No songwriting duo has shaped music quite like John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Though both ventured into successful solo careers, Lennon and McCartney’s creative synergy as The Beatles’ main composers is unmatched. Together, they crafted timeless hits, often enhancing each other’s ideas to create songs that are now pillars of rock history. While McCartney cherished their partnership as unique, he later found an unexpected collaborator who brought him closest to that creative spark again.
After The Beatles split, McCartney devoted years to refining his solo craft. Early solo projects, like RAM, made with his wife Linda, marked the beginning of a new journey. Then came Wings, his new band that launched him back to chart-topping fame, producing rock staples such as “Venus and Mars” and “Band on the Run.”
Despite his flourishing solo success, McCartney kept his Beatles legacy somewhat distanced. While he often played his latest hits during live shows, he occasionally sprinkled in Beatles classics, favoring tracks that complemented his solo material, such as “Yesterday” and “I’ve Just Seen a Face.”
As the punk era critiqued rock’s excesses, new wave emerged, bringing a fresh lyrical depth through artists like Elvis Costello. Costello’s early albums, such as My Aim is True, showcased his insightful songwriting, blending personal stories and sharp wit on songs like “Alison.” This introspective approach caught McCartney’s attention as he entered a new creative era, leading to a collaboration during sessions for Flowers in the Dirt. Working with Costello, McCartney found a familiar songwriting rhythm that brought to mind his days with Lennon.
Recalling the collaboration, Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick noted McCartney’s excitement, describing how Costello reminded him of Lennon. In Here, There and Everywhere, Emerick shared, “Like John, Elvis would come into the session with a scrap of paper with a half-finished verse scribbled on it, finishing and polishing it off in the studio. Paul later described the experience as ‘the nearest thing to working with John.’”
Though Costello’s music differed from Lennon’s, his approach resonated with McCartney. Much like Lennon, Costello had a knack for blending sincerity with a biting twist. As they worked together, McCartney noticed Costello balancing earnest lines with irony, reminiscent of how he and Lennon created the Beatles’ “Getting Better.”
While no collaborator could fully replace Lennon, McCartney’s creative synergy with Costello is striking, especially on their demo of “My Brave Face.” After years of solo songwriting, McCartney appeared to have found a collaborator who rekindled the chemistry he’d missed—something as close as he could get to working with John again.
