This song came out in 1971 on the Wild Life lp so your assetion that Paul wrote it in 1973 is totally false and the rest of your story is suspect as well.
Oh wow...did you know that the song’s tape allegedly had scribbled on it “For Paul”? You may have just uncovered the subtle messaging that artists often use to one another! Very moving.
I feel so badly for him, because as Linda once pointed out he never got to say goodbye to John, much the same as when his mother died. I think it's so very sad that he lost three people he loved so dearly. :(
I don't feel sorry for people who write songs about "Freedom" to capitalize on 9/11. McCartney needs to fuck off, he hasn't wrote a good song in decades.
*Sniff* You're putrid, John. I can smell the lonely and bitterness on you. It's amusing when bottom dwellers such as yourself are so totally unimpressed by, and irreverent and ungrateful toward one of the most accomplished artists of all time. Maybe *you* need to fuck off. Come back when you've made anything worth of one of Mccartney's shits, let alone his worst songs. ;)
Best composers of all time is a bit of a stretch lol. Maybe the best rock song writers of all time though. Composers generally compose symphonies not 3 minute jingles lol
Paul's voice in this recording is like a child, vulnerable and telling.. he had to write this and show us his heart, which he often has.. a great song of longing.
+Kevin Contreras John was a great lyricist but Paul was a tremendous talents when it came to composing or playing instruments. Not to say John couldn't play but he wasn't the great instrumentalist.
The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. These guys were NEVER indifferent towards each other. The fact that they were often fractious proves that there were always deep feelings there (after the break-up the feelings were of hurt disguised as anger). But overall, love each other, they did. I detest that animal that murdered Lennon not because of what we, the public lost (musically), but because of the friend/brother that Paul was robbed of.
This song is so haunting, so beautiful, it makes me tear up and cry. Paul pores his love out to his friend John, who has bitterly ripped him to shreds with How Do You Sleep? Instead to retaliating with a harsh blowback, sings this beautiful love song that I imagine had to melt John's anger and remind him of their deep loving bond. Nerk Twins remember? We are part of each other like brothers. Like soulmates. It makes me cry for the What Might Have Beens if only that fateful day had been so different.
This song was recorded before How Do You Sleep was released. So how could there be any "retaliation"? Ram, however, with many digs at Lennon, was released before Imagine and How Do You Sleep. Lennon, in fact, included a photo parodying Paul's album cover for Ram, as well as digging at him with "Crippled Inside". It really isn't a "who started this" thing... it was mutual. At times, each of them felt the loss of their best friend... at times, they were warring with each other. That's life. You've got it wrong here.
Of course, John's ripping Paul apart in 'How Do You Sleep?' was a response to McCartney making the first rip on Lennon in his song, 'Too Many People.' The Beatles parting ways and Paul and John's friendship crumbling was sad. It was a hard-to-watch, embittered end to a very special, soul-level friendship and made worse by their pride, fame and a whole lot of money at stake, yes. But let's be fair and not cannonize McCartney over Lennon. McCartney played his part in their little tragedy too and again, fired the first volley in their lyrical wars, even if he did finally follow up with more bittersweet stuff about John after his untimely death, like 'Here Today.'
" Dear Friend" by Paul McCartney in answer to John's criticism of Paul. They sent a series of songs back and fourth to each other when The Beatles broke-up, like a broken marriage at the time.
At the end of God you hear John sing "And so Dear Friends you'll just have to Carry On, the Dream is Over." I believe this was the inspiration for this Paul song.
@@jrsindone Yeah, sure, and he is that too. I'm just saying from the vibes of his music and personality, especially from back in the day before he started with that.
I cried when I listened this song. Full of emotions, two friends who never will separate. Spectacular Paul who didn't continue to fight, but spoke to John wearing his heart on his sleeve. This is the perfect example of two friends. Friends, before than Beatles. Moving song.
"I'm in love with a friend of mine" - I think he was talking about John and reflecting on their lives together as Beatles - Paul seems to be grieving and sad and is expressing his true feelings towards 'his brother' - the Beatles were a family and the breakup was hard but it was time to move on.....
very nice. it took linda to pull him out of a long depression after the beatles. he would have to put up with john screaming over the phone at him about money. sad it came to that but what amazing music they managed to salvage between them
Why do you think he was talking about Linda? She was not young! She was older than him and he was a mature man at that time. And they were not newly wed when he composed that song. They had married about two years ago! I don't know the meaning of this phrase, but I can't be about Linda. She also was not a friend of his. She was his wife! Besides, there is no sense to, all of sudden, in a song for John, to say he was in love with wife, as if he didn't know about it!
