Is there anything more revealing than the songs musicians write about each other? The Beatles' songs about their former bandmates tell a far more fascinating story than any biography ever could. Consider this — despite being together for just eight years (1962-1970), their breakup on April 10, 1970, sparked a musical conversation that would resonate through the decades.

When the Fab Four split, they didn't just stop making music together — they started making music about each other. It's pretty remarkable. Paul McCartney's chart-topping debut "McCartney" and George Harrison's sprawling masterpiece "All Things Must Pass" showed their solo careers flourishing while their relationships crumbled. The tension between these former mates manifested in some genuinely biting tracks. John Lennon's scathing "How Do You Sleep?" wasn't just a song — it was a direct musical punch thrown in response to McCartney's "Too Many People." Meanwhile, good old Ringo Starr's "Early 1970" served as a heartfelt plea for his former bandmates to patch things up.

These songs about each other weren't just professional courtesy tracks or throwaway B-sides — they were emotional dispatches from the frontlines of broken friendships. Whether expressing raw anger (and there was plenty of that), genuine affection, or wistful nostalgia, these solo songs provide an intimate window into relationships that continued to evolve long after the world's most famous band called it quits. Ready to decode the hidden messages the Beatles left for each other in their music?

Run of the Mill – George Harrison

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George Harrison's "Run of the Mill" might be the most thoughtful musical letter ever penned about The Beatles' collapse. Unlike the musical grenades his bandmates would later lob at each other, Harrison crafted something more profound here – a philosophical examination of friendship's slow unravelling.

Run of the Mill background

Harrison scribbled the lyrics for "Run of the Mill" across an Apple Records envelope in early 1969 – there's some poetic irony there, using company stationery to document the company's chaos. He'd just temporarily walked out on the band during the disastrous January sessions that would later become the "Let It Be" film. (Have you seen those scenes where Harrison and McCartney are barely masking their irritation with each other? That's precisely the atmosphere breeding this song.)

The track eventually found its rightful home on Harrison's magnificent 1970 triple album, All Things Must Pass, alongside numerous other gems that the Beatles had previously rejected. Just weeks after McCartney made the split public, Harrison played this song for Phil Spector in New York, laying the groundwork for what would become his masterpiece solo album.

Who's Run of the Mill was about

While Lennon and McCartney would later trade musical punches with all the subtlety of heavyweight boxers, Harrison's approach felt more like a thoughtful letter left on a kitchen table. The song primarily addresses Paul McCartney, though without the name-calling that would characterise later exchanges between the former bandmates.

Harrison himself explained it best in his autobiography, I, Me, Mine:

"It was when Apple was getting crazy... Paul was falling out with us all and going around Apple offices saying, 'You're no good'—everyone was just incompetent. It was that period—the problem of partnerships".

Many call this period the breaking point for Harrison – those infamous clips of McCartney telling him exactly how to play guitar during the "Let It Be" sessions pushed him to his limit. This song represents Harrison processing that frustration through his newfound spiritual lens.

Key lyrics and meaning in Run of the Mill

The title itself plays cleverly on the Northern English saying "trouble at t'mill" – a regional expression about workplace strife that Harrison would have known from his Liverpool upbringing. Harrison later noted this was "the first song I ever wrote that looked like a poem on paper".

The opening verse sets the philosophical tone that separates this song from typical breakup anthems: "Everyone has a choice / When to or not to raise their voices / It's you that decides". Rather than simply pointing fingers, Harrison expresses genuine confusion about their deteriorating friendship: "You've got me wondering how I lost your friendship / But I see it in your eyes".

What makes this track special is Harrison's spiritual growth shining through the pain. The line "No one around you will carry the blame for you" offers wisdom rather than accusation – a remarkable feat considering the circumstances.

Impact of Run of the Mill on the Beatles' legacy

"Run of the Mill" stands as the thoughtful outlier among post-Beatles songs about each other. While Lennon and McCartney exchanged what music historian Nicholas Schaffner aptly called "song grenades", Harrison chose a path of reflection rather than retaliation.

In 2001, just months before his death, Harrison selected this song as a personal favourite from All Things Must Pass, simply saying: "It's just something about the words and what it's saying". His widow, Olivia, later echoed this sentiment, naming it among her favourite Harrison compositions for its message about personal choice.

Through these carefully crafted verses, Harrison didn't just document The Beatles' dissolution – he transcended it, offering a meditation on friendship's fragility that feels more relevant with each passing year.

