The “very moving” 1980 John Lennon song Paul McCartney couldn’t live without
Paul McCartney chose John Lennon’s 1980 song ‘Beautiful Boy’ as one of the eight records he could not live without on Desert Island Discs in 1982, shortly after Lennon’s murder. The choice reflected both McCartney’s enduring grief for his former Beatles partner and the comfort he found in Lennon’s music.
McCartney described the song, from Lennon’s Double Fantasy album, as “beautiful” and very moving, using it to represent Lennon rather than selecting Beatles or solo McCartney material. Written for Lennon’s son Sean, ‘Beautiful Boy’ expresses Lennon’s pride and affection as a father, revealing a tender side of the singer.
- McCartney selected Lennon’s ‘Beautiful Boy’ in 1982.
- The song helped him process Lennon’s death.
- Lennon wrote it as an affectionate tribute to Sean.