The day after they considered an appearance on NBC’s Saturday Night (later Saturday Night Live), John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the final time.
Although the pair were on good terms, the encounter was not a success. McCartney turned up unannounced at the Dakota building, where Lennon lived, and was turned away.
That was a period when Paul just kept turning up at our door with a guitar. I would let him in, but finally I said to him, ‘Please call before you come over. It’s not 1956, and turning up at the door isn’t the same anymore. You know, just give me a ring.’ He was upset by that, but I didn’t mean it badly. I just meant that I was taking care of a baby all day, and some guy turns up at the door.
John Lennon, 1980
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
McCartney left for Dallas, Texas, where the following day Wings began rehearsals for the US leg of their world tour. Although he stayed in contact with Lennon until the latter’s death in 1980, the pair would never again meet face-to-face.
Last updated: 1 June 2020
Also on this day...
- 2017: Paul McCartney live: Nippon Budokan, Tokyo
- 2015: Paul McCartney live: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo
- 2014: Paul McCartney live: Estadio Nacional, Lima
- 2012: Paul McCartney live: Estádio da Ressacada, Florianópolis
- 2003: Paul McCartney live: GelreDome, Arnhem
- 2001: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, Greenwood Village
- 1969: Mixing: Two Of Us
- 1967: Recording: Magical Mystery Tour
- 1966: Mixing: Got To Get You Into My Life
- 1964: Rehearsal: Around The Beatles
- 1963: The Beatles live: Mersey Beat Showcase, Croydon
- 1963: The Beatles are photographed by Fiona Adams
- 1962: The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg
- 1961: The Beatles live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
How do we know which day this was?, John doesn’t say it there.
Between the title and the text, upper left, you have the date.
Also, in a 2012 (I think) interview James MCartney said “I know John held me as a baby”. And he was born in 1977, so I’m thinking the date of their last meeting is somewhat disputed.
There is also an unverified report that Paul and John meet up in 1979 as well. I saw that quote by James (Paul’s son), but Paul has never clarified or made explicit when he last saw John. Paul refers to 1976 and the SNL show they watched and that he kept in telephone contact with John and that is it. Makes me wonder if Paul’s son was held by John with Paul not around – maybe Linda took him to see John; or that it is just wishful thinking on his part?
Macca’s not good with dates, so he probably doesn’t remember
Or maybe James was just told that story after John’s murder. He couldn’t possibly have any memory of such a thing.
What about this? (Interview in which Paul states he wasn’t there on that date, that he was actually at the Dakota a week later….)
[broken link removed]
That’s interesting, thank you. I’ve not heard Paul say before that he wasn’t there at the time. Lennon’s quotes about watching the SNL show with McCartney were made four years after the event (McCartney’s were made 35 years after), and there’s no mention of them discussing it a week later – Lennon’s account very specifically says they watched the show together and considered going down to the studio then. As far as I know McCartney went to Texas for tour rehearsals which began on 26 April, and didn’t return to the Dakota. I’ll keep digging for more info.
The time that John turned his friend away is the time he broke up that friendship and though he got a good reason, a true friend never do that; it should have been treated as a “next time Paul” thing. John really has a hollow heart outside himself. Paul was reduced as just another person not a friend, could be a bum,
Oh, please…….Your in your late 30s with a family, a guy – friend or not – keeps showing up at your door unannounced, and you think it’s wrong to politely tell the guy to call first? How utterly silly of you.
I dispute the date(s) too – That story is true (obviously – Lennon said it to be), but I read it that it happened later on, like in early 1980 just before the Playboy interview. Not in 1974. Lennon does an interview in 1977 where he says he talks to and has run into Paul here and there when Paul’s in New York.
The date given is April 1976. Yes, John talked about it in 1980, but that has nothing to do with when the event occurred. If I recall, in that interview he clearly pointed out that he hadn’t seen Paul in a couple of years.
Dear Dixie, what you say is heartbreaking to me. I must face the fact that it is true. And yet, why is it that I keep searching – all my life I have – for clues that John cared for Paul? Suppose we discard what was said and look at what was done, then isn’t it obvious there is no love for Paul on John’s heart? — and then just the other day I run into a source that says that John’s tarot card reader told him that Paul was only showing up at his door for deceitful, selfish purposes so that when John opened the door…
I think some of you are being a bit harsh on John refusing to meet Paul, when Paul turned up unannounced. At that time John was a “house husband” and caring for Sean. Most of us with children know that sometimes you just cannot stop what you are doing with your child to meet a friend! John even goes out his way to make the point that he was not being nasty towards Paul!
John really wasn’t a full time househusband like he said he was. I mean yes he spent time with Sean and was more active in his life than in Julians, but they had nannies, housekeepers etc taking care of things. A lot of the time between 75-80 John was depressed, withdrawn, taking narcotics (perhaps not in as copious amounts as before) but it wasn’t all smiles and sunshine. Other times he was baking bread and doting on Sean. Lennon suffered from depression and his habits reflected it.
Not 100% sure I believe this. To me this sounds like Lennon trying to make Paul out to be the needy one trying to rekindle something
“Keep turning up at our door” Well as far as we know the SNL meetup was their only 1976 in person encounter. There really is no record of Paul repeatedly turning up at the Dakota unannounced with a guitar and spending time with John. Those would have to incidents before the SNL day and I have not heard any account of those
I call bullshit on this one. They just had a great day and smokes a joint and watched SNL. So the next day Lennon is going to say FU and go away. Possibly. Something about this just seems fishy
Actually, I had read that they were sitting watching SNL when George was the special guest and considered going down but didn’t want to take away from his moment.
The book is better known for its dirt than its reliability, but Geoffrey Giuliano ‘s “Lennon in America” puts the final meetings in 1978.
He says in the spring of that year:
“Paul and Linda McCartney arrived in town two days later, and joined the Lennons for an evening out. They took in the Louis Malle film Pretty Baby, which John loved, praising both the movie and its young star Brooke Shields. The McCartneys then took the Lennons to a Chinese restaurant they favored, where John’s appetite was spoiled when he observed the waiter eating from customers’ plates in full view of the restaurant’s clientele.”
The book states that the very last meeting came later that year, but doesn’t give a specific date. That would give credence to James McCartney’s statement.
It’s possible, and even likely, that Paul is happy to have some information missing from the record, to have a few moments from their “Beatle Life” that are unknown or unrecorded. Of course We all want to know, but the remaining Beatles understandably don’t have that same desire to have all the details of their life on the public record, so he wouldn’t have any motivation to correct the record as to the last time that he saw John.
Weren’t they living in Separate Continents and Paul was busy developing Wings into a mega-star band? The real question is how often did Paul see George, and Ringo? how often did John see George and Ringo? How often did…?
It seems from 1974 to 1980 there was very little interaction between Paul, John, and George. The more you read, the more you realize their friendship was based on the Band, except for George and Ringo. Paul wanted the old days when he and John were musical best buds.
We all want to believe that they loved each other until the end. They loved what they shared from 1958 to 1969 possibly. George seems to have hated the Beatles Fame thing/stalking/actual attacks by fans.
George I believe last saw John in 1978. Not sure when during the year but he was in NYC and John supposedly was playing Indian music. Which George found unusual since John wasn’t the biggest fan of it as George remembered. John also cooked dinner for him.