Steve Braunias: Secret Diary of... The Beatles

OPINION

PAUL McCARTNEY

The thing about John is that he always looked up to me, you know. He was my biggest fan. He gave me the shirt off his back because he knew I would wear it better than he ever could, and it’s the same with the new Beatles song Now And Then. He wrote it but he knew I could improve on it, you know. And if he were here and could listen to what I’ve done with it, he’d say, “Paul,” he’d say, “thank you, Paul.”

RINGO STARR

Far-out.

PAUL McCARTNEY

It’s a Beatles record because we’re all on it, you know. I mean we had to work wonders with John’s voice but it’s definitely John, no one sings like John do they, and my guitar parts definitely sound like George. He used to say to me, “I’ll play anything you want me to play, or I won’t play at all, if you don’t want me to. Whatever it is that would please you, I’ll do it.” George was very selfless in that way, you know. And if he were here and could listen to what I’ve done with Now And Then, he’d say, “Paul,” he’d say, “thank you, Paul.”

RINGO STARR

Peace.

PAUL McCARTNEY

There are people I’d like to thank, too. It’s not a Beatles record without Jeff Lynne. He just has that special something. Like he did back in 1995 with Free As A Bird and Real Love, he’s put Now And Then through a kind of cement mixer of syrup, honey, sugar, manure, grease, coconut oil, vegetable fat, and something very fruity, and churned it till it comes out sounding like something that makes you sick, but in a good way, you know. Is he a fifth Beatle? Well there’s only two of us left so I think he’s more like a third Beatle.

RINGO STARR

Groovy.

PAUL McCARTNEY

I’d also like to thank Peter Jackson. Without whom, you know. He mastered the technology to separate John’s voice from the 1979 demo of Now And Then, and the rest is history. In many ways the whole experience was a quest. Peter sent John’s voice on a journey. Even the smallest person can change the course of the future, you know. Does that make Peter the fifth Beatle? More like the fourth. He completes us.

RINGO STARR

Fab.

PAUL McCARTNEY

People often ask me, “What actually was John’s contribution to the Beatles? You wrote better songs. You were the better musician. You discovered the avant garde long before he did. You were the band’s driving force, and you still are, labouring long and hard to take a crappy demo of a thin little song and turn it into something really quite beautiful and touching. You’re a genius. But what does that make John?” The answer’s simple, you know. We couldn’t have done it without John. He was the fifth Beatle.

RINGO STARR

Thank you, Paul.