YOUNG AND NEWLY WED.. Paul is reflecting on both of their marriages. Before they both found their soulmates they were in a "marriage " and it was a painful seperation and divorce. Paul was forgiving the how do you sleep knowing pain or fear is what made John lash out...Are you afraid?? ..they had a unique love shared between 2 men that was stronger than a brother love and closer to a partner. Never observed a relationship like it before or since. 2 great men different yet the same.
Okay; I'm officially adding this to my personal list of songs that bring me to tears every time I hear it. Paul and John are gifted in being able to make you feel the emotion they personally have, that they're singing about. I fell in love with The Beatles in 1986, when I was 15, after watching "The Compleat (mispelling was intentional) Beatles" documentary. And I find as time goes on, I fall deeper in love with this magical group and the four special people who were in it.
It's beautiful, but I got to tell you, the one line that plays in my mind more than any other in this song is "I'm in love with a friend of mine." Just hauntingly beautiful, is what it is.
Of all the many beautiful songs Paul has written, this one, is one of the most beautiful, I have ever heard. I can listen to it again and again and never seem to tire of it. It's words are simple, repetitive, driving home it's meaning. It's music fills up my senses, lingering in my memory after the song is over. It's power makes me FEEL Paul's love for John, which in turn, makes me feel less harsh toward, and judgemental of John, who's mean treatment of Cynthia, Julian, and Paul, among others, was so despicable at times, it almost defied forgiveness. But they were able to forgive and love him anyway, which means they knew, seen, experienced a side of John that helped them get beyond his many, oh so human flaws, that he'd inspire Paul, to write a song such as this So I, who have never met the man, I too am able to simply enjoy that this beautiful ballad, was written to, for John by my Beatle favoritie Paul, who was so generous to share it with the rest of us. McCartney's genius talent is truely a gift from God. Thank you Sir Paul for this gem.
+Charlotte Bowen Nice way of saying it. You can read about all kinds of bad stuff John did, but if you can see that his loved ones knew a side of him that no media ever represented, if you can FEEL the love that his friends had for him, you will think of him the same way as Paul does now- with nothing but admiration, empathy, respect, and love for John. I love it when Paul is doing interviews nowadays and he's asked about John: in everything he's always sticking up for him, has nothing bad to say about his Dear Friend.
Yes, beautiful but it's about LINDA. It is in direct response to "How do you Sleep" by Lennon - "a pretty face may last a year or two, but pretty soon you better see what you can do". A very scathing song, Paul just defended himself and Linda.
Debra Kadabra "a pretty face" John was referring to Paul's good looks. In this song, Paul didn't want to escalate the war between them (that Yoko was egging John on with) but bring John back to what had been real between them as friends for the last 15 years throughout their teen years and adult lives. This song is about Paul's love for his FRIEND John.
Melancholy by Paul as only he can do; very well done and very much directed at John. Tempo changes are a Paul trademark and they are present here in spades.
Alfredo Di Stéfano Laulhé unless of course you consider songs things that are sung. In which case Mozart wasn’t even the best songwriter of the 18th century...
45 people didn't like this song?! How can you listen to this song and not feel the pain? McCartney is a musical genius and I feel lucky to have grown up in the 60s! Even now when I hear so many of his songs I am amazed!!
It's funny how people (including myself) continue to try to split the Lennon/McCartney atom that was the nucleus of the world's greatest rock band. They were both obsessed with each other and the depths of their mutual admiration is complex and mind boggling. They were both the greatest. Case closed.
This song surely was Paul's way of expelling the deep pain inside his heart and what a beautiful he gave to us. The mournful lyrics and his sad, sad voice breaks your heart. We love him and miss him too. Love you Paul . Rest in peace John and George . Thanks for the music we will always have with us.
Yes it is, and she's looming around John's shoulder trying to split The Beatles by influencing him, the picture makes it painfully obvious. She knew the pecking order.
Two scruffy nobodies who risked everything to make it and had only each other to trust. No one can possibly fathom how deep their love was. It was a mental thing where they both saw something in music that no one else could see, not even George. What they saw in music was pure happiness and they shared it with the world.
