Paul McCartney Remembers the Day He Learned of John Lennon’s Death
In a new oral history book, Paul McCartney reflects on the shocking moment he found out that John Lennon had been murdered. Describing the surreal experience, McCartney, now 83, recalls receiving the heartbreaking news from his manager in the early hours of December 8, 1980. Lennon had been shot by Mark David Chapman in New York City.
“It was so crazy,” he wrote. “Everything was a blur. We just said what everyone else was saying.” He compared the tragic event to the assassination of President Kennedy, expressing that it felt unreal. “You just can’t accept it. I still haven’t accepted it. I don’t want to,” he shared.
After Lennon’s death, McCartney returned to the studio with Ringo Starr and George Harrison. “Nobody was home when they heard that news,” he said. “We had to keep working. It was unbearable. So I went to the office, kind of in shock, and worked a day.”
While the Beatles had famously disbanded in 1970, McCartney noted that he and Lennon had reconciled prior to the shooting. He mentioned it was comforting to know that their last conversation was positive. “We didn’t have any sort of explosion,” he recalled. “That’s good, because you always wish you could have had more time to sort things out.”
McCartney reflected on the bond they shared. “One of the great blessings of my life is that we made up,” he wrote, remembering their lifelong love and occasional disagreements, but emphasizing they were never as serious as family conflicts. They even had a “very happy conversation” concerning Lennon’s son, Sean, just before the tragic event.
Stella, McCartney’s daughter, contributed her memories to her father’s book, describing the moment of receiving the news. “It was really heartbreaking to see that,” she said, remembering how her father left the kitchen upon hearing the news. “That image will be in my head for the rest of my life.”
A year after the Beatles split, McCartney found himself embroiled in legal disputes with his former bandmates, even suing them to dissolve their partnership, which was officially ended in 1974. He described that period as feeling “dead,” navigating the chaos while trying to redefine himself away from the Beatles’ legacy.
Reflecting on the renowned period with the Beatles, McCartney expressed uncertainty about moving on from those cherished years. His new book, “Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run,” edited by Ted Widmer, draws from numerous hours of interviews, detailing his post-Beatles journey and the formation of his next band, Wings.
“Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run” is currently available.