Too Many People – Paul McCartney

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McCartney wasn't about to let the Fab Four split without having his say — even if he wrapped his daggers in velvet. "Too Many People" might sound like another catchy McCartney melody, but beneath that sweet surface lurks a pointed message aimed straight at his former songwriting partner. Is this track the perfect example of Paul's passive-aggressive genius?

Too Many People background

"Too Many People" kicked off McCartney's 1971 album Ram, his second solo outing and first proper artistic statement post-Beatles. He laid down the basic track on 10 November 1970 at Columbia Studios in New York, playing acoustic guitar alongside Hugh McCracken on electric and Denny Seiwell on drums. The arrangement grew more sophisticated when Paul added brass overdubs in January 1971 and layered vocals the following month.

The song's genius lies in its contradictions — Rolling Stone called the "lovely melody" proof that "McCartney could use his charm as a weapon". This musical sleight of hand (beautiful tunes carrying barbed lyrics) would become Paul's signature move whenever he had scores to settle. It's like sending a poisoned letter in a perfumed envelope — the sweetness makes the sting more surprising.

Who Too Many People was about

For years, Paul played innocent about the song's true target. In a 1984 Playboy chat, he claimed Ram contained just "one tiny little reference to John". But eventually, the truth came out — "Too Many People" was aimed at John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

The song begins with what sounds like "piece of cake" but was really "piss off, cake" — a cheeky little dig at his former partner. McCartney later downplayed these barbs: "It's nothing, it's so harmless really, just little digs". (Though Lennon certainly didn't see it that way!)

Key lyrics and meaning in Too Many People

The central jab comes in the line "Too many people preaching practices", which Paul later admitted was directed at John and Yoko's sudden turn as philosophical gurus. He explained his frustration: "I felt John and Yoko were telling everyone what to do... The whole tenor of the Beatles thing had been, like, each to his own. Freedom. Suddenly it was 'You should do this'".

Even more cutting was "You took your lucky break and broke it in two" — which was initially the much harsher "Yoko took your lucky break and broke it in two" before Paul thought better of it.

Lennon, with his sharp ear for criticism, spotted other perceived attacks, including "Too many people going underground", which he took as a reference to himself and Yoko. His response? The scathing "How Do You Sleep?" — escalating what Paul later described as "the 1970s equivalent of what might today be called a diss track".

Years later, McCartney showed some regret: "My heart wasn't really in it" when writing these barbs. But his momentary pettiness gave us one of the most fascinating musical exchanges in rock history — former best mates trading lyrics like boxers trading punches.

How Do You Sleep? – John Lennon

"This is probably the most famous Beatles-related diss track out there." — American Songwriter, a Music publication covering songwriting and music history.

Image Source: Sky News

John Lennon's scathing response to McCartney came wrapped in a track called "How Do You Sleep?" — and my word, it's undoubtedly the most vicious musical letter ever penned between former Beatles. Released on his acclaimed 1971 album Imagine, this blistering composition took their feud to levels that shocked even their closest friends.

How Do You Sleep background?

Lennon laid down "How Do You Sleep?" in May 1971 at his home studio at Ascot Sound in Tittenhurst Park, mere days after hearing McCartney's Ram album. What makes this particularly fascinating is that George Harrison was present during the sessions, playing the haunting slide guitar solo. Can you imagine how that must have felt for McCartney? Two former bandmates essentially ganging up musically?

The casual studio atmosphere — as evident in rare footage that has surfaced — seems utterly at odds with the song's venomous lyrics. Musicians just sitting around, casually crafting one of rock's most brutal takedowns. Lennon wasn't even working alone on the lyrics. His manager, Allen Klein and Yoko Ono reportedly suggested some of the lines during writing sessions. McCartney later noted how "there were a lot of people influencing the lyrics at the time", — which surely made the whole thing feel like a coordinated attack rather than just John blowing off steam.

Who, How Do You Sleep was about

Lennon occasionally tried to dance around the question of who inspired the song (though nobody was buying it). "How Do You Sleep?" was unquestionably aimed straight at McCartney's heart. Lennon himself admitted it was "an answer to Ram," which he felt contained numerous digs at him and Yoko. McCartney's line "Too many people preaching practices" had particularly "gotten up his nose."

Key lyrics and meaning in How Do You Sleep

The track begins with orchestral tuning identical in length to that on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band — not a coincidence, but a deliberate reference before launching into its assault. Lennon didn't just write angry lyrics; he crafted precise musical missiles designed to wound:

"The only thing you done was yesterday / And since you've gone you're just another day" – diminishing McCartney's massive contributions to merely "Yesterday" while simultaneously mocking his 1971 single "Another Day."

