was writing melody with the best of them."
However, Lennon said the main intention of The Beatles' music was to communicate, and that, to this effect, he and McCartney had a shared purpose. The book Help! 50 Songwriting, Recording and Career Tips Used by The Beatles, points out that at least half of all Lennon–McCartney lyrics have the words "you" and/or "your" in the first line.
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership makes up the majority of The Beatles' catalogue. The first two UK studio albums included twelve cover tunes and fifteen Lennon–McCartney songs, with one track ("Don't Bother Me
Don't Bother Me
"Don't Bother Me" is the first song written by George Harrison to appear on an album by The Beatles. It originally appeared on the group's With The Beatles album in the United Kingdom, released in 1963, and on their Meet The Beatles! album in the United States, released in 1964.-History:Harrison...
") credited to George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
. Their third UK album, A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night (album)
A Hard Day's Night is the third studio album by The Beatles, released on 10 July 1964 as the soundtrack to their film A Hard Day's Night. The American version of the album was released two weeks earlier, on 26 June 1964 by United Artists Records, with a different track listing...
is made up entirely of Lennon–McCartney compositions. The next album released, Beatles For Sale
Beatles for Sale
Beatles for Sale is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released in late 1964 and produced by George Martin for Parlophone. The album marked a minor turning point in the evolution of Lennon and McCartney as lyricists, John Lennon particularly now showing interest in...
included six covers and eight Lennon–McCartney originals. The subsequent release Help!
Help! (album)
Help! is the title of the fifth British and ninth American album by The Beatles, and the soundtrack from their film of the same name. Produced by George Martin for EMI's Parlophone Records, it contains fourteen songs in its original British form, of which seven appeared in the film...
had two covers and two Harrison compositions along with ten Lennon–McCartney tracks. Beginning with Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released in December 1965. Produced by George Martin, Rubber Soul had been recorded in just over four weeks to make the Christmas market...
, The Beatles released only original material on their studio albums, with George Harrison contributing between one and four songs on each record, Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
writing two songs ("Don't Pass Me By
Don't Pass Me By
"Don't Pass Me By" is a song by The Beatles from the double album The Beatles . Lead vocals were performed by Ringo Starr. It was Starr's first solo composition.-Origin:...
" and "Octopus's Garden
Octopus's Garden
"Octopus's Garden" is a song by The Beatles written by Ringo Starr from their 1969 album Abbey Road....
") and being given joint credit with Lennon and McCartney for a third ("What Goes On"), and a fourth joint credit on Flying (credited to all four Beatles), and the rest of the catalogue coming from Lennon and McCartney.
Lennon and McCartney gave songs to Starr to sing, and to Harrison before he started writing his own material. As for the songs they kept for themselves, each partner sang his own composition, often with the other providing harmonies, or they shared lead vocal. If each contributed a fragment to make a whole song, he might sing his portion (see "I've Got a Feeling
I've Got a Feeling
"I've Got a Feeling" is a song by The Beatles, from the 1970 album Let It Be. It is one of the songs on the album from the Rooftop Concert...
" and "A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
"A Day in the Life" is a song by The Beatles, the final track on the group's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the song comprises distinct segments written independently by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with orchestral additions...
"). "Every Little Thing
Every Little Thing (song)
"Every Little Thing" is a song written by Paul McCartney and performed by The Beatles on their 1964 British album Beatles for Sale. In North America, Capitol released it as the last track on Beatles VI.-Composition:...
" (written by Paul, sung by John) is a very rare example of a Lennon–McCartney composition written by one member of the partnership and sung by the other.
Joint credit
McCartney and Lennon met in July 1957 as teenagers and began writing songs together; they agreed that all songs written by them (whether individually or jointly) should be credited to both of them. The precise date of the agreement is unknown; however, Lennon spoke in 1980 of an informal agreement between him and McCartney made "when we were fifteen or sixteen". Two songs written (primarily by Lennon) in 1957, "Hello Little GirlHello Little Girl
"Hello Little Girl" is the first song ever written by John Lennon. According to Lennon, he drew on an old "Thirties or Forties song" that his mother sang to him . Written in 1957, it was used as one of the songs at The Beatles unsuccessful Decca audition in 1962...
" and "One After 909
One After 909
"One After 909" is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon, with input from Paul McCartney , and originally released in 1970 on the album Let It Be. The album version is the live performance from the rooftop concert which took place on 30 January 1969...