The trouble is that sometimes you don't get to say goodbye to someone you love but at the same time you've distanced him or her. The saddest thing is that you never get the opportunity to say what is in your heart. Really sad. I think that for all the issues there were between John & Paul, he was denied that opportunity to make up.
Dear friend, what's the time? Is this really the borderline? Does it really mean so much to you? Are you afraid, or is it true? Dear friend, throw the wine, I'm in love with a friend of mine. Really truly, young and newly wed. Are you a fool, or is it true? Are you afraid, or is it true?
This song was written when John wed Yoko. That's the reference to young and newly wed. Paul also had just married Linda. Their relationship was changing because they were no longer John and Paul. They both had women in their lives. You can hear the pain I think one of Paul's most honest song. To his 1st love John. John's song How do you sleep was equally as painful and showed how John was dealing with out Paul in his life. It was raw and angry. He chose to be angry instead of really feeling the pain .
@@Rollimggiant No, Yiga. At least Paul said he wrote this song after listening to "How do You Sleep" in 71. And they got married in 1969. The reference to newly wed could be only he though they were still newly wed even that two years had passed. But maybe you have information that I don't, so please tell us where did you read this song was not answering How do you Sleep. After got married they got togther for The Ballad of John and Yoko and for Abbey Road. No reason for a song like Dear Friend at that time.
@@dabreu Dear Friend was written before How Do You Sleep was released. Paul wrote it after John was talking trash in the media and Paul decided to write this instead of sending shots back.
It's actually pretty amazing. Both of them couldn't be more different and yet, they produced some of the most beautiful songs ever written and musical ideas.
Apparently this song was actually written during John's lifetime T.T It was written by Paul as a kind attempt to reconcile with John, after John had written "How do you sleep" (supposedly a scathing song about Paul). When John died, this song definitely took on an absolutely heart-breaking, mournful quality. ;n; RIP John...
+Maren Denison: I think you will find that 'Dear Friend' by McCartney is not a song telling John that he is missed. It is more an attack upon Lennon about the Beatles business arguments at the time. McCartney also wrote 'two people' on the Ram album as an attack at Lennon as well; if you look at the back cover of the McCartney album (his first) you will see two Beetles one on top of another - it is McCartney's reference to how he thought John was f****ng him over regarding the Beatles break-up. 'How do you sleep at night' was Lennon's reply through a song.
If you read the lyrics (e.g. "are you a fool") you can see that McCartney was having a sly gig at John. Also one of John's last interviews (playboy) he criticises Paul. The anger about their business dealings lasted till the end.
+Randi Brooks "But Paul really instigated the fighting and John's song How Do You Sleep by putting digs at John and Yoko on his early 1971 Ram album." No Paul did not instigate the fighting, John was the first to instigate by trashing Paul in to the music and mainstream press in one interview after another. Paul only answered back in song with a very mild jab at John, who went beserk with over reaction. To Danny Vine_ John ran hot and cold. He and Paul made up years before his death, but when he was with Yoko, he was required to make digs at Paul to placate Yoko to make her feel better and more secure, however if you listen carefully to (Just Like)Starting Over, you'd realize that the song was John's musical coded appeal to Paul to reunite their partnership. It's all in the lyrics.
Paul instigated John's ill will by suing him and the other Beatles which lead to the press reporting the business dealings and arguments within the Beatles that John wanted to keep quiet. It is no surprise that the Beatles business partnership was not desolated until a long time after John's death. Starting over was about Yoko and not Paul!
+Maren Denison I'm glad they were friends in the end. I actually read some of the interview on "How do you sleep?" Apparently John didn't take it nearly as seriously as we are. They were just taking digs at eachother. Even Paul said even when he was laying into me, after it all he said, "I love you, man." I think a lot of John's issues stemmed from being abandoned by his parents.. I feel in some ways Paul filled that void... Paul would do anything for John because he loved him like family.... I question how many times they fought it was just about John's past... He had the ability to be dark and brutal.... Yet Paul never took it seriously.... There is not a chance in hell I could have taken that kind of abuse.... but when you really love someone it's amazing how you realize you can't be without them.
This beautiful painful ballad shows more love and pain than Here Today. Shows the pain and seperation and John was here on earth to hear it. You can feel the dagger in his soul
Yet another gem from Paul's bottomless well of great songs--and one that few people have ever heard. He is truly the finest song writer of our time who kept producing at a very high level long after the Beatles came to an end John was arguably his equal as a song writer, but tragically, his life was cut short. Dylan? Wrote some genuine classics, but his overall body of work is not in the same league, IMO.
