2003: The Quarrymen talk about Paul and the immediate influence he had on the group.
LEN: I think he was, uh, he was quite a clever lad actually. Quite good, you know, at languages and maths and stuff, he was quite bright. I think he was under an obligation if you’d like to his father Jim in a lot of ways to do well at school, because his mum passed away fairly quickly. So Jim wanted him to do well and I think he felt obligated to progress in school.
COLIN: Paul would have allowed John to feel that he was the boss anyway. Paul wouldn’t have gotten head to head with John, but Paul would have got his own way if you’d like, carefully, by maneuvering and perhaps letting John think it was his idea. I think that’s the way Paul was.
LEN: I think it was part of his characteristic, really. Part of his characteristic. You know, when we started off as The Quarrymen, we were a gang of scruffs, we could dress whatwe’d like, checked shirts, anything we would like. But I’m pretty sure it was Paul’s idea that one night at Clubmoor we dressed a bit smarter – you know, the white coats and the black ties. I think – it wouldn’t be John’s idea. John was more interested in the music and the entertainment. “We can dress what we like as long as we’re enjoying ourselves.” But I think Paul was more… I don’t know. Image-minded, you know. Worried more about the image.
COLIN: Paul was very much the diplomat. He would never get a quick answer off Paul. He would always think about what was the right answer; not what the answer should’ve been, but perhaps what you wanted to hear.
Here There and Everywhere music video mclennon edition
phone works two ways yk
mad day out!! 🎶☀️
reference image :°D
January 13th, 1969 (Twickenham Film Studios, London): During a discussion on how the rest of the group should move forward after George’s departure on the 10th, John wonders if they should get George back at all, suggesting his role as a Beatle is replaceable (unlike his own or Paul’s), and likens this unkindly to how Ringo first replaced Pete Best. Paul notes that John has been the top buck in getting himself heard (and getting his way) since the inception of the group (which John protests) and quickly reassures Ringo when he wryly declares himself to be little more than rabbit food for the group.
Paul admits that both he and John have done one over on George, albeit unconsciously as an effect of the competition and unaware of how it may have hurt George in the process, but John argues that he’s known since early childhood how manipulative he himself can be, and has tried to curb it to little avail.
PAUL: See, I’m just assuming he’s coming back, you know. I tell you, I’m just assuming he’s coming back. RINGO: If he wants— JOHN: What if he isn’t? PAUL: If he isn’t, then… if he isn’t, then it’s a new problem. RINGO: He would like the four of us to sit down. JOHN: It’s like we’ve said— PAUL: Yeah. RINGO: He wants the four of us to actually— JOHN: See, if we want it – if we do want it, I still won’t tour, man, but I do want to— PAUL: But you seem to – you seem to think— JOHN: But if we do end up deciding we want it, as a policy, I can go along with that. Because the policy has kept us together. RINGO: But the thing is that if we want him— JOHN: If we want him, because we want him – but the thing is, like George said, it’s that The Beatles, to me, isn’t just limited to the four of us. I think that I, alone, could be a Beatle. [to Paul] I think you could. [to Ringo] I’m not sure whether you could, because you’re doing… Well, like, but I’m just telling you what I think! I don’t think The Beatles revolve around the four people! It might be like a job— PAUL: But you know what, John, I’ll tell you one thing— JOHN: [to Ringo] It’s like you joining the band instead of Pete. It’s like – to me, it is like that.
PAUL: Tell you what— [inaudible] Let me tell you what I think. [pause; inaudible] —thing is this. [to John] You have always been at the front of the chute. Now, there have been some secondary rungs, but George has been third rung— RINGO: And I’ve been the cabbage. PAUL: [immediately] Never. JOHN: [dismissive] No, we haven’t— PAUL: No, just, no – listen here. You’re the rabbit, he’s right. JOHN: But not always, though— PAUL: [anxious] No, listen here – listen – always! But! But! [pause] I do think – no, I do think that as grim as it all is, that [George]’s right. And I do think that like our sole approach is exactly what he’s been saying. And that our brains sort of… con him. It’s all nothing. I do think that is a – I mean— [stumbling] As a first way out, I can’t really even say that, but I do think, you know, that when you get right down to it— JOHN: Yes. PAUL: ’Cause the moments of clarity, that I’ve just been – are just so innocent, and so simple, that all my connive, and all my – urge, or— [inaudible] JOHN: But don’t give me like – ’cause I’ve at least been aware of my conniving since fourteen. Real aware of it. PAUL: Sure. JOHN: And before that. You realize that I’ve known I’ve been conniving from – from Dovedale, you know that. I’ve been aware of that. Just because – I don’t know whether it’s him. It’s not him. It’s just me. That I’ve realized where it’s nowhere – but the thing is, I only know where it is when I’m in the middle of all of it— PAUL: Yeah. JOHN: —that I am sort of at it again. And that’s why I’ve had to fight for the last three years. And I’ve done it – the other way. Just – rather than allow myself to connive, I thought, “Stop it now. Stop it.”
It's so sweet the way the look each other and the animation is so fluid
I want a beatles mini series redrawed
so come on back and see just what you mean to me
The Beatles & Debbie Fyall in Central Park in New York City, NY | 8 February 1964 © Harry Benson (II)