John Lennon’s brutal letter written to Paul McCartney goes under hammer

Beatles legend John Lennon once wrote a brutal letter to his former bandmate Sir Paul McCartney, which is going to be auctioned.

The late singer-songwriter wrote the letter to McCartney days after the theme song ‘Live and Let Live’ became famous since the latter gave an interview criticising him and the Beatles published in one of the earliest music magazines Melody Maker in 1971.

Now, the letter will go under the hammer. Gotta Have Rock and Roll is expected to raise at least $30,000 from this event.


John Lennon sent this typewritten letter, while one of its copies was sent to Richard Williams, the editor of Melody Maker. Williams kept John’s request to compile them all to publish later. The letter shows John Lennon saying Paul McCartney was ungrateful after he received money from The Beatles. Lennon also accused the former musician of The Beatles of threatening another bandmate Ringo Starr and Maureen, his wife.

A part of the letter reads like ‘the simple, honest, old human’ being Paul said everything well in the Melody Maker while McCartney was aware that the bandmates of The Beatles couldn’t just sign a piece of paper. As McCartney said not to sign, Lennon would do if he would agree to indemnify them against the tax-man.

Throughout the letter, The Beatle music legend seemed scathing, by accusing McCartney of threatening to sue them again. The letter also shows that Paul McCartney tried to manipulate Lennon with his emotional logic and took them to the court. Moreover, he claimed McCartney threatened Ringo and Maureen to finish their career.

It is a three-page letter where the ‘Live and Let Die’ hitmaker requested Paul to meet him without the presence of lawyers and criticised him for being irresolute over the split of the band. Here, it can be mentioned that the incident of band split occurred more than a year ago before the letter was written. The letter concluded with a postscript referring to Paul McCartney for leaving his wives, Linda McCartney and Yoko Ono, due to arguments.