Credit: YouTube Still / Raph_PH
Tue 13 October 2026 15:57, UK
Paul McCartney has worked with just about everyone throughout his storied career, but never Bob Dylan, and sadly, it doesn’t seem that will change.
Whether it’s sharing a stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen or Neil Young, working in the studio with Stevie Wonder or Johnny Cash, there aren’t many people that McCartney hasn’t had the opportunity to work with.
Nevertheless, Dylan has always evaded him.
Now, in the latest episode of Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, McCartney was asked by the Saturday Night Live legend, “I bet you’ve been able to collaborate with mostly everybody that you wanted to collaborate with at some point, is there anybody that you still wish to collaborate with?”
McCarntey then frankly replied, “No, I get asked this question and I always think Bob Dylan, but I’m too nervous to ring him up.”
He then hilariously played out a phone call between him and Dylan, before agreeing with Poehler that it’s impossible to even imagine the legendary singer-songwriter being on a telephone.
It’s probably wise that McCartney has given up any hope that he may one day work with Dylan in the studio, considering the less-than-complimentary remarks he made about his peer’s live show earlier this year.
While on the Rest Is Entertainment, McCartney said, “Talking about Mr Dylan – I’ve been to see a couple of Bob’s shows, and honestly, I couldn’t tell what song he was doing. Now, that’s a bit much, because I know his stuff.”
The Beatle admitted that he does understand “if he doesn’t want to do ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ – maybe he’s fed up with it”, but speaking from a fan’s perspective, he added, “But I would like to hear it. And I paid.”
Famously, their history dates back more than 60 years, when they first met each other in a New York hotel in 1964, which saw the singer-songwriter introduce the Fab Four to marijuana for the first time.
It’s all love from McCartney, too, who previously said in 2020, “I always like what he does. Sometimes I wish I was a bit more like Bob. He’s legendary… and doesn’t give a shit! But I’m not like that.”
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