Well, Dylan's musicianship (including his singing) is DEFINITELY not in the same league. I remember one reviewer who said--maybe not verbatim--"Paul could probably play a Bach toccata on a tugboat whistle." 😄
+Maren Denison the irony is it was so much the opposite... I feel as Paul brought some warmth into John's life. He was so wild, and often times cruel in his younger days.. Yet Paul always said, "He didn't mean it." He loved him so much and had patience with him in such a larger than life capacity.
Spot on. And the only one that you don't hear one word of criticism of the others, is Paul. The other 3 were always making slightly bitchy comments about Paul. Never him about them - other than sharing his heart ache. l love the man to bits - one of God's best creations.
@@allymayful Honestly, he rarely if ever bitches about the other Beatles at all, at least not publicly. He supports Ringo every chance he gets and was a driving force for getting him into the Hall of Fame as a solo artist. Paul plugged George’s “Cloud Nine” album in an interview in the 80’s and was real with Howard Stern and said he loves George like a little brother. He doesn’t ever publicly hate on his golddigger ex Heather Mills. I’ve always thought Paul was super classy.
I've been reading the comments of people trying to decipher the lyrics. "Dear friend" - John. "What's the time?" - It goes by so fast... "Is this really the borderline?" Is our time already up? Beatles breakup. John finding another relationship that Paul felt was overpowering theirs. With all of their time together, it shows how little anyone knew that they had been drifting for a while now. As for the second verse, he's surprised at how fast John and Yoko's relationship was going, along with how fast theirs was ending. He was asking if John was afraid in the song because he didn't want it to be true. Just my theory! Paul of all the Beatles was the one who wanted it to stay the same. It was surprising to him, that after all these years, anything like that would ever happen.
Johns song, "how do you sleep" was supposedly written about himself and not so much about Paul for he wasn't that mad anymore. This song is so heartbreaking and it really shows how much Paul cared about his friendship with john. Very touching. The saddest line to me is, "dear friend, what's the time, is this really the borderline."
I didn't buy that when he said it and never did... It was about Paul alright.... He just felt bad about it later and was back pedaling.... The song did feature some AWESOME guitar work by George Harrison!
Rudy Wilson Not in this song... Was talking about the lead guitar part George played in "How Do You Sleep" by John Lennon. This is the song the original poster in this thread was talking about.
The sad thing is whenever you see a video or interview and he talks about John or George he looks lost and and like he wants want to shut down:(but he doesn't which is the reason I love Paul he just holds it in the people who said he didn't care about john ALWAYS PEES ME OFF it was OBVIOUS they didn't know how he REALLY felt:(and I know this song was before he died,but it was because they never really hated each other it was just HOW brother/friends sometimes are especially with George:(
Awwww... This song is just so emotional.. I mean you can hear the way Paul sings, he sounds like he is gonna cry. When you add the pics of John and Paul, just ugggh, so emotional! Good Job~ Alex
I love his emotion in this song. Paul and John loved each other. If you could`t see through Johns cruelty towards Paul you were blind. It was a complex relationship resulting in these fantastically written songs. I am happy Paul and Ringo are still here with us. John and George, I miss you guys.
+Justitchi Gaming Channel It's a lot more tasteful than much of Paul's post-Beatles solo stuff. He did some good tracks don't get me wrong, but he also did some kind of tacky work. I think Lennon was still too in love with rock n roll to have made this track though. This is something else.
Great song. Really intense emotionally. They were brothers, and they loved each other as such. That's what this song was getting at - beyond all the bickering, they would have to realize sooner or later that they were in love with each other in that way (as brothers). Love Paul and John, and love The Beatles forever.
For most artists,a song like this would be the pinnacle of their collective achievement.One has to appreciate the genius of Macca.Sometimes one gets the impression that even Paul didnt know how good he was-the most underrated musician in terms of his gigantic contribution to the genre-nobody eclipses him.
Honestly between the two "call and response songs" (How do you Sleep? and Dear Friend), I much prefer Dear Friend. It's hauntingly beautiful, sad and just better written.
I love this song. It is sort of like Paul is singing this the day John died. John said in one of this interview. "I'm not worried about Paul, he will do fine without me." Now John is gone and Paul is I don't how to put it in my own words. ✌️
"Their bond is deeper than any of us will ever know." -Linda McCartney
AGH, want to like, but I don't want to ruin the 69
RUIN THE 70 THEN !