", were credited to the partnership when published in the following decade. The earliest Beatles recording credited to Lennon–McCartney to be officially released is "You'll Be Mine", recorded at home in 1960 and included on Anthology 1
Anthology 1
Anthology 1 is a compilation album by The Beatles, released by Apple Records in November 1995. It was released as the first part of the Anthology trilogy of albums with Anthology 2 and Anthology 3, all of which tie-in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. It contains "Free as a Bird",...
35 years later.
However, some other compositions from the band's early years are not credited to the partnership. "In Spite of All the Danger
In Spite of All the Danger
"In Spite of All the Danger" is one of the first songs recorded by The Quarrymen, then composed of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, pianist John Lowe and drummer Colin Hanton....
", a 1958 composition that the band (then The Quarrymen) paid to record to disc, is attributed to McCartney and George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
. "Cayenne
Cayenne (song)
"Cayenne" is an instrumental track by The Beatles. It was recorded by the band in 1960, when they were still known as The Quarrymen, and not officially released until its inclusion on the 1995 album Anthology 1....
", recorded at the same time as "You'll Be Mine", is a solo McCartney composition. "Cry for a Shadow
Cry for a Shadow
"Cry for a Shadow" is an early Beatles instrumental. It was recorded on 22 June 1961 at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg-Harburg, Germany while they were performing as Tony Sheridan's backup band for a few tracks, under the moniker The Beat Brothers. It was written by George Harrison with John...
", recorded during The Beatles' sessions with Tony Sheridan
Tony Sheridan
Tony Sheridan , is an English rock and roll singer-songwriter and guitarist...
in June 1961, was written by Lennon and Harrison.
By 1962, the joint credit agreement was in effect. From the time of The Beatles' first A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
audition in January that year, until Lennon's announcement in September 1969 that he was leaving the band, virtually all songs by McCartney or Lennon were published with joint credit. The only exceptions were a handful of the McCartney compositions released by other artists (viz. "Woman
Woman (Paul McCartney song)
"Woman" is a 1966 single by Peter and Gordon, written by Paul McCartney under a pseudonym.-Authorship:Under the Lennon/McCartney moniker, McCartney had written three previous Peter and Gordon singles "Woman" is a 1966 single by Peter and Gordon, written by Paul McCartney under a...
" by Peter and Gordon in 1966, "Cat Call" by Chris Barber
Chris Barber
Donald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist. As well as scoring a UK top twenty trad jazz hit he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and vocalist/banjoist Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with...
in 1967, and "Penina" by Carlos Mendes in 1969).
After the partnership had ended, Lennon and McCartney each gave account of their individual contribution to each jointly-credited song. In only three known cases is there a substantial difference between their recollections:
- Although Lennon said that McCartney helped only with "the middle eight" (implying a short section) of "In My LifeIn My Life"In My Life" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney . The song originated with Lennon, and while Paul McCartney contributed to the final version, the extent of his contribution is in dispute. George Martin contributed the instrumental bridge...
", McCartney has said that he wrote the (entire) melody, taking inspiration from Smokey Robinson songs. - McCartney said that he wrote "Eleanor RigbyEleanor Rigby"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by The Beatles, simultaneously released on the 1966 album Revolver and on a 45 rpm single. The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney...
" on a piano in the Ashers'Jane AsherJane Asher is an English actress. She has also developed a second career as a cake decorator and cake shop proprietor.-Early life:...
music room in Wimpole Street, and later played it to DonovanDonovanDonovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
before it was finished—a claim which Donovan confirmed. Lennon said, in 1972, that he wrote 70 percent of the "Eleanor Rigby" lyrics, but Pete Shotton, Lennon's childhood friend, remembered Lennon's contribution as being "absolutely nil". - Whilst Lennon said that McCartney's contribution to "Ticket to RideTicket to Ride"Ticket to Ride" is a song by The Beatles from their 1965 album, Help!. It was recorded 15 February 1965 and released two months later. -Composition:...
" was limited to "the way RingoRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
played the drums," McCartney said "we sat down and wrote it together... give him 60 percent of it."
