Paul McCartney spoke candidly with Conan O’Brien on his podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” and revealed the endearing quality he loved the most about John Lennon.
McCartney candidly discussed the demeanor of his former Beatles bandmate, and noted he always admired his ability to work through what he described as a series of “minor tragedies” that he endured during his childhood. The 81-year-old musician was asked about potential anxiety and vulnerability possessed by Lennon. “I don’t know about the anxiety, but vulnerability is very true,” McCartney said on the podcast.
McCartney shuffled through a series of his childhood photos — a timeless collection of images from his youth when he and Lennon shared their passion for music. He paused and described how “cool” they thought they were in their 20s, and had the audience laughing about how the legendary star perceived his own youth.
McCartney opened up about his time with Lennon, and the impact he had on his life.
“As a kid, his mother was decreed to not be good enough to bring him up … The father … had left the home when John was three,” McCartney said.
“So that’s not too wonderful,” he said.
McCartney explained how Lennon’s childhood trauma affected his outlook on life, and impacted him in a variety of different ways.
“It made me realize why he had that vulnerability. I always admired the way he dealt with it because I’m not so sure I would deal that well with the stuff he went through,” McCartney said.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAUL!@PaulMcCartney pic.twitter.com/OcafCLehXl
— John Lennon (@johnlennon) June 18, 2023
“Later, when I thought as an adult about John’s upbringing, he had a really tragic life, really,” he said. (RELATED: John Lennon’s Ex Dishes On Their Sex Life And Relationship During His Marriage To Yoko Ono)
“Mom Julia was visiting them, come to see her son, and on the way home she got run over and killed by apparently it was an off-duty cop who maybe was a bit inebriated,” McCartney said. “It made me realize why he had that vulnerability.”