"Those freaks was right when they said you were dead" – bringing up the "Paul is dead" conspiracy theory that had haunted McCartney.

"The sound you make is muzak to my ears" – dismissing McCartney's solo work as nothing more than bland lift music.

Studio outtakes reveal even nastier early versions — Lennon spitting out "How do you sleep, you c**t?" and claiming about "Yesterday" that "You probably pinched that bitch anyway." Thank goodness someone convinced him to dial it back a bit.

Impact of How Do You Sleep on Beatles solo songs

This track fundamentally changed the rules of engagement. After "How Do You Sleep?", there was no more hiding behind clever wordplay and veiled references. Lennon had established a precedent for directness that made McCartney's subtler jabs seem almost quaint.

By 1980, when speaking to Playboy, Lennon had softened his stance: "I wasn't really feeling that vicious at the time, but I was using my resentment toward Paul to create a song." McCartney, understandably wounded, told Melody Maker simply: "He says the only thing I did was 'Yesterday.' He knows that's wrong."

The remarkable thing? This musical knife-fight eventually gave way to reconciliation. These songs, however painful, served as a necessary emotional out during their complex post-band relationship. Sometimes you need to get the poison out before healing can begin.

Back Off Boogaloo – Ringo Starr

"The usually affable Ringo was no longer happy to sit and take it." — Far Out Magazine, Music and culture publication.

The lovable Ringo Starr might have been the least confrontational Beatle. Still, his 1972 hit "Back Off Boogaloo" stands out as one of the most fascinating musical side-eyes ever thrown at a former bandmate. Unlike the musical grenades Lennon and McCartney lobbed at each other, Ringo's approach was characteristically more subtle, though no less revealing if you know where to look.

Back Off Boogaloo background

"Back Off Boogaloo" wasn't just any track in Ringo's catalogue—it became his most successful UK single, hitting number 2 on the charts. The song even managed to crack the American Billboard Hot 100 at number 9. Not bad for the drummer many critics had written off! This hard-rocking little number showcased Ringo's surprising post-Beatles commercial appeal, coming hot on the heels of his 1971 hit "It Don't Come Easy".

Here's where it gets interesting—George Harrison not only produced the recording but secretly helped write the song, though he remained uncredited as a co-writer until 2017. Ringo himself admitted his songwriting limitations with characteristic humility in a 2003 interview with Time Out New York: "I'm great at two verses and a chorus, but ending songs is not my forte... I started writing 'Back Off Boogaloo,' then took it to George to help finish off".

The title itself came from an unlikely source—Marc Bolan of T. Rex, whom Ringo described as "an energised guy" who kept saying "boogaloo" all the time. Their connection went beyond this linguistic borrowing—Ringo later directed Bolan in the documentary Born to Boogie, cementing their creative relationship.

Who Back Off Boogaloo was about

Ringo consistently denied Paul McCartney was the song's target (of course, he would—he's Ringo!), but the evidence tells a different story. The song's very title offers a clue—"Boogaloo" was reportedly Ringo's nickname for McCartney.

The timing couldn't be more suspicious. In 1971, Ringo had publicly criticised McCartney's album Ram in Melody Maker magazine: "I feel sad with Paul's albums because I believe he's a great artist, incredibly creative, incredibly clever, but he disappoints me on his albums... I feel he's wasted his time." Strong words from the usually diplomatic drummer!

Key lyrics and meaning in Back Off Boogaloo

The lyrics read like a thinly veiled message to Macca:

"Wake up, meathead / Don't pretend that you are dead" – a cheeky nod to the famous "Paul is dead" conspiracy theory that had swept through Beatles fandom in 1969.

"Get yourself together now / And give me something tasty / Everything you try to do / You know it sure sounds wasted" – practically echoing Ringo's public criticism of McCartney's solo work word for word!

Some Beatles historians suggest the "meathead" taunt could be interpreted as "a fairly brazen affront" if directed at McCartney. This wasn't just Ringo being cute—there was some genuine frustration behind those drums.

The funniest part? McCartney later claimed "Back Off Boogaloo" was among his favourite Ringo solo releases. Either he didn't catch the references, or (more likely) he appreciated the musicality regardless of the message. Unlike the bitter Lennon-McCartney exchanges that left permanent scars, this little musical squabble didn't damage their friendship beyond repair. That's our Ringo—even his criticism comes wrapped in an irresistible rhythm you can't help but tap your foot to.

