The Untold Story: Paul McCartney's Candid Views on Yoko Ono's Impact on John Lennon's Career

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In a recent episode of his podcast "McCartney: A Life in Lyrics," 81-year-old Paul McCartney opened up about his true feelings regarding Yoko Ono's presence during some of The Beatles' final recording sessions as a band. McCartney referred to Ono, 90, who was the late John Lennon's wife, as someone who disrupted the work environment. This interference occurred during the recording of The Beatles' album in 1986, which is commonly known as The White Album. McCartney emphasized that their working dynamic had always involved just the four band members, George Martin as the engineer, and no one else.

Acknowledging that he and his bandmates Ringo Starr and George Harrison were not "very confrontational," McCartney and the group regarded Ono as someone they had to handle. He further noted that if John desired this to occur, then it should, and there was no reason to object. They decided to allow it without causing a fuss. However, it should be mentioned that none of them particularly liked it.

Lennon and Ono were married in 1969 and had their son Sean, aged 48, in 1975. Additionally, the guitarist had a son named Julian, aged 60, with his former wife Cynthia Lennon (nee Powell). Tragically, Lennon passed away in 1980 at the age of 40, as he was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside The Dakota Hotel in New York City.

McCartney acknowledged that he and the band tolerated Ono's presence in order to preserve the essence of the Beatles and fulfill their professional obligations. "Being the Beatles was our occupation, our life. Whether it was touring or recording, we knew we had to write," McCartney affirmed. Despite the belief among many Beatles fans that Lennon and Ono's relationship led to the band's split in 1974, McCartney reiterated that the group was already heading towards a breakup during The Beatles album recording. "The dynamics of the group were inevitably affected by John and Yoko getting together. It was a time of change," he explained.

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The recent statements from the lead singer of Paul McCartney and Wings echo his previous remarks during an interview in 2012 with David Frost. According to the musician, "[Yoko] was definitely not responsible for the dissolution of the band; the disintegration of the group was already in progress," as he conveyed to the media outlet.

McCartney stated that Yoko should not be held responsible for anything. He explained that her avant-garde perspective and her different way of approaching things attracted John, causing him to ultimately leave. In a later interview, McCartney referred to Ono as a "badass" and expressed that he no longer had any ill feelings toward her. Ono, in response, expressed her gratitude for McCartney's kind words, stating that she never held any negative feelings towards him and respected his partnership with her late husband.

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Paul McCartney

Yoko Ono