McCartney Didn't Give Two Hoots About Being Cool, About Being A Social Rebel. In Particular, He Couldn't

Nice

1976

Naughty boy face.

Gorgeous

“The last time John Lennon set foot on a concert stage, it was Thanksgiving 1974, making a surprise appearance with his friend Elton John at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. When he and Elton cut “Whatever Gets You Thru” together, Elton proposed a bet - if it hit Number One, John would sing it with him live. John agreed, never thinking he’d get called on it. But he was. The performance sounds shaky - John’s all nerves after a few years of hiding from live shows - but he steps up there to mach shau with Elton, doing the hit as well as Elton’s remake of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.“ John announces, “We thought we’d do one last number so I can get out of here and be sick. This is a number of an old estranged fiancé of mine called Paul.” They do “I Saw Her Standing There,” their big finale. Even in the raw recording Elton released as a B-side, you can hear John get caught up in the crowd’s excitement. It’s his night to shine - onstage in New York, for the first time in years and the last time ever. Why is he doing a Paul song? Why is he making this moment about him and Paul, when all anybody wants is to cheer and shower John with love? But in the middle of the crowd, he calls Paul’s name.”

— Dreaming the Beatles by Rob Sheffield

Based on “Love Me Do: The Beatles’ Progress” by Michael Braun for The Observer (5 July 1964).

Scotch and music:

“Uh, I need another drink, baby,’ says John.

Paul goes to the phone. ‘Hello? Yeah, send us six single Scotches - No, make it doubles, yeah, doubles.”

McLennon

John & Paul , 1964

McLennon for sure.

John’s “not that I care” series on Paul’s arrest according to Dakota Days by John Green

Instead of quoting the whole chapter, which i admit, is very tempting, I have decided to just post mini quotes of every time that John tells his psychic that he doesn’t really care about Paul’s arrest in 1980.

Here we go. I’ll start with this introduction from the book:

The Lennons were still maintaining separate living quarters and separate interests when they heard the news of Paul McCartney’s arrest. Paul had been arrested for trying to smuggle marijuana into Japan while visiting there to perform in a concert tour.  

Yoko worried that the news of Paul’s arrest might throw John back into the old depression. But when I talked to him over the phone one afternoon a few days after the incident, his voice held no depression, only righteous indignation and sympathy for Paul. (p, 229)

“It’s lousy, Charles. Typical, but lousy. Some petty official probably needed a promotion and set Paul up to get it. Not that I have great love for the man, you understand. (…) If he wanted his smoke, you know he wouldn’t have had to carry it on his own person” (p. 229 - 230)

“Paul’s been busted before, you know. Ths is only going to make life more difficult for him. Not that I care, but it’s just the meanness of the thing that irks me. “ (p. 230)

“So what are they holding him for? That’s just the work of some power-mad little creep showing off to the world, knowing that the longer he holds Paul the longer he is important”

“For someone you claime not to care about you seem awfully upset”

“It’s the injustice of the thing that upsets me. (…) Maybe it affects me a little more because it’s Paul, and I know him, and he’s a musician, but I doubt it. It would bother me no matter who they got”. (P. 231)

“You don’t think they are mistreating him, do you, Charles?”

“Aside from the fact that they are holding him in a jail cell, I doubt that there is any mistreatment”

“That’s good. Not that I really care, you understand, but I wouldn’t want to think they are abusing him in any way”

“You keep telling me how much you don’t care. I begin to wonder if it’s true”

“Of course I care! Not that I want to, but you can’t know a person as intimately as I’ve known Paul and not care. I’m pissed at him, and have been for years, but that’s my private war with him” (p, 234)

Two days later Paul was released. The concert had been canceled and he and Linda left Japan immediately. John greeted the news with a great sigh of relief. 

“I’m glad that’s over. I feel like I’ve been keeping a vigil for him. Not that I care, you understand” (p. 238)

And that is the series of Not That I Care by John Lennon. I just find it amusing and endearing, and thought i’d share. 

Please keep in mind that this has been sourced from Dakota Days by John Green. Many people consider him an unreliable source. Others, like myself, stand in the middle. There is no arguing that when it comes to insiders, he could be considered one. I believe his insight could be valuable, but at the same time I completely understand why people might feel differently. That said, enjoy! Bwahahahahaha 

Agree

find it kind of odd how people throw the term "immoveable heterosexuality" back in pauls face as if hes the originator of that phrase?