Sue Me, Sue You Blues – George Harrison

Image Source: American Songwriter

You think Lennon and McCartney had the monopoly on musical daggers? George Harrison's "Sue Me, Sue You Blues" might be the most brutally honest track about the Beatles' messy divorce. While his former bandmates traded personal barbs, Harrison aimed his guitar at the absurd legal circus that engulfed them all in the early 1970s.

Sue Me, Sue You Blues background.

Harrison penned this legal blues lament in 1971 during what he wryly called "the big suing period". The track found its home on his 1973 album, Living in the Material World, standing out as a rare secular tune on an otherwise spiritually focused record. Here's something fascinating — Harrison initially gave the song away to guitarist Jesse Ed Davis, who released it on his 1972 album Ululu as a thank-you gift for Davis's participation in the Concert for Bangladesh. Talk about musical karma!

Sound-wise, the track revolves around Harrison's dobro-style resonator guitar, played in his preferred open E tuning. This bottleneck approach wasn't just a one-off — it characterised several Harrison compositions from this period. The song combines a traditional blues structure with what Harrison described as a "vaguely based on the Square dance type of fiddle lyric". Can you picture the former Beatles doing the do-si-do around courtrooms? I certainly can.

Who Sue Me, Sue You Blues was about

This wasn't subtle music — Harrison aimed directly at the avalanche of litigation that buried the Beatles after their breakup. The primary target? Paul McCartney's December 31, 1970, lawsuit at London's High Court of Justice sought to dissolve the band's business partnership and free himself from manager Allen Klein.

McCartney himself acknowledged being the catalyst for this legal nightmare. He told Rolling Stone in 1973: "Around that time, we had millions of [law]suits flying here, flying there. George wrote the 'Sue Me, Sue You Blues' about it. I'd kicked it all off originally, having to sue the other three Beatles in the High Court, and that opened Pandora's box". At least Macca owned up to starting the legal domino effect.

Key lyrics and meaning in Sue Me, Sue You Blues

Harrison's opening verse sets the tone with delicious irony: "

You serve me and I'll serve you / Swing your partners, all get screwed / Bring your lawyer and I'll bring mine / Get together, and we could have a bad time". If you've ever been caught in legal proceedings, you'll recognise the gallows humour here.

Harrison wasn't just venting — he was prophetic. Consider his prediction about the lawsuits' outcome:"Court receiver, laughs and thrills / But in the end we just pay those lawyers their bills". Ain't that the truth? He even threw in a pointed reference to the band's dissolution: "Sign it on the dotted line / Hold your Bible in your hand / Now all that's left is to / Find yourself a new band".

The phrase "sue me, sue you blues" became something of a Harrison catchphrase. He later deployed it when publicly criticising EMI during a 1971 appearance on The Dick Cavett Show. This wasn't just a song — it was Harrison's legal philosophy set to a slide guitar.

Here Today – Paul McCartney

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Paul McCartney's "Here Today" marks a profound shift in how these former bandmates addressed each other through music. While earlier post-breakup years dripped with confrontation, this heartbreaking track emerged from a much deeper source — raw grief.

Here Today background

McCartney wrote "Here Today" in mid-1981, his emotions still raw from Lennon's December 1980 murder. The news hit him like a ton of bricks. "I couldn't talk about it," he recalled years later. "I remember getting home from the studio on the day that we'd heard the news he died and turning the TV on and seeing people say, 'Well, John Lennon was this'".

Rather than joining the public outpouring, McCartney did what artists do — he retreated to make sense of his feelings through music. "I found a room and just sat on the wooden floor in a corner with my guitar and just started to play the opening chords to 'Here Today'". The finished track appeared on his 1982 album, Tug of War, produced by George Martin and featuring a gorgeous string quartet.

Who's Here Today was about

This one's dead simple — it's John, through and through. McCartney conceived it as "a conversation with John", explaining he was "just bringing key memories" to the surface. In his more direct moments, he's called it "a love song to John, written very shortly after he died".

Key lyrics and meaning in Here Today

The song opens with McCartney asking questions his friend could never answer: "And if I said I really knew you well/What would your answer be/If you were here today?". Then he imagines John's response, capturing their relationship perfectly: "Well, knowing you/You'd probably laugh and say that we were worlds apart".

There's a fascinating verse about "the night we cried" — a real moment from 1964 when the Beatles got stranded during a hurricane in Key West, Florida. McCartney later spilt the details: "We got drunk and started to get kind of emotional... we told each other a few truths... 'Well, I love you. I love you, man'". That rare moment of vulnerability between two young men who'd conquered the world together now stood frozen in amber.

