by Kevin Burton
How would music history be different, had an invitation sent in 1972 been received favorably?
The acrimony surrounding the Beatles’ breakup was not as fevered as Beatlemania itself – nothing else in music has ever been – but it was white hot.
But some two years after the split, John Lennon reached out to Paul McCartney with an idea that could have led to healing, according to Rip Rense, writing on bestclassicbands.com.
“John Lennon sent an olive branch to Paul McCartney in a 1972 telegram proposing that they ‘forget the past’ and that McCartney’s new band, Wings, join Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band and the Rolling Stones in a proposed charity concert at Madison Square Garden,” Rense wrote.
“This is the only known instance of Lennon proposing a rapprochement with his former songwriting partner and bandmate. The discovery rewrites Beatles history; it is a ‘game-changer,’ as one renowned Beatles author/historian told this writer, off the record.”
“The telegram surfaced recently as part of the 2024 John Lennon Mind Games album (1973) boxed set,” Rense wrote. “It is dated Feb. 7, 1972, when the two ex-Beatles were still on strained terms after the break-up of the group in 1970, and their infamous pot shots at one other on the 1971 albums, Lennon’s Imagine and McCartney’s Wild Life and Ram.”
“It is not known if McCartney received the telegram, or if he did, whether he responded,” Rense wrote.
That charity concert, had it been held, would have been beyond huge. But reading Rense’s article sent my thought to what could have happened later, some sort of Beatles collaboration, or that Beatles reunion that fans dreamed of until Lennon’s death in 1980.
Based on what I have learned about the groundswell 70s disco movement, I’m not sure even a Beatles reunion could have squashed it completely. But it could have at least kept disco from completely taking over American culture.
That in turn could have softened the backlash against disco and let everyone enjoy their own kind of music, giving musical peace a chance.
Then there’s the music we could have had. Imagine a Beatles song about Watergate.
For the record I am a McCartney guy in the great John-or-Paul debate. But this telegram softens my heart toward John and makes me yearn for the music we never got.
Then again, this charity concert and their interaction could have reminded Lennon and McCartney more of the bad times than the good times, reopening wound and closing off discussions for good.
Of course, we’ll never know.
“The peace overture seems to have been prompted, at least in part, by Lennon’s admiration for McCartney’s new protest song, ‘Give Ireland Back to the Irish’—the debut single from Wings—inspired by the massacre of 26 unarmed civil rights protestors by British soldiers on Jan. 30, 1972, the so-called ‘Bloody Sunday’ incident,” Rense writes.
“The issue was important to Lennon, who had already written and publicly performed his yet-unreleased song, “The Luck of the Irish,” which would be included on his June 1972 album, Sometime In New York City (along with his own commentary about the Jan. 30 massacre, “Sunday, Bloody Sunday”).
“The “give peace a chance” invitation to Paul also likely sprang from McCartney’s efforts in late 1971 to re-establish his friendship with Lennon (something that would finally reach fruition in 1974 during Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’ in Los Angeles). McCartney is known to have met with his old partner in New York City during January 1972, in an effort to sort out business and personal matters. In a Jan. 29 discussion, the two reportedly agreed to end their public insults.
“The telegram is on Apple Memorandum stationery, addressed to ‘Paul McCartney and Linda’ from “J. & Y.” (John and Yoko), and reads as follows:
“Right on brother and sister!’ Now what do we do with “The Luck of the Irish” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday””!? Would you do a Madison Square Garden with Wings, Plastic Ono, and Stones?! We’ve already talked to Mick!(blacked out). Also, in three weeks actually go to Ireland (again Possibly Stones!) let’s forget our past and save some people! Good luck anyway, xxxxx we’re proud of you.
Love,
Sonny and Cher O’Lennon
“The Madison Square Garden concert’s purpose is undisclosed—aside from “save some people”—but given the context, and Lennon’s daring idea that the concert move to Ireland later, it is safe to assume that it involved outright support for groups opposing British occupation,” Rense wrote.
The last two Sundays I have posted articles on forgiveness by my former pastor Dane Massey. Today’s post reminds me that opportunities to forgive and reconcile are perhaps fewer than we think. Lennon lived only eight years beyond the time he wrote the telegram.
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