Lennon–McCartney vs McCartney–Lennon
In October 1962, the Beatles released their first single in the UK, "Love Me DoLove Me Do
"Love Me Do" is The Beatles' first single, backed by "P.S. I Love You" and released on 5 October 1962. When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom, it peaked at number seventeen; in 1982 it was re-issued and reached number four...
", credited to "Lennon–McCartney". However, on their next three releases (viz. the single "Please Please Me
Please Please Me (song)
"Please Please Me" is a song and the second single released by The Beatles in the United Kingdom, and the first to be issued in the United States. It was also the title track of their first LP, which was recorded to capitalise on the success of the single...
", the Please Please Me
Please Please Me
Please Please Me is the debut album by the English rock band The Beatles. Parlophone rush-released the album on 22 March 1963 in the United Kingdom to capitalise on the success of singles "Please Please Me" and "Love Me Do" .Of the album's fourteen songs, eight were written by Lennon–McCartney...
LP, and the single From Me To You
From Me to You
"From Me to You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and released by The Beatles as a single in 1963. The single was the Beatles' first number one in some of the United Kingdom charts, second in others, but failed to make an impact in the United States at the time of its initial...
), the credit was given as "McCartney–Lennon". With the "She Loves You
She Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
" single, released in August 1963, the credit reverted to "Lennon–McCartney", and all subsequent official Beatles singles and albums list "Lennon–McCartney" (UK) or "J.Lennon/P.McCartney" (US) as the author of songs written by the two.
In 1976, after the Beatles had disbanded, McCartney released his live album Wings over America
Wings over America
Wings over America is the sixth album by Wings and their only live album. In its initial release, it was a triple album and included a poster of the band.-Recording history:...
with songwriting credits for five Beatles songs reversed to place McCartney's name first. Neither Lennon nor Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
publicly "voiced a word of disapproval about it". Several years after Lennon's death however, in the late 1990s, McCartney and Ono became involved in a dispute over the credit order. McCartney's 2002 live album, Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S. is a double live album by Paul McCartney composed of highlights from his spring 2002 Driving USA Tour in the US in support of McCartney's 2001 release Driving Rain...
, also used the credit "Paul McCartney and John Lennon" for all of the Beatles songs. When Ono objected to McCartney's request for the reversed credit to be used for the song "Yesterday
Yesterday (song)
"Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded...
", McCartney said that he and Lennon had agreed in the past that the credits could be reversed, if either of them wanted to, on any future releases. Later, however, he relented, saying "I'm happy with the way it is and always has been. Lennon and McCartney is still the rock 'n' roll trademark I'm proud to be a part of—in the order it has always been." An in-depth analysis of the legal issues surrounding the dispute is the subject of a sixty-six page Pepperdine Law Review article from 2006.
Other credits
A number of songs written primarily by the duo and recorded by The Beatles were credited as follows:- "What Goes On" (1965) Lennon–McCartney–StarkeyRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
- "Flying" (1967) HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
–Lennon–McCartney–Starkey - "Dig It" (1969) Lennon–McCartney–Starkey–Harrison
- "Free as a BirdFree as a Bird"Free as a Bird" is a song originally composed and recorded in 1977 as a home demo by John Lennon. In 1995 a studio version of the recording incorporating contributions from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr was released as a single by The Beatles.The single was released as part of...
" (1995) Original composition by John Lennon, Beatles version by John Lennon/Paul McCartney/George Harrison/Ringo Starr - "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)Christmas Time (Is Here Again)"Christmas Time " is a Christmas song recorded by The Beatles for their 1967 fan-club Christmas record....
" (1995 edit of 1967 fan club version) Lennon–McCartney–Harrison–Starr
The German-language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
versions of "I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment....
" and "She Loves You
She Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
" were also credited to additional songwriters for assisting with the translation: "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand
Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand / Sie Liebt Dich
"Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" / "Sie Liebt Dich" was a single released on 5 March 1964 by The Beatles in Germany. They are the German language versions of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You", respectively, and were translated by Luxembourger musician Camillo Felgen, under the pseudonym of...
" was credited to Lennon–McCartney–Nicholas
Camillo Felgen
Camillo Jean Nicolas Felgen was a Luxembourgian singer, lyricist, DJ, and television presenter.- Biography :...
–Heller and "Sie Liebt Dich
Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand / Sie Liebt Dich
"Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" / "Sie Liebt Dich" was a single released on 5 March 1964 by The Beatles in Germany. They are the German language versions of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You", respectively, and were translated by Luxembourger musician Camillo Felgen, under the pseudonym of...
