Two famous bands led the cultural tsunami known as the “British Invasion“. Numerous bands were also a part of it. The Rolling Stones trailed closely behind The Beatles, who were at the forefront. Collectively, they opened doors for the mass of other bands that would contribute to the 1960s being the most influential artistic decade of the century.
There is a close connection between The Rolling Stones and The Beatles stories. It was common to see both groups running around ‘Swinging Sixties‘ London together. It was also common to see them enjoying a healthy rivalry between them on the commercial and critical fronts. Even though there was a friendly rivalry between them, things occasionally became a little temperamental.
While there was tension on both sides, in the months immediately following the Beatles’ 1970 breakup, former frontman John Lennon delivered one of the most devastating criticisms of The Rolling Stones. Even though he and Paul McCartney are featured on a particular Rolling Stones song, Lennon once called it “the most fuckin’ bullshit” ripoff of The Beatles in an interview.
I can criticize the Beatles, but don’t let Mick Jagger criticize them,” Lennon stated to Rolling Stone in 1970. “I was always very respectful about Mick [Jagger] and the Stones. But he said a lot of sort of tarty things about the Beatles, which I am hurt by.”
Adding: “I would like to just list what we did and what the Stones did two months after on every fin’ album. Every fin’ thing we did, Mick does the same — he imitates us.”
Then, Lennon declared that “We Love You” from 1967 was the Beatles’ most obvious rip-off. It was an odd remark, considering that he and McCartney both sang background vocals. The Liverpudlian went on, “You know Satanic Majesties is Pepper, ‘We Love You’. It’s the most fuckin’ bullshit. That’s ‘All You Need Is Love’. I would like one of you fuckin’ underground people to point it out.”
Refusing to submit to criticism, Lennon, somewhat surprisingly, insisted that he was an admirer of The Rolling Stones and gave an explanation of how the collaboration came about as a result of his friendship with Mick Jagger and the rest of his band. In the same interview, Lennon remarked, “We were very close to the Stones, and we were like kings of the jungle then.” I was very close to Mick and Brian Jones, but I’m not sure how close the others were. You know, I think highly of them.
