Lennon and Mccartney’s sons come together
Children of Beatles share writing duties on newly released ballad inspired by London’s Primrose Hill
‘With the release of this song, it feels like we’re really getting the ball rolling’
IT’S Lennon and Mccartney, but not as we know it. The sons of John and Sir Paul have come together to create a new song called Primrose Hill.
James Mccartney, 46, and Sean Ono Lennon, 48, shared songwriting duties on the ballad, which is an ode to the north London viewing spot close to Sir Paul’s London home.
It is the latest single from the younger Mccartney, who is releasing music this year for the first time since 2016.
However, in a break with their fathers’ musical crediting convention, the song is attributed to Mccartney-lennon. Apart from three early records, all Beatles credits read Lennon-mccartney or John Lennon-paul Mccartney.
“I am so very excited to share my latest song co-written by my good friend Sean Ono Lennon. With the release of this song, it feels like we’re really getting the ball rolling and I am so excited to continue to share music with you,” Mccartney wrote on Instagram.
Explaining his inspiration for the song, Mccartney said: “I had a vision as a child in Scotland, on what was a lovely summer’s day.
“Letting go, I saw my true love and saviour in my mind’s eye. Primrose Hill is about getting the ball rolling with me and finding this person.”
The song begins with the lyrics: “We laid on Primrose Hill, didn’t know it still.”
He also shared a short video of himself playing the piano and singing Primrose Hill, filmed by his sister, Mary. The official video will be made up of submissions from the public. Mccartney invited couples to send in videos from their favourite romantic locations across the world.
In a Q&A with followers, Mccartney said he tested songs before release by playing them “to my nearest and dearest first, which obviously includes my dad!”
Sir Paul lent his support by sharing the track on his social media channels, adding: “Lots of love to Sean Ono Lennon who co-wrote the song.”
Sir Paul and John wrote more than 150 Beatles songs together and became the most successful songwriting partnership in music history.
Their relationship descended into acrimony around the break-up of the band but they were reconciled before Lennon’s death in 1980.
James Mccartney has pursued a music career since his 20s, releasing albums in 2013 and 2016, but has mostly stayed out of the spotlight and maintained a lower profile than his fashion designer sister Stella. He has contributed to solo albums by his father, including the 1997 record Flaming Pie.
His most recent social media post, uploaded on Wednesday, is a tribute to his mother, Linda, who died in 1998.
“Mum was beautiful, lovely, peaceful, joyous and so sweet. I wish I could see her. And how do I? By being the best version I can be of myself. Where are you? Heaven? I’m with you. Xxx,” he wrote.
Sir Paul and Linda were determined to give their children as normal an upbringing as possible, and James attended his local state secondary school in Rye, East Sussex, before a stint working as a waiter in Brighton.
Lennon was educated at private schools in New York and Switzerland but also tried to maintain his privacy, telling The Telegraph in 2010 that attending a Swiss boarding school was “a great way to be anonymous”. He was five when his father was murdered.
Ono Lennon made his music debut on Ono’s 1981 album Season of Glass and has released four solo albums.