Impact of Here Today on Beatles tribute songs

"Here Today" has become a fixture in McCartney's concerts, appearing on several live albums including Back in the World and Good Evening New York City. Even after all these years, it still knocks the wind out of him — "At least once a tour, that song just gets me. I'm singing it, and I think I'm OK, and I suddenly realise it's very emotional".

When introducing it on stage, McCartney now calls it "a conversation that we never had". What started as a private catharsis has transformed into something much bigger — a public testament to one of rock's most complex, creative, and ultimately human friendships.

Never Without You – Ringo Starr

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What happens when friendship outlasts the bands, the breakups, and even life itself? Ringo Starr's 2003 song "Never Without You" gives us the answer. It's one of the most genuinely heartfelt tracks any Beatle ever recorded about another — a moving musical letter to George Harrison, who had slipped away from this world on November 29, 2001.

Never Without You background

You've got to hand it to Ringo — while other Beatles songs about former bandmates came hot on the heels of their breakup, this one arrived more than three decades later. Released on Starr's 2003 album, Ringo Rama, the song was a collaborative effort between Starr, Mark Hudson, and Gary Nicholson. Ringo explained the process with characteristic simplicity: "Gary Nicholson started that song, and Mark brought it over and we realised we could tailor it. George was really on my mind then."

The masterstroke? Getting Eric Clapton to play lead guitar. This wasn't just a random choice for musical quality — it was a deeply thoughtful nod to one of Harrison's closest musical friendships. "Eric's on two tracks on the album, but I really wanted him on this song because George loved Eric and Eric loved George," Ringo explained. Listen carefully and you'll hear Clapton using slide guitar throughout the track — Harrison's signature technique — creating a sound that feels like George is somehow still in the room.

Who Never Without You was about

No mystery here — the song is entirely about George Harrison. What's particularly touching is how it reflects the special bond Starr and Harrison maintained long after the Beatles imploded. In a 2003 interview, Ringo revealed he had stayed closest to Harrison of all his former bandmates after their 1970 split, saying the song expressed "how I miss him in my heart and music."

Their friendship had weathered even the rockiest periods of the Beatles' story. Remember when Ringo briefly quit during the White Album sessions? It was Harrison who welcomed him back with flowers adorning his drum kit. That's the kind of gesture you don't forget.

This loyalty continued throughout their post-Beatles careers. When Harrison organised the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 — the world's first major charity concert — McCartney declined to participate, and Lennon was excluded; however, Ringo showed up without hesitation. Some bonds run deeper than business disagreements.

Key lyrics and meaning in Never Without You

The lyrics read like a musical scrapbook of Harrison references. Starr cleverly weaves in nods to "Within You Without You" from Sgt. Pepper and "Here Comes The Sun" from Abbey Road. It's like he's thumbing through an old photo album, pointing out favourite memories.

The chorus captures exactly what made Harrison special: "And your song will play on without you / And this world won't forget about you / Every part of you was in your song." Isn't that the truth? Harrison put his whole self into his music — his spirituality, his questioning nature, his search for meaning.

Perhaps the most poignant line acknowledges Harrison's spiritual journey: "I know all things must pass / And only love will last" — a direct reference to George's landmark triple album All Things Must Pass. It's as if Ringo is saying, "I heard you, George. I was listening all along."

Unlike the angry exchanges of the early post-Beatles years, "Never Without You" shows how time and maturity transformed these musical relationships. The young men who once traded musical barbs had grown into older, wiser souls who understood what mattered — the connections they'd forged that couldn't be broken, not even by death itself.

All Those Years Ago – George Harrison

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The Beatles' musical conversation took a surprising turn in 1981 with something rare and precious — a quasi-reunion that brought three-quarters of the band back together. George Harrison's "All Those Years Ago" arrived as a poignant musical eulogy for John Lennon, proving that beneath all the lawsuits and bitter exchanges, these four lads from Liverpool remained connected by invisible threads of history and affection.

All Those Years Ago background

Talk about musical irony! Harrison initially wrote "All Those Years Ago" for Ringo Starr in late 1980. Ringo recorded the track but felt uncomfortable with both the vocal range and lyrics, handing it back to George with a polite "thanks, but no thanks". Then history took its tragic turn.

After Lennon's shocking murder on December 8, 1980, Harrison substantially rewrote the lyrics while cleverly keeping Ringo's original drum track intact. The song hit the airwaves in May 1981 — just six months after Lennon's death — and audiences embraced it immediately. It soared to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart, and topped both Canada's RPM Singles Chart and Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart.

