John Lennon replies. 1969.
I was reading your letter and wondering what middle aged cranky beatle fan it was who wrote it. I resisted looking at the the last page to find out. I kept thinking who it was, Queenie? Stuart’s mother? Clive Epstein’s wife? Alan Williams? What the hell, its Linda!
Wot the hell, it’s Linda!
I hope you realize what shit you and the rest of my kind and unselfish friends laid on Yoko and me since we have been together. It might have sometimes been a bit more subtle or should I say middle class, but not often. We both “rose above it” quite a few times and forgave you two, so its the least you can do for us, you noble people. Linda, If you don’t care what I say, shutup! Let Paul write or whatever.
I’ll forgive you Paul for encouraging the Beatles, if he forgives me for same, for being honest with me and caring too much. F–ing hell Linda you’re not writing for Beatle Book!!!
I’m not ashamed of the Beatles, but of some of the shit we took to make them so big. I thought we all felt that way in varying degrees. Obviously not.
Do you really think most of today’s art came about because of the Beatles? I don’t believe you’re that insane. Paul, do you believe that?
Didn’t we always say we were part of the movement, not all of it? Of coarse we changed the world, but try and follow through, get off your gold disc and fly!
Don’t give me that Aunty Gin shit about “in five years I’ll look back as a different person,” don’t you see thats whats happening NOW. IF I only new THEN what I know NOW, you seemed to have missed that point.
I don’t resent your husband. I’m sorry for him. I know the Beatles are “quite nice people,” I’m one of them, they’re also just as big bastards as anyone else. so get off your high horse!
love to you both,
from us two
God he was a witty, sharp man. It’s clear he and Paul loved each other dearly, yet John ran intellectual rings around him, and McCartney’s had a devil of a time getting past that. First we had decades of Paul’s Ego—there’s a video on youtube where he’s weeping, realizing the audience likes him so. Did he always feel it was all Lennon? Something has to account for his unseemly remarks and attitude in the years since John’s death, all of which seemed to change once The Heather was done with him. So many people do not know their own talent for themselves, but only in the reaction of others.
No diminution of Paul’s importance. Only that—how would you like to be paired with John Lennon? How’s that for feeling inadequate all your life? And then the guilt, when Paul became a star on his own. Perhaps Teh Heather episode in all it’s shabbiness was payment to the karmic debt. Perhaps it’s peace for everybody, for John in death, revered still (OMG the man could rock) and Paul in old age. For that’s what we’d like, isn’t it? Peace for everybody.
