Sir Paul McCartney has revealed that the late John Lennon was considered the group’s favourite member and unofficial “leader” of The Beatles, during a recent appearance on the popular YouTube series, Chicken Shop Date.
The 83-year-old musician joined host and creator Amelia Dimoldenberg for the “first date” format, which sees celebrities interviewed over fast food.
Their conversation, held over vegan chicken nuggets and chips at Camden’s Temple of Seitan, touched on subjects including dentists, tattoos, and favourite dance moves.
At one point, Dimoldenberg asked Sir Paul to name his favourite Beatle.
Sir Paul replied: “Well, there’s only one left now. Currently, it’s Ringo.
“During the Beatles, I think we all used to look up to John, because he was like the leader, even though there wasn’t officially a leader of the group.
“He was very witty and it was great to have in the group.
“I think all of us might have said John was our favourite Beatle.”
open image in galleryThe Beatles were formed in 1960 and made up of Sir Paul, Lennon, George Harrison and Sir Ringo Starr.
After the break-up of the band in 1970, Lennon released 11 studio albums under his own name, with wife and artist Yoko Ono, and with the Plastic Ono Band, before he was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in December 1980.
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The episode comes as Sir Paul released his first album in five years, The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, on Friday.
The 14-track record recounts a collection of memories from the singer’s formative years in Liverpool, including his early adventures with his late bandmates Harrison and Lennon, prior to their Beatles fame.
His fellow Beatles bandmate Sir Ringo features on one of the tracks titled “Home To Us”.
When asked if the singer will ever stop making music, he replied: “It’s such a fun thing to do.”
The pair went on to discuss Sir Paul’s Glastonbury performance and the time he and former Beatles drummer Pete Best lit a condom on fire while in Hamburg.
He also told Dimoldenberg that roses and lilies were some of his favourite flowers, with the latter reminding him of his late wife Linda, who died of breast cancer in 1998, and a gift he once gave her.
open image in galleryRecounting the story, Sir Paul said he was inspired by Greek mogul Aristotle Onassis, who gave his wife, the former first lady of the US, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a bracelet with J-I-L-Y engraved in it to read out, ‘Jackie, I Love You’.
Sir Paul took the idea and said: “I suddenly thought, perfect, get Linda one and it’ll be L-I-L-Y, ‘Linda. I love you’, Lily.
“It’s the perfect name to do that with.
“She’s a lovely girl.”
The Beatles became the best-selling musical act of all time and one of the most influential groups in the world, having achieved 16 UK number one albums and 18 UK number one singles including “Help!”, “Hey Jude” and “She Loves You”.
Following their split in 1970, Sir Paul released his debut solo album McCartney, and also formed the band Wings with his late wife Linda along with former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine.
Prior to splitting in 1981, the band recorded seven studio albums including Band On The Run and achieved 12 UK top 10 singles including “Jet”, “Silly Love Songs” and “Live And Let Die”, the theme to the 1973 James Bond film of the same name.