What made the recording truly special wasn't just its message but who played on it. Harrison invited Paul and Linda McCartney to provide backing vocals, while Ringo's drums remained the heartbeat of the track. This made it one of those rare unicorns — a post-Beatles song featuring three band members. George Martin (who else?) oversaw production with Geoff Emerick handling the technical wizardry.

Who All Those Years Ago was about

This one's no mystery — the song honours John Lennon with the kind of emotional directness Harrison rarely showed in public. It captures his profound grief at losing "not only a mentor and a bandmate but one of his best friends".

While the press often focused on Lennon-McCartney dynamics, Harrison and Lennon had maintained the closest relationship after the band dissolved. They collaborated more frequently than any other former members, finding common ground in their spiritual explorations and musical experimentation.

Harrison's friend Al Kooper painted a vivid picture of George's immediate reaction to Lennon's death: "George was in the kitchen, white as a sheet, really shook up... He took calls from Paul and Yoko, which seemed to help his spirit". For someone as naturally reserved as Harrison, this musical tribute provided an essential emotional outlet when words alone wouldn't suffice.

Key lyrics and meaning in All Those Years Ago

Harrison's lyrics read like a conversation with his departed friend, referencing Lennon's work with the cleverness of someone who knew him intimately. Lines like "You point the way to the truth when you say All You Need is Love" directly acknowledge Lennon's Beatles compositions, while "you were the one who imagined it all" pays homage to Lennon's iconic solo anthem, "Imagine".

The song doesn't shy away from addressing how the public misunderstood Lennon. When Harrison sings, "You were the one that they said was so weird," he highlights how mainstream society often struggled to grasp Lennon's avant-garde tendencies and peace activism. Harrison also offers spiritual reassurance (reflecting his own deep beliefs) that Lennon continues to exist: "Now in the world of light where the spirit is free of lies".

What makes "All Those Years Ago" stand apart from other Beatles tribute songs is its authenticity — it's not just remembering a musical icon but mourning a friend. The presence of three Beatles on the recording transforms it from a personal statement into something approaching a collective farewell. Without planning it, Harrison created perhaps the most meaningful Beatles reunion that never officially happened.

Dear Friend, Paul McCartney

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Amidst all those angry musical potshots flying back and forth after the Beatles split, "Dear Friend" stands as something quite different — Paul McCartney extending an olive branch instead of throwing another punch. It's a genuinely moving piece of music that shows an entirely other side to the post-Beatles conversation.

Dear Friend background

"Dear Friend" sits near the end of Wings' debut album, Wild Life, released in December 1971. McCartney wrote it during early 1971, right when his relationship with John had deteriorated into those nasty public spats we've all read about. What's fascinating is how they recorded it — just one take at Abbey Road's Studio Two. Initially, it was just Paul on piano and vocals, with Denny Laine adding vibraphone and Denny Seiwell on drums. Later, Richard Hewson visited Paul's London home on 6 September to finalise the orchestral arrangements before recording the orchestra on 16 October 1971. That minimalist approach really lets the emotion shine through.

Who was Dear Friend about

There's no question about who Paul was addressing here — it's John Lennon, full stop. Paul himself described it as "talking to John after we'd had all the disputes about The Beatles' break-up". The song just poured out of him as he sat processing all the sadness about their fractured friendship. The timing is telling too — this came after John had instead bluntly called Paul's solo album "rubbish" in a Rolling Stone interview. Ouch.

Key lyrics and meaning in Dear Friend

The opening lines hit you right away: "Dear friend, what's the time? Is this the borderline?" Paul's essentially asking, "Have we reached the point of no return with our friendship?" As he later explained: "Are we splitting up? Is this 'you go your way; I'll go mine'?"

I love how direct yet poetic he gets with "Are you afraid, or is it true?" — he's wondering if John's hostility came from genuine grievances or fear. Paul elaborated: "Are you afraid of something? Are you afraid of the split-up? Are you afraid of my doing something without you?"

Perhaps most touching is how the song continues to affect Paul decades later. He finds the line "Really truly, young and newly wed" particularly emotional now. And thank goodness they patched things up before the unthinkable happened in 1980. As Paul reflected: "It would have been terrible if he'd been killed as things were at that point and I'd never got to straighten it out with him". Hard to imagine carrying that weight forever.

