# Paul McCartney says: "Yoko didn't break us up" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 31, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446 "2012-10-31T15:36:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/41 "2012-11-01T03:25:44Z")
ObSimpsons ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/42 "2012-11-01T03:55:27Z")
It was all part of a secret plan to [take over the world](http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=YpDRl2uD3_c&feature=endscreen). ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/43 "2012-11-01T04:29:28Z")
I always thought that Yoko was like John’s Scientology in a way. He was bound to have something that he could give himself over to completely, so if it wasn’t Yoko it would have been something else. I bet Lennon could’ve been the pre-Cruise poster child for Scientology had he lived longer. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/44 "2012-11-01T05:42:50Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I always thought that Yoko was like John’s Scientology in a way. He was bound to have something that he could give himself over to completely, so if it wasn’t Yoko it would have been something else. Agreed. Something else I’ve felt for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/45 "2012-11-01T07:38:51Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I always thought that Yoko was like John’s Scientology in a way. He was bound to have something that he could give himself over to completely, so if it wasn’t Yoko it would have been something else. I bet Lennon could’ve been the pre-Cruise poster child for Scientology had he lived longer. Do you have a cite for Lennon being a Scientologist? This is the first time I’ve heard that claim. I googled and the closest connection I can find between Lennon and Scientology was that Bijou Phillips (who is a Scientologist) used to date Sean Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/46 "2012-11-01T10:18:31Z")
> [@Little Screamo](#): > > Do you have a cite for Lennon being a Scientologist? This is the first time I’ve heard that claim. No, you have not heard it at all yet. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/47 "2012-11-01T10:37:15Z")
> [@Little Screamo](#): > > Do you have a cite for Lennon being a Scientologist? a I never said Lennon was a Scientologist. I meant Yoko was like a Scientology equivalent for a personality like his. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/48 "2012-11-01T11:36:47Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > Yoko was a major influence musically. Bands like B52s, sugarcubes, cocteau twins all show Yoko’s influence. She is a talented artist and much of the art world considers her as such. Did any of those groups mention that she was an influence or is this just your opinion? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/49 "2012-11-01T11:45:12Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I always thought that Yoko was like John’s Scientology in a way. He was bound to have something that he could give himself over to completely, so if it wasn’t Yoko it would have been something else. I bet Lennon could’ve been the pre-Cruise poster child for Scientology had he lived longer. Lennon did have a few things that he got involved with enthusiastically but later discarded. The Transcendental Meditation movement of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (aAs Grady once said on “Sanford and Son”-when did he get out of baseball) and the primal scream of Arthur Janov. Both experiences did help him create a bunch of songs. You could even say he got tired of Yoko and went on an 18 month “lost weekend” bender of boozing and partying with May Pang. The difference is that Lennon never stuck with one thing like Cruise has with Scientology. But as a child Lennon kind of bounced around between his fun loving mother Julia and father Freddie, and then with stern aunt Mimi and milqutoast uncle George ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/50 "2012-11-01T12:04:46Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Did any of those groups mention that she was an influence or is this just your opinion? Yokos wiki has quite a bit about what i am speaking about. This is all common knowledge in underground/alternative music and fairly obvious when you listen to her stuff. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/51 "2012-11-01T12:37:53Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > Yokos wiki has quite a bit about what i am speaking about. > This is all common knowledge in underground/alternative music and fairly obvious when you listen to her stuff. It’s just that the Sugarcubes, Bjork and B-52’s wiki don’t mention it at all. The closest they come is saying “Rock Lobster” inspired Lennon’s comeback. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/52 "2012-11-01T12:41:31Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Did any of those groups mention that she was an influence or is this just your opinion? Dude, the B-52s even covered “Don’t Worry Kyoko.” And you’d have to be stone deaf not to hear Yoko’s influence on Björk. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/53 "2012-11-01T12:53:52Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Dude, the B-52s even covered “Don’t Worry Kyoko.” Then I guess we’d have to say Jan & Dean were a major influence on The Who (who covered “Bucket T”). ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/54 "2012-11-01T13:01:30Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Then I guess we’d have to say Jan & Dean were a major influence on The Who (who covered “Bucket T”). And Paul McCartney was a major influence on Guns n Roses. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/55 "2012-11-01T13:07:29Z")
eta:I just did a text search on Yoko’s wiki page, and neither Bjork nor Sugarcubes was found. So I am not sure what references **tomcar** was talking about. Personally, I would rather see what the supposedly influenced artist says rather than what fans of Yoko say. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/56 "2012-11-01T13:19:30Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Then I guess we’d have to say Jan & Dean were a major influence on The Who (who covered “Bucket T”). The Who did tons of covers in their early period, many of them jokey things like “Bucket T,” “Barbara Ann,” and the “Batman” theme. The B-52s as far as I’m aware recorded just two covers in their career–the other is “Downtown”–both obvious tips of the hat to cultural touchstones that informed the band’s aesthetic. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/57 "2012-11-01T13:22:29Z")
Hell, I’ll concede that she was the raison d’être for all three bands. It still doesn’t make her a “major influence” on any significant level, in my opinion… ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/58 "2012-11-01T13:33:37Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Hell, I’ll concede that she was the raison d’être for all three bands. It still doesn’t make her a “major influence” on any significant level, in my opinion.. Good point. SLAM Magazine always does a piece on some usually-not-very-famous basketball player from the pre-1980s period, and they point out why, in their view, many of them pioneered or popularized certain techniques or styles without which LeBron James or Kobe Bryant wouldn’t be who they are today, or at least they’d play quite differently than they do. But if you asked LeBron or Kobe, they’d say they’d never heard of many of these old-timers. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/59 "2012-11-01T14:44:16Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Hell, I’ll concede that she was the raison d’être for all three bands. It still doesn’t make her a “major influence” on any significant level, in my opinion.. In his last interviews, Lennon loved to crow about how the rest of the music scene was “catching up” to all the innovative work his wife had done early in the '70s. And as evidence, he offered the B-52s … and that was pretty much it. Come to think of it, he also liked to claim that Yoko “studied music” or otherwise had some legitimacy as a performer beyond simply being married to him. In fact, Yoko took piano lessons as a young woman but did not “study music” in the normal sense of the term. I think you can make the case for Yoko Ono as a minor but interesting experimental composer, without resorting to inflated claims about her influence on the music scene. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446/60 "2012-11-01T14:50:50Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > In his last interviews, Lennon loved to crow about how the rest of the music scene was “catching up” to all the innovative work his wife had done early in the '70s. And as evidence, he offered the B-52s … and that was pretty much it. FWIW, I recall his mentioning Lene Lovich as well (and pronouncing it “Lennie”). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-mccartney-says-yoko-didnt-break-us-up/639446.md?page=4)