" was credited to Lennon–McCartney–Nicholas–Montague.
Non-Beatles songs
Several songs credited to Lennon–McCartney were originally released by artists other than The Beatles, especially those managed by Brian EpsteinBrian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
. Recording a Lennon–McCartney song helped launch new artists' careers. Many of the recordings below were included on the 1979 compilation album The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away
The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away
The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away was a conceptual compilation album containing the original artist recordings of songs composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the 1960s that they had elected not to release as Beatles songs...
. Beatles versions of some of these were recorded; some were not released until after their split, on compilations such as Live at the BBC
Live at the BBC (The Beatles album)
Live at the BBC is a 1994 compilation album featuring performances by The Beatles that were originally broadcast on various BBC Light Programme radio shows from 1963 through 1965. The monaural album, available in multiple formats but most commonly as a two-CD set, consists of 56 songs and 13 tracks...
(1993) and The Beatles Anthology
The Beatles Anthology
The Beatles Anthology is the name of a documentary series, a set of three double albums and a book focusing on the history of The Beatles. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all participated in the making and approval of the works, which are sometimes referred to collectively as the...
(1995-6).
| Year | Artist | Song | Peak Chart Position |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up... |
"I Wanna Be Your Man I Wanna Be Your Man "I Wanna Be Your Man" is a Lennon–McCartney-penned song that was recorded separately by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones' version was released a few weeks earlier... " |
UK #12 | Beatles version released later in 1963 on With The Beatles With the Beatles With The Beatles is the second studio album by the English rock group The Beatles. It was released on 22 November 1963 on Parlophone, and was recorded four months after the band's debut Please Please Me... |
| 1963 | Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas | "I'll Be on My Way I'll Be on My Way "I'll Be on My Way" is a Lennon–McCartney song, which was first released on 26 April 1963 by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas as the b-side of their single "Do You Want to Know a Secret", a song also written by Lennon–McCartney. The single reached number two in the UK charts while "From Me to You"... " |
(B-side A-side and B-side A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or... ) |
Beatles version released on Live at the BBC |
| 1963 | Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas | "Bad to Me Bad to Me "Bad to Me" is a song John Lennon wrote for Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas while on holiday in Spain. Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas released their recording of the song in 1963 and it became their first #1 UK hit. Paul McCartney was present during the recording session at Abbey Road Studios... " |
UK #1 | |
| 1963 | Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas | "I Call Your Name I Call Your Name "I Call Your Name" is a song written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney.-Overview:Lennon wrote the song prior to the formation of the Beatles. In 1963, he gave the song to Billy J. Kramer of The Dakotas, another Liverpool band who was signed to Parlophone by George Martin... " |
(B-side) | Beatles version released on Long Tall Sally Long Tall Sally (EP) -Other releases:*In the United States, the EP was split and released on The Beatles' Second Album and Something New .... EP in 1964 |
| 1963 | Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas | "I'll Keep You Satisfied I'll Keep You Satisfied "I'll Keep You Satisfied" is a song written mainly by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released as a single by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas on 1 November 1963. It reached number 4 and spent 13 weeks in the UK charts, kept off the top spot by The Beatles' "She Loves You" ... " |
UK #4 | |
| 1964 | Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas | "From a Window From a Window "From a Window" is a song written by Paul McCartney, attributed to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which was recorded by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas. It was the sixth and final Lennon/McCartney composition that was given to Kramer.... " |
UK #10 | |
| 1963 | Tommy Quickly Tommy Quickly Tommy Quickly was a Liverpool rock and roll singer in the early 1960s. He was a later signing of artist manager Brian Epstein, whose biggest act was The Beatles.... |
