George Harrison and John Lennon’s explanation as the Beatles nearly rejoined more than a decade after their separation…

Harrison and Lennon’s explanation…

George Harrison and John Lennon’s explanation as the Beatles nearly rejoined more than a decade after their separation…

Following the band’s dissolution in 1970, the Fab Four collaborated in various combinations.

The Beatles’ divorce was notoriously acrimonious, leaving them on bad terms with one another.

Harrison and Lennon’s explanation…

However, it appears that the problems began during the band’s notoriously fractious 1968 recording sessions for ‘The White Album’. Ringo Starr left the band for a while, dissatisfied with the mood, as The Beatles clashed.

Paul McCartney said on the recording process: “There was a lot of conflict throughout that album. We were preparing to end our relationship, which was already stressful.

In September 1969, after the band had recorded the majority of what became ‘Let it Be’ (the ‘Get Back’ sessions) and ‘Abbey Road’, John informed Paul, George Harrison, and Ringo that he sought a “divorce” from The Beatles. Paul moved away to concentrate on his first solo record, ‘McCartney’, believing the group was over. Paul has stated that he informed his bandmates in advance that he would release ‘McCartney’ alongside a press release announcing his departure from The Beatles in April 1970.

Harrison and Lennon’s explanation…

Paul and Ringo had a major disagreement, and he threw the drummer out of his house.

Chris Ingham stated in ‘The Rough Guide to The Beatles’ about that row: “McCartney managed to retrieve his original release date, but, when he heard what Spector had done to The Beatles’ music, he hit the roof”.

The Beatles’ final act was the release of ‘Let It Be’. John had quit the previous year, and Paul’s release of his debut solo record in April 1970 indicated that he had also gone on. When Paul recorded his first solo album, the world’s most famous band broke apart. The Beatles’ relationship remained strained. Paul had a falling out with the other three after Klein was appointed to handle their business issues in 1969; he preferred to choose entertainment lawyers Lee and John Eastman.

After the albums ‘Let it Be’ and ‘McCartney’ were released, Paul launched a High Court case in December 1970 to end the band’s contract. In March 1971, the court decided in Paul’s favour, and his relationship with his former bandmates deteriorated significantly. Following the split, Paul, Ringo, George, and John continued to concentrate on solo projects. John and Paul had a bit of a quarrel, as they penned cutting songs about each other.

As a result, during the Klein controversy in the early 1970s, Paul was perceived to be taking an isolationist attitude. However, while writing on his self-titled 1973 album, Ringo sought his three former bandmates for songs, which Paul agreed to. In March 1973, John, George, and Ringo collaborated in Los Angeles on the song ‘I’m The Greatest,’ which John had written in 1970 after learning Paul was suing the band over their breakup. He utilised the self-important title to make a mocking reference to his background, employing Muhammad Ali’s catchphrase.

Paul did not participate, but things improved during the recording of that album when George, Ringo, and John elected to end their commercial relationships with Klein. John told Melody Maker magazine that the Fab Four were “closer now than we have been for a long time”.

He added that there was “always a chance” of a reunion, implying that Paul could have joined them on ‘I’m The Greatest’ if he had been in Los Angeles at the time. Although a full Beatles reunion never took place, Paul, George, and Ringo would subsequently collaborate. They collaborated for the first time since their split, on George’s 1981 single ‘All Those Years Ago’. George had previously collaborated with Ringo on the song in November 1980, with the drummer performing it. However, Ringo did not enjoy working on it and struggled with the requisite vocal range.