Paul McCartney Yoko Ono FEUD: What happened between Sir Paul and Yoko over songwriting?

PAUL MCCARTNEY wrote many songs for the Beatles along with John Lennon - but why did he and Yoko Ono fight over songwriting credits?

The Beatles: Paul McCartney says John Lennon split the group

Sir Paul McCartney is a brilliant songwriter, and paired up with John Lennon for many songs by the Beatles. The Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership was a huge deal, but after the former's death, things got complicated.

What happened between Sir Paul and Yoko Ono?

Many Beatles fans are aware of the partnership between Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon was not always a happy one.

The pair fought throughout their time in the band, and the songwriters did disagree a number of times during their careers, not to mention on which albums they felt were their most important.

However, the biggest disagreement was to come after the death of John Lennon, with regards to the songwriting credits on their songs.

Why did Sir Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono argue?

Why did Sir Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono argue? (Image: Getty)

The partnership was always credited as Lennon-McCartney, which was regularly seen on vinyl sleeves.

However, Sir Paul was keen for his name to appear first, and attempted to have some of the names on this credit changed to read McCartney-Lennon.

Speaking about this in The Telegraph in 2015, Sir Paul said of how the songwriting name came about: “We had a meeting with Brian Epstein [manager of the Beatles]. I arrived late.

“John and Brian had been talking. 'We were thinking we ought to call the songs, Lennon and McCartney.'

“I said, 'That's OK, but what about McCartney and Lennon? If I write it, what about that? It sounds good, too.'

“They said, 'OK, what we'll do is we'll alternate it: Lennon and McCartney, McCartney and Lennon.' Well, that didn’t happen. And I didn’t mind."

Soon, however, this frustrated Sir Paul, and he hoped it would change around.

He continued: "The original artwork had 'Yesterday by John Lennon and Paul McCartney' and a photo of John above it.

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The Beatles

The Beatles (Image: Getty)

“And I went, 'Argh, Come on, lads.' Anyway they wouldn't do it [change the names around].”

Sir Paul added: “I tell you what, if John was here he would definitely say that's OK. Because he didn't give a damn.

“It wasn't anything that worried him. But I've given up on it. Suffice to say. In case it seems like I'm trying to do something to John."

In the end, Sir Paul attempted to swap this round, but one person was there to stop him: Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono

John Lennon and Yoko Ono (Image: Getty)

In 2002, Ono threatened legal action to stop Sir Paul reversing the credit, with his lawyer telling The Telegraph: “This was done against [Ono's] wishes. Paul is hurting his own legacy with this.

“He and John made an agreement 40 years ago that they would share credit in this way. To change it now, well, John's not here to argue."

In the same year, Ono said of the attempt: “What he did was absolutely inappropriate.

"It is very petty. John and Paul often disagreed on which songs were written by whom.

Lennon and McCartney

Lennon and McCartney (Image: Getty)

“If John was here now they could fight it out or maybe they could never agree. The point is he is not."

Sir Paul's attempted to reverse the credits on 19 songs featured on his Back in the US Live 2002, including Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude and Yesterday.

A year later, the pair worked things out, with Sir Paul allowing things to remain as they were.

He said in 2003: “I'm happy with the way it is and always has been.

"Lennon and McCartney is still the rock 'n' roll trademark I'm proud to be a part of - in the order it has always been."

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