# Lennon/McCartney partnership--why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386 "2003-08-11T14:31:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/21 "2003-08-14T07:16:53Z")
Some songs John Wrote alone, some Paul wrote along, but most of them were collaborations. Not cessarily pure collaborations where they sat down and wrote a song together, but often one would come up with an idea and play for the other, and the other would make suggestions or write a bridge or something like that. They’d kick the idea back and forth and a song would come out. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/22 "2003-08-14T12:23:04Z")
“Dig It” is the one I couldn’t think of. What’s the other? (Hint: MMT) ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/23 "2003-08-14T12:28:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*Some songs John Wrote alone, some Paul wrote along, but most of them were collaborations. Not cessarily pure collaborations where they sat down and wrote a song together, but often one would come up with an idea and play for the other, and the other would make suggestions or write a bridge or something like that. They’d kick the idea back and forth and a song would come out. \*\* A perfect example, arguably one of the most famous in the history of collaborative songwriting is “A Day in the Life”. The bridge, after the wake up alarm, is Paul - followed by John’s lovely bridge back into the main song. Another is “The Ballad of John and Yoko” - neither George nor Ringo played on that track at all apparently. Paul’s harmonies and drumming and bass were as pivotal to the outcome of the song as John’s melody and lyrics were. Also, I’m pretty sure that Paul played drums on “Come Together” as well. The combination of Paul’s drum fills and his sliding bass lines were really important to the outcome of that particular masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![gossamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f07891/32.png) [@gossamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gossamer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/24 "2003-08-14T12:50:04Z")
Going from memory here, but I think “You Know My Name, Look Up the Number” is credited to all four. ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/25 "2003-08-14T13:44:30Z")
Well, my book of scores is at home, but I believe it is the instrumental _Flying_ off of **Magical Mystery Tour**. I actually like the song alot. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/26 "2003-08-14T17:14:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dasgupta \* > \*\*Well, my book of scores is at home, but I believe it is the instrumental _Flying_ off of **Magical Mystery Tour**. > > I actually like the song alot. 🙂 \*\* If you want to be ‘technical’ about it, _Flying_ is an instrumental, not a song as such (at least in the usual sense of the word).🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@Anni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anni)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/27 "2003-08-14T17:50:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boo Boo Foo \* > **Also, I’m pretty sure that Paul played drums on “Come Together” as well.** No, that’s Ringo. Paul played drums on “Back In The USSR”, “Dear Prudence”, and “The Ballad Of John And Yoko”. ---
**Author:** ![Grousser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Grousser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grousser)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/28 "2003-08-28T07:12:25Z")
**What Goes On** is a curiosity credited to Lennon/McCartney/Starkey. I wonder if _The Boy Of The Rings_ really sat with L&M suggesting bits of lyrics or music (my apologies to Ringo). ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/29 "2003-08-28T07:31:47Z")
Nobody has stated very clearly one benefit of crediting two songwriters even when only one of them wrote a particular song: It alleviates resentment over royalties. By agreeing to always credit both of themselves for songs either wrote for the Beatles, Lennon and McCartney guaranteed that they would always receive equal royalties as Beatles songwriters. ---
**Author:** ![survivorology.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@survivorology.com](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survivorology.com)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/30 "2003-09-01T15:33:27Z")
In interviews done by the BBC in 1964, Paul did not think the performing was going to last very long. Before the Beatles became famous, they were the opening act for several late 50’s acts that were past their prime. He thought, as he got older, he and John would focus more on songwriting. He was thinking about maintaining a career in the music industry. Paul really underestimated the staying power of the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/31 "2003-09-01T19:00:56Z")
Also-SRobinson wrote “You Really Got…” not George. IMO “My Sweet Lord’ was never passed on by Lennon-McCartney. Their 1st concert in the US-Wash DC,Feb11,1964 had the Chffons(He’s So Fine ) & Tommy Roe. That probably cost George $600,00 for"unconsciously”-the judges’ words-lifting the tune for My Sweet Lord. Certainly John & Paul & George Martin would have seen the plagiarism. The Beatles AFAIK were never sued successfully-except by CBerry for lifting the line about “old flaptop grooving up slowly” in Come Together, while George was sued for his 1st & IMO best solohit. ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/32 "2003-09-01T22:07:39Z")
Paul said it(though I don’t think he was the first to)… Good musicians borrow, great musicians steal. ---
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/33 "2003-09-01T22:08:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by omni-not \* > **My bad. Should have said that Harrison _sang_ those songs while with the Beatles.** Harrison did NOT sing “You Really Got A Hold On Me” That would be Lennon. George could never belt out a song the way Lennon or McCartney could. IMHO George was just as good a songwriter as the others even at the beginning. His problems were 1)Lennon/McCartney was MUCH more prolific. 1. George, being quieter (as well as younger), usually gave in to John and Pauls decisions as far as song selection, instrumentation, etc. Chris W ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386/34 "2003-09-02T02:37:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by riserius1 \* > **Harrison did NOT sing “You Really Got A Hold On Me” That would be Lennon. George could never belt out a song the way Lennon or McCartney could.** Well, according to this [http://www.thebeatlesongs.com/you\_really\_got\_a\_hold\_on\_me.htm](http://www.thebeatlesongs.com/you_really_got_a_hold_on_me.htm) and several other sites, he did. Along with Lennon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennon-mccartney-partnership-why/194386.md?page=1)