Get Back To Where You Once Belonged: Sir Paul McCartney set to regain rights to Beatles back catalogue

PUBLISHED: 03:54 EST, 15 August 2013 | UPDATED: 06:20 EST, 15 August 2013

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Sir Paul McCartney is set to win back the rights to The Beatles songs.

The veteran rocker, 71, lost ownership of the publishing rights to the songs he co-wrote with late bandmate John Lennon.

Sir Paul was furious when his former friend Michael Jackson outbid him to buy the Associated Television Corporation (ATV)'s back catalogue, which includes The Beatles' tracks, in 1985.

Getting back what's rightfully his: Sir Paul McCartney, pictured in San Francisco on August 9, is set to win back The Beatles back catalogue

The King Of Pop paid a reported $47.5million for between 160 and 260 Beatles classics, including Yesterday and Let It Be.

However, the 1976 US Copyright Act means Sir Paul will now be able the claim back the titles once more in five years, according to The Sun.

A source told the paper: 'Paul's been fuming for decades. It's as much personal as business. Now he'll get back what's rightfully his.'

The Act means songs written prior to 1978 turn into the property of the songwriter after 56 years.

Payday: Sir Paul will be able to receive royalties from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road albums

Sir Paul and Michael, who recorded several songs together in the '80s, including The Girl Is Mine, famously fell out over the purchase.

No doubt Sir Paul, who has a reported £680 million fortune already, will be looking forward to receiving royalties and licensing money for tracks he wrote in the '60s and 1970.

Years ago, he complained at having to pay Michael royalties every time he wanted to perform a Beatles song: 'The annoying thing is I have to pay to play some of my own songs. Each time I want to sing Hey Jude I have to pay.'

While it is unknown how much the back catalogue would be worth nowadays, in 2005, Sony paid Michael $95million for 50 per cent of the rights.

Feud: Sir Paul, pictured in 1983 with late wife Linda, famously fell out with Michael Jackson over the purchase of the rights

When Jackson died in 2009, Sir Paul denied reports he was 'devastated' not to have been left the rights by the tragic singer in his will.

He said at the time: 'The report is that I am devastated to find that he didn't leave the songs to me. This is completely untrue. I had not thought for one minute that the original report [about the will] was true, and therefore the report that I'm devastated is also totally false.'

In an interview after Michael's death, Sir Paul admitted his resentment against the singer had faded somewhat: 'I got off that years ago. It was something for a while I was very keen on and you can see why, naturally... [but these] sort of things can eat you up.

'I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.'

Talent: Sir Paul and Ringo Star with their late bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison in 1967

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The only reason he didn't get the rights in the first place was that he was too mean to outbid Michael Jackson!

- Penny , London, United Kingdom, 15/8/2013 11:51

Click to rate Rating 15

Thank GOD, Ive been waiting for this day to come since I was 15 years old. Now my life is complete and I can die in peace........ (Who cares)........

- Juanka , New York, US, 15/8/2013 11:48

Click to rate Rating 8

I think what Mr McCartney has managed to prove beyond any reasonable doubt is that more often than not a good band is far greater than the sum of its parts. Something the brothers Gallagher are now discovering !!

- Harbog the Mighty , Warmerthanlondon, 15/8/2013 11:45

Click to rate Rating 27

I'm glad for Paul that his songs will eventually come back to the composer but hey that's the music business for you. He should have bought them when they came up for sale but Yoko was holding out for a better deal and Jackson snatched them from under their noses.....just like Denny Laine selling Paul his Wings material, he must still be kicking himself over that.

- rorry , Manchester, 15/8/2013 11:44

Click to rate Rating 25

his solo catalogue is so bland,aural cuppasoup.....

- chinwig , london, United Kingdom, 15/8/2013 11:41

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Good..he deserves his songs. Michael was a real sneak to buy them in the first place, after working with Paul and living in their home with the Mac family. Happy for Paul.

- Frankie S. , Ephrata, 15/8/2013 11:39

Click to rate Rating 11

chasdavy, is that a sarky comment, i'm sure you would be happy if you had created something and someone else was getting millions a year for years for it, the beatle were and are massive and it's a news worthy story

- james , plymouth, 15/8/2013 11:38

Click to rate Rating 15

I can imagine he was not very happy when he lost the rights to his OWN work and subsequently had to pay every time he wanted to sing one of his own songs!! Let's hope he will get the rights to ALL of his songs, not just some that happen to be old enough!

- Sandra , Netherlands, Netherlands, 15/8/2013 11:37

Click to rate Rating 17

Great news, now I hope he burns them, and stop's putting us all through this drivel!

- ratty Harrow , Harrow, United Kingdom, 15/8/2013 11:37

Click to rate Rating 22

"A source told the paper" -- meaning someone who doesn't actually know anything specific but who said what the newspapers wanted him to say.

- FivebyFive50 , Hereabouts, United States, 15/8/2013 11:35

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