This song came out in 1971 on the Wild Life lp so your assetion that Paul wrote it in 1973 is totally false and the rest of your story is suspect as well.
This I believe: "Their bond is deeper than any of us will ever know." -Linda McCartney
13cbrennan I think it was in Playboy,I don’t know what year though.
Paul: "Are you afraid or is it true?"
John in Now and Then: "I know it's true. It's all because of you."
Good catch
oh my
Oh wow...did you know that the song’s tape allegedly had scribbled on it “For Paul”? You may have just uncovered the subtle messaging that artists often use to one another! Very moving.
omg i wanna cry 😭
Paul and John the perfect marriage in music history.
colin keen right even though they divorced haha
But Mick and Keith never split up.
Mick and Keith re not that good either way
Except they’re both straight men
Counter-Weight Music, shhh, child,
I feel so badly for him, because as Linda once pointed out he never got to say goodbye to John, much the same as when his mother died. I think it's so very sad that he lost three people he loved so dearly. :(
I'm glad he was able to at least say goodbye to George!!!!!
I don't feel sorry for people who write songs about "Freedom" to capitalize on 9/11. McCartney needs to fuck off, he hasn't wrote a good song in decades.
*Sniff* You're putrid, John. I can smell the lonely and bitterness on you. It's amusing when bottom dwellers such as yourself are so totally unimpressed by, and irreverent and ungrateful toward one of the most accomplished artists of all time. Maybe *you* need to fuck off. Come back when you've made anything worth of one of Mccartney's shits, let alone his worst songs. ;)
No, You fuck off "John Smith" Freedom was crap but that has nothing to do with anything we are all still waiting for your fuvking contribution.
@@UltraBran WHAT AN UPTIGHT MISLED IDIOT....../ JOhn Lennon!!!!! will live on forever.... and you?????? no offense...
A song written by the best composer ever, _to_ the other greatest composer ever.
The best songwriters and musicians of contemporary culture and as far as the rest of humanity will be concerned*, rather.
you hit the nail on the head
Best composers of all time is a bit of a stretch lol. Maybe the best rock song writers of all time though. Composers generally compose symphonies not 3 minute jingles lol
@@aunch3 The Beatles sold 1.6 BILLION singles just in the USA, how many did Bach sell??
@@hankhomer8298 so did Britney Spears, what’s your point? What a stupid comment 🤦♀️
How his voice can go from Monkberry Moon Delight to this proves that even vocally, he's extraordinary.
By the time of the Beatles it was even harder ...
Monkberry Moon, now your talking. What a voice, what a song.
Oh, Darling 🎼
That’s not a news - that everything about him and his voice included is extraordinary.
It’s a sad song as it sounds today. Both Paul and John are as relevant today as 60 years ago.
"I'm in love with a friend of mine."
Ah, that sent chills down my spine.
Wow...
John and Paul were so made for each other.
They were like brothers no less no more.
Paul's voice in this recording is like a child, vulnerable and telling.. he had to write this and show us his heart, which he often has.. a great song of longing.
In 100 years the greatest ever Composer will be called Paul McCartney from Liverpool
+Graham Collinson Jajaja no, John was the better composer
Kevin Contreras No he wasnt:p Ask a person to line up their top ten Beatltes songs, and I am quite sure 8 are Paul`s:p
+Graham Collinson stop crying about it, it's a fact that John is better. He has better songs
+Kevin Contreras John was a great lyricist but Paul was a tremendous talents when it came to composing or playing instruments. Not to say John couldn't play but he wasn't the great instrumentalist.
John Lennon & Paul McCartney = World's Greatest Bromance
His voice is hauntingly beautiful in this piece.
The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. These guys were NEVER indifferent towards each other. The fact that they were often fractious proves that there were always deep feelings there (after the break-up the feelings were of hurt disguised as anger).
But overall, love each other, they did.
I detest that animal that murdered Lennon not because of what we, the public lost (musically), but because of the friend/brother that Paul was robbed of.
This song is so haunting, so beautiful, it makes me tear up and cry. Paul pores his love out to his friend John, who has bitterly ripped him to shreds with How Do You Sleep? Instead to retaliating with a harsh blowback, sings this beautiful love song that I imagine had to melt John's anger and remind him of their deep loving bond. Nerk Twins remember? We are part of each other like brothers. Like soulmates. It makes me cry for the What Might Have Beens if only that fateful day had been so different.