When We Was Fab – George Harrison

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Time softens even the hardest edges. Years after the bitter post-breakup exchanges, George Harrison finally embraced nostalgia with "When We Was Fab" — a brilliantly psychedelic tribute to the Beatles' heyday that stands as one of the most affectionate musical postcards Harrison ever sent to his shared past.

When We Was Fab background

Harrison penned this psychedelic throwback with Jeff Lynne while they were holidaying in Australia in 1986, before diving into the Cloud Nine album sessions. The track came to life at "some rich bloke's house" with Harrison and Lynne sitting at opposite ends of a piano, tossing musical ideas back and forth. It initially carried the working title "Aussie Fab" — a cheeky nod to its origins — and ended up being the first composition completed for the album.

When the song hit record shops in January 1988 as the second single from Cloud Nine, it peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart and reached number 23 on Billboard's Hot 100 — giving Harrison his final top 40 American hit. The record wasn't just lyrically nostalgic — it musically transported listeners straight back to 1967, complete with sitars, cellos, and those trippy backwards-tape effects that defined the Beatles' psychedelic period. Old mate Ringo even showed up to play drums, creating what amounted to half a Beatles reunion.

Who, When We Was Fab was about

This one's not exactly a mystery. The song serves as Harrison's musical time machine back to Beatlemania — specifically the era when the press first dubbed them "the Fab Four." Harrison himself admitted: "I hadn't figured out what the song was going to say... but I knew it was a Fab song."

What's particularly interesting is Harrison's confession that he couldn't have written something so nostalgic in the immediate aftermath of the split: "I would have been too hung up on the past... But now it's good. You can look back at it and think of the funny stuff." Time, it seems, had finally healed enough wounds for Harrison to look back with fondness rather than bitterness.

Key lyrics and meaning in When We Was Fab

The opening line "Back then, a long time ago when grass was green" immediately sets you down in memory lane. At the same time "But it's all over now, baby blue" cleverly tips a hat to Bob Dylan — one of the few artists all Beatles universally admired.

Cash Box magazine hit the nail on the head when they called it "a historical re-creation of the Beatles' career wrapped up in one song," complete with musical motifs that reference classic Beatles compositions. The whole thing feels like a musical photo album, flipping through snapshots of a time that changed music forever.

The song's video — featuring a walrus-masked Ringo and a left-handed bassist widely believed to be Jeff Lynne standing in for McCartney — added yet another layer of Beatles references for eagle-eyed fans to spot. Harrison had finally made peace with his Beatles past, transforming what was once a source of pain into a celebration.

Early 1970 – Ringo Starr

Image Source: Far Out Magazine

The Beatles' breakup spawned a lot of musical barbs, but Ringo Starr's "Early 1970" stands apart from the rest. Isn't it funny how the least confrontational Beatle might have created the most honest post-breakup song? Released as the B-side to his 1971 single "It Don't Come Easy," this rare self-penned tune serves as what some music critics called "a rough draft of a peace treaty" among the former bandmates.

Early 1970 background

Poor Ringo found himself utterly lost after the Beatles split. He poured these feelings into "Early 1970," composing it during a period when he felt unmoored entirely from his musical family. The drummer laid his heart bare in a February 1970 interview with Look magazine: "I keep looking around and thinking, where are they? What are they doing? When will they come back and talk to me?"

The song went through several working titles — including the oddly specific "When I Come to Town (Four Nights in Moscow)" and "When Four Nights Come to Town" — before settling into its final form. Musically, it embraced a country-flavoured approach, which made perfect sense given Starr had just dipped his toe into those waters with his Beaucoups of Blues album.

The early 1970 was about.

This is where Ringo's song becomes brilliant. He wrote a musical postcard to each Beatle, dedicating a verse to every former bandmate and measuring their post-breakup relationship by how likely they'd be to play music with him again.

The first verse paints a domestic portrait of McCartney on his Scottish farm with Linda and baby Mary, ending with the uncertain line: "And when he comes to town I wonder if he'll play with me." You can hear the doubt — this reflected their strained relationship after a heated exchange at McCartney's home about album schedules.

Verse two handles Lennon and Ono's bed-ins and primal therapy sessions, concluding more optimistically: "And when he comes to town, I know he's gonna play with me." The final Beatle verse describes Harrison as a "long-haired, cross-legged guitar picker" with a vegetarian wife who picks daisies for his meals. Ringo declares George is "always in town playing for you with me", identifying their close bond.