"Tip of My Tongue Tip of My Tongue "Tip of My Tongue" is a single by Tommy Quickly backed by The Remo Four. Written by Paul McCartney and attributed to the songwriting partnership of Lennon–McCartney, it was one of their relatively few songs that were never officially released by The Beatles... " |
— | |
| 1963 | The Fourmost The Fourmost The Fourmost were an English Merseybeat band that recorded in the 1960s. Their biggest UK hit single was "A Little Loving" in 1964.-Biography:... |
"Hello Little Girl Hello Little Girl "Hello Little Girl" is the first song ever written by John Lennon. According to Lennon, he drew on an old "Thirties or Forties song" that his mother sang to him . Written in 1957, it was used as one of the songs at The Beatles unsuccessful Decca audition in 1962... " |
UK #9 | Beatles version released on Anthology 1 |
| 1963 | The Fourmost | "I'm in Love" | UK #17 | |
| 1963 | Cilla Black Cilla Black Cilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie... |
"Love of the Loved Love of the Loved "Love of the Loved" is a song written mainly by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon–McCartney. It is one of his earliest compositions and featured in the Beatles live act in their early days. The group recorded the song at their 1962 audition for Decca Records, but never issued it on any of their... " |
UK #35 | |
| 1964 | Cilla Black | "It's for You It's for You "It's for You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles for Cilla Black for whom it was a UK Top Ten hit in 1964.... " |
UK #7 | |
| 1968 | Cilla Black | "Step Inside Love Step Inside Love "Step Inside Love" is a song written by Paul McCartney for Cilla Black in 1967 as a theme for her TV series Cilla, which first aired in the beginning of 1968. Her version was released as a single on 8 March 1968. It reached number eight in the British charts... " |
UK #8 | Beatles version released on Anthology 3 |
| 1964 | The Strangers with Mike Shannon | "One and One Is Two" | — | |
| 1964 | Peter & Gordon Peter & Gordon Peter and Gordon were a British Invasion-era duo and formed by Peter Asher and Gordon Waller, who achieved fame in 1964 with "A World Without Love", and had several subsequent hits in that era.-History:... |
"A World Without Love A World Without Love "A World Without Love" is a song recorded by the English duo Peter and Gordon and released as their first single in February 1964, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in April. The song was written by Paul McCartney and attributed to Lennon–McCartney. The B-side was "If I Were You" written... " |
UK #1 | |
| 1964 | Peter & Gordon | "Nobody I Know Nobody I Know Nobody I Know is a song by Paul McCartney , recorded by Peter and Gordon in 1964.... " |
UK #10 | |
| 1964 | Peter & Gordon | "I Don't Want to See You Again I Don't Want to See You Again I Don't Want To See You Again is a song by Paul McCartney credited to Lennon–McCartney, that was released by Peter and Gordon in 1964 as single.... " |
— | |
| 1964 | The Applejacks | "Like Dreamers Do Like Dreamers Do "Like Dreamers Do" is a song written by Paul McCartney in 1957. It was performed by the Beatles at their unsuccessful 1962 audition for Decca Records. In 1964 the track was recorded by The Applejacks. This was the first commercial release of the song. The single's music director was Mike Leander... " |
UK #20 | Beatles version released on Anthology 1 |
| 1965 | P.J. Proby | "That Means a Lot That Means a Lot "That Means a Lot" is a song written by Lennon–McCartney and released in 1965 by P.J. Proby. Proby's version reached #24 on the NME chart. Prior to the release by Proby, The Beatles recorded a version that was intended for the Help! film and soundtrack... " |
UK #30 | Beatles version released on Anthology 2 |
| 1968 | Black Dyke Mills Band Black Dyke Band The Black Dyke Band, formerly the Black Dyke Mills Band, is one of the oldest and best-known brass bands in the world. The band has won many prizes and competitions over the years... |
"Thingumybob" | — | |
| 1969 | Mary Hopkin Mary Hopkin Mary Hopkin , credited on some recordings as Mary Visconti, is a Welsh folk singer best known for her 1968 UK number one single "Those Were The Days". She was one of the first musicians to sign to The Beatles' Apple label.... |
"Goodbye Goodbye (Mary Hopkin Song) "Goodbye" is a song written by Paul McCartney and performed by Mary Hopkin. It was released on 28 March 1969, and it reached No. 2 in the UK singles chart, prevented from reaching the top position by the Beatles' single "Get Back". In the U.S., the song reached No... " |
UK #2 |
See also
External links
- "Two of Us: Inside the Lennon/McCartney Connection", by Joshua Wolf Shenk, Slate.com
- The Lennon-McCartney Songwriting Partnership
- Songs the Beatles Didn't Do compiled by Joseph Brennan; includes Lennon–McCartney songs and others
- A list of the songs John Lennon and Paul McCartney gave to other artists during the Beatle years originally posted on UsenetUsenetUsenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
rec.music.beatles 9 November 1994.