This song was recorded before How Do You Sleep was released. So how could there be any "retaliation"? Ram, however, with many digs at Lennon, was released before Imagine and How Do You Sleep. Lennon, in fact, included a photo parodying Paul's album cover for Ram, as well as digging at him with "Crippled Inside". It really isn't a "who started this" thing... it was mutual. At times, each of them felt the loss of their best friend... at times, they were warring with each other. That's life. You've got it wrong here.
Of course, John's ripping Paul apart in 'How Do You Sleep?' was a response to McCartney making the first rip on Lennon in his song, 'Too Many People.' The Beatles parting ways and Paul and John's friendship crumbling was sad. It was a hard-to-watch, embittered end to a very special, soul-level friendship and made worse by their pride, fame and a whole lot of money at stake, yes. But let's be fair and not cannonize McCartney over Lennon. McCartney played his part in their little tragedy too and again, fired the first volley in their lyrical wars, even if he did finally follow up with more bittersweet stuff about John after his untimely death, like 'Here Today.'
Dan Kidd 100% right. Paul started it.
Water Falls well said sir, well said, Paul is such a sweet soul.
Paul ripped him with his album"Ram" put out before John's"Imagine"
The feels are strong in this one.
Memorable photograph. They were very close friends. It was a sad day. Remembering you Mr. Lennon.
McCartney has the voice of an angel
So did John. ua-cam.com/video/7er_xx7Wmg8/v-deo.html&ab_channel=johnlennon
That's one of many things that makes The Beatles extraordinary.
Had a voice of an angel.
" Dear Friend" by Paul McCartney in answer to John's criticism of Paul. They sent a series of songs back and fourth to each other when The Beatles broke-up, like a broken marriage at the time.
+alan chrisman Had it been two women writing such songs it would have been " Why can't _women_ just get along ?" all over the boards.
At the end of God you hear John sing "And so Dear Friends you'll just have to Carry On, the Dream is Over." I believe this was the inspiration for this Paul song.
@@aerialkate not the time for feminism. kindly shut up.
@@ScarV_13 replying to a 4 yr old comment, nice
@@ScarV_13 always the time for feminism
The Beatles distilled:
Paul - Love
John - Truth
George - Spirit
Ringo - Peace
Couldn’t agree more !
I think of Ringo more as "fun."
@@mrlarvux Ringo loves the peace sign, its his logo at this point. Thats why I said it.
@@jrsindone Yeah, sure, and he is that too. I'm just saying from the vibes of his music and personality, especially from back in the day before he started with that.
wow....spot on. at least from my perspective...
There’ll never be two like this.
The greatest writing duo in music ever
without a discussion
I cried when I listened this song. Full of emotions, two friends who never will separate. Spectacular Paul who didn't continue to fight, but spoke to John wearing his heart on his sleeve. This is the perfect example of two friends. Friends, before than Beatles.
Moving song.
But remember he also wrote "Some People Never know" that is possible also to John. And John wrote back " I know ( I Know).
"I'm in love with a friend of mine" - I think he was talking about John and reflecting on their lives together as Beatles - Paul seems to be grieving and sad and is expressing his true feelings towards 'his brother' - the Beatles were a family and the breakup was hard but it was time to move on.....
great take on that
sad, tho.....i grew up to them.....my parents were insane....the Beatles raised me,....is why i still turn to them....weird?
very nice. it took linda to pull him out of a long depression after the beatles. he would have to put up with john screaming over the phone at him about money. sad it came to that but what amazing music they managed to salvage between them
Lorraine Ashby : To U , I think as n brother's sorts of way ,they loved the same woman , more then once
Why do you think he was talking about Linda? She was not young! She was older than him and he was a mature man at that time. And they were not newly wed when he composed that song. They had married about two years ago! I don't know the meaning of this phrase, but I can't be about Linda. She also was not a friend of his. She was his wife! Besides, there is no sense to, all of sudden, in a song for John, to say he was in love with wife, as if he didn't know about it!
Such a beautiful song but sad. You can hear the pain in Paul's voice. I just love Paul and he was expressing his feelings toward his "brother."
I'M IN LOVE WITH A FRIEND OF MINE.
Woah when I saw ur comment it played that verse.
+Jackylaine Calva same happened to me! :O
José Ignacio Maritano ERMAHGERD THATS UNUSUAL!
