John Lennon would have turned 85 on Thursday, October 9 — a milestone he never got to reach. Though his life was tragically cut short, it was marked by incredible highs, including co-creating one of the greatest bands of all time.
If anyone truly understood Lennon, it was Paul McCartney, his Beatles bandmate and longtime songwriting partner. The two met as teenagers in Liverpool and, over the next two decades, helped change the sound of music.
To honor what would have been Lennon’s birthday, McCartney shared a brief, but heartfelt message on social media. “Sweet memories on this day of a very special friend. Happy birthday John,” McCartney wrote, alongside a photo of the pair at Abbey Road Studios in 1968.
Fans flooded the comments with sweet wishes, reflecting on Lennon’s impact after all these years. “Today is a day of gratitude for John, who left us his incredible legacy. Thank you wherever you are,” one fan wrote.
Together, Lennon and McCartney were the creative force behind The Beatles, with nearly every song credited to the legendary duo. Their partnership began in 1957 at a Woolton church fete, launching a team that crafted countless hits until The Beatles disbanded in 1970.
In 1969, Lennon privately informed the band of his decision to leave. It wasn’t until a year later that the growing rift between Lennon and McCartney became public, and officially marked the beginning of The Beatles’ breakup.
Reflecting on their dynamic in a 1980 Playboy interview, Lennon explained, “(Paul) provided a lightness, an optimism, while I would always go for the sadness, the discords, the bluesy notes.” He added that while he once thought McCartney wrote all the melodies, he realized he had contributed just as much, citing songs like “In My Life” and “This Boy” as examples.
Lennon continued a solo career until his life was tragically cut short in 1980 when he was shot outside his New York City home.
McCartney has since opened up about their complicated relationship after The Beatles’ breakup, describing their eventual reconciliation as “super, super painful,” but meaningful.
“In the end, there was something I was very glad of when he got murdered, was that I had had some really good times with him before that happened,” he said on the “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” podcast.
“It would have been the worst thing in the world…Had he just been killed and we still had a bad relationship. I would have just thought, ‘Oh, I should have, I should have, I should have,’” he added, “That would have been a big guilt trip for me.”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.