Here’s Why John Lennon ‘Went Ballistic’ On Paul McCartney Over ‘The White Album’

The relationship between the Beatles’ band members was already strained when they released The White Album. The ‘60s release only worsened the situation as John Lennon and Paul McCartney got into a brawl over the project.

The album, recorded by Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, featured 30 songs in all. However, as the recording progressed, John and Paul could hardly agree on most of the tracks— especially “Revolution” by Lennon and “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” by McCartney.

What did Lennon think about the song?

According to Geoff Emerick of Abbey Road Studios, McCartney wanted “a Jamaican reggae feel, and he wasn’t satisfied that the band had nailed it.” Lennon, on the other hand, “openly and vocally detested” his partner’s song and called it “more of Paul’s granny music.”

“John went ballistic. Ranting and raving, he headed out the door, with Yoko trailing closely behind, and we thought that we’d seen the last of him that evening,” Emerick recalled.

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Lennon stormed out, and the recording continued with the other three. However, he returned under the influence of marijuana and took to the piano, playing faster and louder than usual. “Unsteadily, he lurched down the stairs and over to the piano and began smashing the keys with all his might, pounding out the famous opening chords that became the song’s introduction, played at breakneck tempo,” Emerick added.

The rest of the group later agreed with Lennon.

After Lennon played his version of “Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da’s” opening, McCartney agreed with him and they all worked together. “Okay, then, John. Let’s do it your way,” McCartney said at the time. However, McCartney’s version of the disagreement that took place in the studio was slightly different.

In his book— Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, McCartney stated that “John was late for the session, but when he arrived, he bounced in, apologizing, in a very good mood he sat down at the piano and instantly played the blue-beat-style intro. We were very pleased with his fresh attitude.”

From the former Beatles’ bassist’s tale, it was less of a fight and ended in an amicable agreement between the musicians. “It turned us on and turned the whole song around. He and I worked hard on the vocals, and I remember the two of us in the studio having a whale of a time,” McCartney recalled.

The album became a success, selling over 14 million copies, and ranked number three in sales by Far Out Magazine, coming after Abbey Road at two and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.