+meatlog MCLENNON
Allyson Andrews
YES, MY FRIEND
I love you Paul and John ❤️
Paul lost his mother, wife, and 2 best friends prematurely (John and George). Tragic life.
YOUNG AND NEWLY WED..
Paul is reflecting on both of their marriages. Before they both found their soulmates they were in a "marriage " and it was a painful seperation and divorce. Paul was forgiving the how do you sleep knowing pain or fear is what made John lash out...Are you afraid?? ..they had a unique love shared between 2 men that was stronger than a brother love and closer to a partner. Never observed a relationship like it before or since. 2 great men different yet the same.
Okay; I'm officially adding this to my personal list of songs that bring me to tears every time I hear it. Paul and John are gifted in being able to make you feel the emotion they personally have, that they're singing about. I fell in love with The Beatles in 1986, when I was 15, after watching "The Compleat (mispelling was intentional) Beatles" documentary. And I find as time goes on, I fall deeper in love with this magical group and the four special people who were in it.
It's beautiful, but I got to tell you, the one line that plays in my mind more than any other in this song is "I'm in love with a friend of mine." Just hauntingly beautiful, is what it is.
Youth not alone
Of all the many beautiful songs Paul has written, this one, is one of the most beautiful, I have ever heard. I can listen to it again and again and never seem to tire of it. It's words are simple, repetitive, driving home it's meaning. It's music fills up my senses, lingering in my memory after the song is over. It's power makes me FEEL Paul's love for John, which in turn, makes me feel less harsh toward, and judgemental of John, who's mean treatment of Cynthia, Julian, and Paul, among others, was so despicable at times, it almost defied forgiveness. But they were able to forgive and love him anyway, which means they knew, seen, experienced a side of John that helped them get beyond his many, oh so human flaws, that he'd inspire Paul, to write a song such as this So I, who have never met the man, I too am able to simply enjoy that this beautiful ballad, was written to, for John by my Beatle favoritie Paul, who was so generous to share it with the rest of us. McCartney's genius talent is truely a gift from God. Thank you Sir Paul for this gem.
+Charlotte Bowen Nice way of saying it. You can read about all kinds of bad stuff John did, but if you can see that his loved ones knew a side of him that no media ever represented, if you can FEEL the love that his friends had for him, you will think of him the same way as Paul does now- with nothing but admiration, empathy, respect, and love for John. I love it when Paul is doing interviews nowadays and he's asked about John: in everything he's always sticking up for him, has nothing bad to say about his Dear Friend.
I'm reading your comment while listening to this tragic song, and you have just increased my tears. Thank you.
Yes, beautiful but it's about LINDA. It is in direct response to "How do you Sleep" by Lennon - "a pretty face may last a year or two, but pretty soon you better see what you can do". A very scathing song, Paul just defended himself and Linda.
Debra Kadabra "a pretty face" John was referring to Paul's good looks. In this song, Paul didn't want to escalate the war between them (that Yoko was egging John on with) but bring John back to what had been real between them as friends for the last 15 years throughout their teen years and adult lives. This song is about Paul's love for his FRIEND John.
Charlotte Bowen, VERY well said!
They lost their mums early on found each other and rock and roll. They were simply...Fab.
Melancholy by Paul as only he can do; very well done and very much directed at John. Tempo changes are a Paul trademark and they are present here in spades.
Kind of sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. Such a personal note to a friend for the whole world to read. Paul took the high road on this song.
This wonderful song has been growing on me, more and more. Wow, Lennon and McCartney. "Dear friend, what's the time, is this really the border line ?
The Greatest song writers of All Time......
Not all time, but 20th century. All time is Mozart.
No doubt about that.
Alfredo Di Stéfano Laulhé unless of course you consider songs things that are sung. In which case Mozart wasn’t even the best songwriter of the 18th century...
@Hurricane Patrica He could write scores.
@Hurricane Patrica Is that a joke? You stop comparing, I'm not even comparing, just saying Mozart was greater, and that's true.
45 people didn't like this song?! How can you listen to this song and not feel the pain? McCartney is a musical genius and I feel lucky to have grown up in the 60s! Even now when I hear so many of his songs I am amazed!!
Maybe you're amazed!
MCCartney
Michael Shields
Hello Michael, I`m german and I grow up in the 60s too. You are totally right. I`m agree with every single word of You.
Michael Shields lets switch bods because I want to be feeling lucky to be born in the 60's.