Key lyrics and meaning in Early 1970

The most touching part? Ringo saves the final verse for himself, admitting his musical limitations with disarming honesty: "I play guitar – A, D, E / I don't play bass, 'cause that's too hard for me / I play the piano if it's in C..." It's self-deprecating yet endearing — classic Ringo.

The song's closing wish says it all: "And when I go to town I wanna see all three" — a heartfelt plea for reconciliation that biographer Bob Woffinden saw as Starr's admission that he "clearly needed the support" of his former bandmates.

While John and Paul fired musical rockets at each other and George crafted spiritual reflections, Ringo wanted his musical family back together. In a post-Beatles landscape filled with ego and anger, Starr's humble request stands as perhaps the most.

That Was Me – Paul McCartney

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McCartney took a different path with his 2007 track "That Was Me" — instead of pointing fingers at his former bandmates, he turned the spotlight on himself. This rare autobiographical entry connects the dots between his humble Liverpool beginnings and his meteoric rise to fame in one reflective musical memoir.

That Was Me background.

"That Was Me" showed up as the ninth track on McCartney's 14th solo album, Memory Almost Full. The song sprang from Paul simply looking back at his remarkable journey. He explained his thinking: "People often say they can remember more from their childhood than they can from a month ago. I think that is a fact of life".

Studio magic played a part, too. When producer David Kahne reckoned the song "needed a lift" for the third verse after the guitar solo, McCartney made a spontaneous decision — adding vocals an octave higher to double the guitar line. That off-the-cuff choice gave the song its emotional peak just when it needed it.

Who That Was Me was about

Unlike other Beatles solo tracks where they aimed at each other, "That Was Me" finds McCartney genuinely gobsmacked at his extraordinary journey. The boy from Liverpool who changed music history still couldn't quite believe it himself.

"There were four people in the Beatles, and I was one of them. There were two people in the Lennon-McCartney songwriting team, and I was one of them," he marvelled. You can hear his genuine wonderment when he added, "All of these things would be enough for anyone's life". It's Paul standing outside himself, almost in disbelief at the life he's lived.

Key lyrics and meaning in That Was Me

The song works like a time machine, whisking through McCartney's life stages. He starts with childhood snapshots: "That was me, in the scout camp, in the school play/Spade and bucket by the sea".

He later fleshed out these early references: "Liverpool was a little place we could escape to, beautiful little woods where, come springtime, there would be these carpets of bluebells". You can almost see young Paul running through those woods.

Then we zoom forward to the Beatlemania years: "That was me, Royal Iris, on the river/Mersey beat n' with the band". McCartney helpfully decoded these references: "'The cellar' is the Cavern, 'Royal Iris' is a ferry boat they had—they'd call them riverboat shuffles, and some of our earliest gigs were on them".

What makes the song punch emotionally is that repeating refrain: "The same me that stands here now". It captures McCartney's core message — despite fame, fortune, and decades as a cultural icon, he's still that same kid from Liverpool, just with a lot more stories to tell.

Conclusion

These twelve tracks reveal more about the Beatles' complex relationships than any dusty biography ever could. It's fascinating how each of them turned to music as their emotional outlet after the split, whether they were hurling musical daggers at each other or extending a hand in friendship. The evolution from Lennon's blistering "How Do You Sleep?" and McCartney's passive-aggressive "Too Many People" to the tender reflection of "Here Today" and "Never Without You" maps their journey from bitter exes to reconciled friends better than any documentary.

What strikes me most about these songs is how they prove that even at their most fractured, the Beatles' creative connection never truly broke. Harrison's thoughtful "Run of the Mill" and Starr's disarmingly honest "Early 1970" offer us a backstage pass to their wounded friendships. These weren't just pop songs — they were therapy sessions set to music, creating a timeline of healing that spans from the raw anger of 1971 to the wistful nostalgia of decades later.

The Beatles' willingness to release their music on vinyl (or later, CD) actually ended up strengthening their legacy rather than diminishing it. Their solo work serves as a fascinating epilogue to the main Beatles story, allowing fans to witness their relationships evolve through what might be called a decades-long musical conversation. These twelve songs stand as evidence of bonds that, though stretched to breaking point by business rows and personal clashes, proved remarkably resilient.

Play these tracks in chronological order and you'll hear something remarkable unfold — four extraordinary blokes who, even when they couldn't stand to be in the same room together, remained musically and emotionally intertwined. Their story reminds us that sometimes the most truthful art emerges from life's messiest moments. The Beatles may have officially disbanded back in 1970, but their musical legacy carried on for decades — a testament to relationships that proved every bit as enduring as their timeless songs.