Paul McCartney says a “beautiful sounding” John Lennon song “sums up” the legendary songwriter’s whole discography.
In an interview just a year after Lennon’s death, Paul McCartney chose one of Lennon’s songs as a part of his Desert Island Discs selection. The Beatles and Wings member chose a song called Searching as his sixth track, which he and fellow Beatles members Lennon, George Harrison and Pete Best used to perform at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. He said: “We used to have little groups of fans who used to give themselves little names and we had a group of fans called ‘The Cement Mixers’, some other group called ‘The Wooden Tops’, and they just made up little names for themselves. You know, be in a little gang.
“There were two girls called Chris and Val, and they used to say ‘sing Searching, Paul.’ That used to be the big request.” After listening to the song again, McCartney recalls the parts he and McCartney played, before requesting a song from Lennon as his last Desert Island Discs choice.
No songs from The Beatles made it onto McCartney’s list, who opted for a solo Lennon song instead of his work with the Fab Four. He said: “I haven’t chosen any Beatles records but, if we’d had more than eight, I probably would have. I haven’t chosen any of my records, but to sum up the whole thing, I’ve chosen one off John Lennon’s record, Double Fantasy.
“I think it’s a beautiful song. It’s very moving to me. Anyway, I’d like to sum up the whole thing by playing a song called Beautiful Boy.” McCartney was seen welling up in a clip of his interview, with fans of both musicians calling it a “very touching” moment.
One fan wrote: “Watching Paul’s face while he listens to Beautiful Boy is very touching. Those two loved each other.” Another user wrote: “This was only two years after John’s death. Hell, I couldn’t listen to John’s voice without crying at that point. Is it any wonder his best friend could bear to hear it?”
The interview took place on January 1982, just a year after Lennon’s death on December 8, 1980. A third user wrote: “Paul was about to cry during Beautiful Boy. You know he loved John!”
Other users suggested McCartney gave a “lovely interview” despite the “very emotional” moments towards the end. One wrote: “Paul is trying very hard to keep it together as he listens to John’s voice. Very emotional.”
Another added: “Beautiful Boy that had you Paul I can understand a lovely interview thanks a great listen to your interests.” A third added: “I agree. It’s as if he is trying to distract himself from revealing some other emotion. That’s why he is moving about so much as if uncomfortable. In my opinion, it’s grief, but it could be anything.”
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