The iconic Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership has been revived, but this time, it’s the sons of The Beatles who are involved. James McCartney, Paul McCartney’s son, has collaborated with Sean Ono Lennon on a track called ‘Primrose Hill’. The song, an acoustic ballad, features a mellow backbeat and thoughtful guitar solos.
James McCartney took to Instagram to share the backstory of the emotional tune, explaining that it was born from a childhood vision in Scotland. He saw his true love and saviour in his mind’s eye on a beautiful summer’s day, and ‘Primrose Hill’ is about his search for this person. Paul McCartney, his father, extended his support for the song on social media, showering Ono Lennon with “lots of love”.
James McCartney, who was born in 1977 to Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, has been an active musician, with two solo albums to his credit, released in 2013 and 2016. Expressing his excitement about his ongoing journey in music, James said that he is “really getting the ball rolling”. Earlier this year, he released a solo single titled ‘Beautiful’, and ‘Primrose Hill’ is the latest addition to his repertoire. James has previously collaborated with his father on songs and has been a part of albums like the highly praised ‘Flaming Pie’ from 1997.
During a 2013 interview with the Daily Mail, James spoke about the pressure of measuring up to The Beatles’ legacy, recalling how even his father faced difficulties with it. Despite the challenges, he is committed to making his own mark in music, starting from scratch under an alias to quietly create his own body of work and earn a living.
Ono Lennon, following his initial musical pursuits on his mother Yoko Ono’s albums, embarked on his solo musical journey. He teamed up with the alternative rock group Cibo Matto, which later provided support for his début album ‘Into the Sun’ in 1998, along with Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr. Lennon’s musical collaborations ranged from Albert Hammond Jnr and Soulfly, to Mark Ronson and Jurassic 5. In addition to his solo albums, Lennon established himself in the film scoring industry.
The Beatles continue to make waves. After the release of what was promoted as the last new song from The Beatles, ‘Now & Then’ – which achieved number one status in the UK charts in November – and the three-part documentary ‘Get Back’, directed by Peter Jackson, in May, a re-release of the 1970 film ‘Let It Be’ is expected on Disney+. Directed by Michael Lindsay Hogg, ‘Let It Be’ unveils the production of the album of the same title, and excess footage from its making was used in Jackson’s documentary series.
[Review: The Beatles: Now and Then – A poignant, fabulous, nearly miraculous goodbye]
“I am over the moon that . . . ‘Let It Be’ is finally set for re-release after its long sine die, and restoration,” said Jackson in a public statement. He further added, “It’s long been my feeling that ‘Let It Be’ is a missing piece required to fully understand the ‘Get Back’ narrative.”
On another note, a unique McCartney memento is on sale. The open-top double-decker bus, used by McCartney and his band Wings for their 1972 European tour, is available for fans. Reflecting on the comfortable open-top, two-storey bus design, McCartney commented that it seemed pointless to be boxed up while touring beautiful places like Southern France during the summer. The bus offered them the freedom to relax and soak in the sun, and was equipped with mattresses for leisurely rides. This refurbished ‘Yellow Submarine’-themed vehicle, now operational, is predicted to fetch as much as £200,000 (€234,000) at an auction scheduled for April 22nd. – Guardian