Jump to content

John vs Paul


seattlesteve

Recommended Posts

The early years of the Beatles breakup didn't go well for John and Paul. Ironically Ringo comes out of nowhere with top 40 hits, and George bust loose with a triple album.

John wrote a scathing song about Paul, "How Do You Sleep" where he didn't even try to hide it. I recently read something I never thought of.. do you think Pauls "Too Many People" had anything to do with John? That was your first mistake, Lucky break, broke it in two, preaching practices, it's not like me, etc...Words to both below. Me thinks they are related. Paul's version much more thinly veiled.

How Do You Sleep? Lyrics

Artist(Band):John Lennon Review The Song (33) Print the Lyrics

So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise

You better see right through that mother's eyes

Those freaks was right when they said you was dead

The one mistake you made was in your head

Ah, how do you sleep?

Ah, how do you sleep at night?

You live with straights who tell you you was king

Jump when your momma tell you anything

The only thing you done was yesterday

And since you're gone you're just another day

Ah, how do you sleep?

Ah, how do you sleep at night?

Ah, how do you sleep?

Ah, how do you sleep at night?

A pretty face may last a year or two

But pretty soon they'll see what you can do

The sound you make is muzak to my ears

You must have learned something in all those years

Ah, how do you sleep?

Ah, how do you sleep at night?

Too Many People Lyrics

Artist(Band):Paul McCartney Review The Song (0)

Print the Lyrics

by Paul McCartney

Too Many People Going Underground

Too Many Reaching For A Piece Of Cake

Too Many People Pulled And Pushed Around

Too Many Waiting For That Lucky Break

That Was Your First Mistake

You Took Your Lucky Break And Broke It In Two

Now What Can Be Done For You

You Broke It In Two

Too Many People Sharing Party Lines

Too Many People Never Sleeping Late

Too Many People Paying Parking Fines

Too Many Hungry People Losing Weight

That Was Your First Mistake

You Took Your Lucky Break And Broke It In Two

Now What Can Be Done For You

You Broke It In Two

Too Many People Preaching Practices

Don't Let Them Tell You What You Wanna Be

Too Many People Holding Back, This Is

Crazy And Maybe It's Not Like Me

That Was Your Last Mistake

I Find My Love Awake And Waiting To Be

Now What Can Be Done For You

She's Waiting For Me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Paul has always denied that "Let Me Roll It" had anything to do with John and I believe him. At the time, people said he was immitating John. What makes it Lennonish is all the echo on the vocals. John thought lines in "Too Many People" and "Back Seat of My Car" were directed at him and it's universally agreed that was the case. Most were obscure references (although the pic of a beetle #@%!ing another beetle wasn't very obscure). Paul has confirmed there are digs on "Ram" but I've never heard him ever go into specifics and I doubt he ever will. "How Do You Sleep" was John's response to the digs on "Ram". It's also widely said that "Back Off Boogaloo" was directed at Macca by Ringo. If true, I don't expect Ringo to ever confirm this, however. George, of course, played on both John and Ringo's song. ("Wah Wah" was about Paul, but that dates all the way back to early '69, before the Fabs had actually split up).

"Dear Boy" was actually about Linda's first husband.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While Paul and John were sniping at each other in song, I think they had more or less reconciled by '74. Paul has written many songs in tribute to John (some obvious, like "Here Today", others less so) over the years. I haven't heard "Toot and a Snore in '74" but apparently the magic needed some polishing when they jammed one night in L.A!

What worried me more was watching Anthology in the 1990s and seeing how George was still visibly irritated by Paul. Who knows how much irritation was in the unused footage?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also heard a long time ago that Little Lamb Dragonfly was Paul talking to John....Great song off the RedRose Speedway album....makes sense to me..

Little Lamb Dragonfly

I Have No Answer For You Little Lamb

I Can Help You Out / But I Cannot Help You In

Sometimes You Think That Life Is Hard

And This Is Only One Of Them

My Heart Is Breaking For You Little Lamb

I Can Help You Out / But We May Never Meet Again

La La La La La La La La ... Etc.

Dragonfly Fly By My Window

You And I Still Have A Way To Go

Don't Know Why You Hang Around My Door

I Don't Live Here Any More

Since You've Gone I Never Know

I Go On, But I Miss You So

Dragonfly Don't Keep Me Waiting

I'm Waiting Can't You See Me I'm Waiting

When We Try We'll Have A Way To Go

Dragonfly You've Been Away Too Long

How Did Two Rights Make A Wrong

Since You've Gone I Never Know I Go On

But I Miss You So In My Heart

I Feel The Pain

Keeps Coming Back Again

Dragonfly Fly By My Window

I'm Flying Can't You See Me I'm Flying

You And I Can Find A Way To See

Dragonfly The Years Ahead Will Show

How Little We Really Know

Since You've Gone Its Never Right They Go On

The Lonely Nights, Come On Home

And Make It Right

My Heart Is Aching For You Little Lamb

I Can Help You Out / But I Cannot Help You In

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Little Lamb/Dragonfly" is a great song and the best on "Red Rose Speedway" but has nothing to do with John. That was about a dying lamb on Paul's farm. Fan's have always looked too hard for hidden meanings in songs. I've been guilty of it myself. I suspected "Coming Up" of being written to John when it was first released. Alas, I was mistaken. If it had, I'm sure Macca would have mentioned it by now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...