Paul McCartney Was Very ‘Hurt’ by the Way John Lennon Screened His Calls
Throughout the 1970s, McCartney reached out to Lennon in an effort to rebuild their relationship. This was made difficult by the fact that Lennon rarely believed it was actually his bandmate on the other end of the phone. He made McCartney answer security screening questions before he agreed to talk to him.
ney answer security screening questions before he could talk to him on the phone. Here’s why this hurt McCartney.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon worked together closely for years. When The Beatles broke up, though, their friendship deteriorated. Lennon and McCartney fought often over business affairs and they could hardly have a conversation without shouting at each other. Lennon began to screen McCartney’s calls, which the latter found very hurtful.
“Paul told me that when he called up John, he’d get through to the answering service,” art dealer Robert Fraser, who was a friend of the band,
“That was a period when Paul just kept turning up at our door with a guitar,” Lennon said in the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview With John Lennon and Yoko Ono by David Sheff. “I would let him in, but finally I said to him, ‘Please call before you come over. It’s not 1956, and turning up at the door isn’t the same anymore. You know, just give me a ring.’ He was upset by that, but I didn’t mean it badly. I just meant that I was taking care of a baby all day, and some guy turns up at the door.”
in the book All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines. “‘Mr. Lennon’s not available.’ He said, ‘Then the message came back. “Ask Paul what’s the name of the teacher in fifth grade.”’ It’s quite funny.”
“Paul told me that when he called up John, he’d get through to the answering service,” art dealer Robert Fraser, who was a friend of the band, said in the book All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines. “‘Mr. Lennon’s not available.’ He said, ‘Then the message came back. “Ask Paul what’s the name of the teacher in fifth grade.”’ It’s quite funny.”
