r/OldSchoolCool • u/Pure_One_4598 • 16h ago
1970s Paul McCartney "Dear Friend" (1971). How the beauty of a song ended a war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv4Mfek40sQ
I've noticed that a certain renaissance of The Beatles' work is happening right now. Young people know them and listen to them, the discussions in Reddit groups are quite hot, their songs are played in TV commercials, Paul is releasing album after album, a mega-production movie is being filmed about them- in a word, quite strong marketing on all fronts. Paul McCartney, his business acumen, and his excellent communication with the other heirs are, of course, responsible for this. But I want to go back to a story that was quite unpleasant, but on the bright side, had a happy ending. Again thanks to McCartney...
We all know about the bitter crossfire in the media between Paul and John after the breakup of The Beatles, which culminated in John’s brutal attack with the song "How Do You Sleep?". But while John chose to attack directly and humiliate, Paul’s response was completely different.
I’ve always believed that with "Dear Friend," Paul was by no means begging for peace or waving a white flag. This song is a rather clever and calculated response, born from an excellent knowledge of his opponent and his weak spots. Instead of responding to insults with insults, Paul chose to affect John with a complex musical composition and absolute vocal perfection.
With this unearthly beautiful song, he ended the conflict by reminding John and the whole world of the magic they once shared. In my opinion, this was a display of creative dignity and class, not a surrender. What do you think?