'If John loved her, there's got to be something': Paul McCartney ends long-standing battle with Beatles bandmate John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono

By Erin Maxwell

PUBLISHED: 13:27 EST, 23 October 2013 | UPDATED: 13:27 EST, 23 October 2013

Time heals all wounds, as is the case with Sir Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono, as the long-standing feud between the former Beatle and John Lennon's widow has come to an end.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the 71-year-old legendary musician talked frankly about Ono, whom McCartney has shared bad blood for several decades. 

'She's bada**,' admitted McCartney.

'Time, the great healer,' noted the musician as to what repaired the rift. 'I thought, 'If John loved her, there's got to be something. He's not stupid.''

Forgive and forget: Sir Paul McCartney told Rolling Stone magazine that 'Time, the great healer' has helped him forgive John Lennon widow Yoko Ono

Forgive and forget: Sir Paul McCartney told Rolling Stone magazine that 'Time, the great healer' has helped him forgive John Lennon widow Yoko Ono

Fighting the good fight? McCartney and Ono, seen here in October 2011, have been involved in a bitter battle with each other over the last few decades

Fighting the good fight? McCartney and Ono, seen here in October 2011, have been involved in  a bitter battle with each other over the last few decades

In the interview, McCartney also credited the late Beatles guitarist George Harrison, who died in 2001, with helping the Wings frontman let go of his anger.

 

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'George would say to me, 'You don't want stuff like that hanging around in your life,' McCartney said.

McCartney and Ono have been at odds with each other for years, mostly over songwriting credits for Beatles tunes. The battle spilled over into the media, where the two would make pointed remarks at each other.

To forgive is divine: 'I thought, 'If John loved her, there's got to be something. He's not stupid,' said McCartney of Ono

To forgive is divine: 'I thought, 'If John loved her, there's got to be something. He's not stupid,' said McCartney of Ono

According to McCartney, the Lennon widow had reneged on an agreement to let his songs be credited as McCartney/Lennon rather than Lennon/McCartney.

The two began building bridges in 2012 when McCartney told David Frost in a televised interview that he didn't blame the Japanese performance artist for the 1970 break-up of the Beatles, a belief held by many Beatles fans.

'She certainly didn't break the group up, the group was breaking up,' said Sir Paul in the TV  interview.

Music muse: McCartney now credit Ono for helping John Lennon discover a new side to his music

Music muse: McCartney now credit Ono for helping John Lennon discover a new side to his music

Also in the interview, he credited Ono with helping John Lennon find a new creative side, which included writing the song Imagine.

'I don't think he could have done that without Yoko, so I don't think you can blame her for anything. When Yoko came along, part of her attraction was her avant garde side, her view of things, so she showed him another way to be, which was very attractive to him.'

'I was very, very thankful,' said the 80-year-old Ono in an interview with The Times on Tuesday.  'I mean, I was shocked. I thought, 'Now you are saying it? Now, after 40 years?' But it was very good. In the atmosphere that the world created for us, it was not easy for him to say something like that.'

The full interview will be available in the upcoming Nov. 7 issue of Rolling Stone magazine.






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O - NO ! Yoko did not care a jot for Lennon's first born son Julian who was largely forgotten by them both and had to fight tooth and nail for his rightful share if his father's fortune. Julian is the living image of his father - far moreso than the son he had with Yoko. And she knows it. Never liked her - I think she bewitched Lennon and was the undoing of him.

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I saw him play in Liverpool 4 or 5 years ago and at the end he did a John Lennon song and she came on stage and they looked like old chums. So it can't be that much news...

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The biggest heartache for Paul was losing John to Yoko....not breaking up The Beatles. He loved that guy. He's never got over it.

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McCartney/Lennon or Lennon/McCartney. What the hell difference does it make. Paul, don't be so bloody small minded, you still got your royalties from them didn't you?

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He may have loved her but he shouldn't have let her sing.

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A very creepy man

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Because he is the wrong side of 70yrs old, he is getting sentimental in his old age and maybe he now realises life is too short for feuds and the like. Better late than never, I am sure John would approve. x

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He got over it years ago... it's only the Media who keep raking it up.

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Pure jealousy - Yoko Ono always had more brains than McCartney could hope for.

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Urgh can't stand the phoney man. You'll struggle to find a scouser who can!

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