It's funny how people (including myself) continue to try to split the Lennon/McCartney atom that was the nucleus of the world's greatest rock band. They were both obsessed with each other and the depths of their mutual admiration is complex and mind boggling. They were both the greatest. Case closed.
This song surely was Paul's way of expelling the deep pain inside his heart and what a beautiful he gave to us. The mournful lyrics and his sad, sad voice breaks your heart. We love him and miss him too. Love you Paul . Rest in peace John and George . Thanks for the music we will always have with us.
3:42 that's the best picture of Paul, John and yoko that I've yet seen.
hammer44head No picture is good featuring Yoko... she broke up the Beatles. Period.
Matt M I think you would have had to have seen the picture at 3:42 to get the joke...
+Karl Saltzman What joke?
Karl Saltzman That is Yoko, is it not?
Yes it is, and she's looming around John's shoulder trying to split The Beatles by influencing him, the picture makes it painfully obvious. She knew the pecking order.
This makes me cry to much
+Alexandra Wood their bond was so special!!!
Alexandra Wood *too
can't possibly help it :'(
все больше убеждаюсь в гениальности этих людей . слушаю и не могу сдержать слез.
Two scruffy nobodies who risked everything to make it and had only each other to trust. No one can possibly fathom how deep their love was. It was a mental thing where they both saw something in music that no one else could see, not even George. What they saw in music was pure happiness and they shared it with the world.
The trouble is that sometimes you don't get to say goodbye to someone you love but at the same time you've distanced him or her. The saddest thing is that you never get the opportunity to say what is in your heart. Really sad. I think that for all the issues there were between John & Paul, he was denied that opportunity to make up.
Paul and John - friends Forever!!!!
Greatest songwriting duo in history.
Dear friend, what's the time?
Is this really the borderline?
Does it really mean so much to you?
Are you afraid, or is it true?
Dear friend, throw the wine,
I'm in love with a friend of mine.
Really truly, young and newly wed.
Are you a fool, or is it true?
Are you afraid, or is it true?
This song was written when John wed Yoko. That's the reference to young and newly wed. Paul also had just married Linda. Their relationship was changing because they were no longer John and Paul. They both had women in their lives. You can hear the pain I think one of Paul's most honest song. To his 1st love John. John's song How do you sleep was equally as painful and showed how John was dealing with out Paul in his life. It was raw and angry. He chose to be angry instead of really feeling the pain .
@@Rollimggiant Wow, wise and clever words
@@Rollimggiant No, Yiga. At least Paul said he wrote this song after listening to "How do You Sleep" in 71. And they got married in 1969. The reference to newly wed could be only he though they were still newly wed even that two years had passed.
But maybe you have information that I don't, so please tell us where did you read this song was not answering How do you Sleep.
After got married they got togther for The Ballad of John and Yoko and for Abbey Road. No reason for a song like Dear Friend at that time.
@@dabreu Dear Friend was written before How Do You Sleep was released. Paul wrote it after John was talking trash in the media and Paul decided to write this instead of sending shots back.
It's actually pretty amazing. Both of them couldn't be more different and yet, they produced some of the most beautiful songs ever written and musical ideas.
Apparently this song was actually written during John's lifetime T.T It was written by Paul as a kind attempt to reconcile with John, after John had written "How do you sleep" (supposedly a scathing song about Paul). When John died, this song definitely took on an absolutely heart-breaking, mournful quality. ;n; RIP John...
+Maren Denison: I think you will find that 'Dear Friend' by McCartney is not a song telling John that he is missed. It is more an attack upon Lennon about the Beatles business arguments at the time. McCartney also wrote 'two people' on the Ram album as an attack at Lennon as well; if you look at the back cover of the McCartney album (his first) you will see two Beetles one on top of another - it is McCartney's reference to how he thought John was f****ng him over regarding the Beatles break-up. 'How do you sleep at night' was Lennon's reply through a song.
If you read the lyrics (e.g. "are you a fool") you can see that McCartney was having a sly gig at John. Also one of John's last interviews (playboy) he criticises Paul. The anger about their business dealings lasted till the end.
+Randi Brooks "But Paul really instigated the fighting and John's song How Do You Sleep by putting digs at John and Yoko on his early 1971 Ram album." No Paul did not instigate the fighting, John was the first to instigate by trashing Paul in to the music and mainstream press in one interview after another. Paul only answered back in song with a very mild jab at John, who went beserk with over reaction. To Danny Vine_ John ran hot and cold. He and Paul made up years before his death, but when he was with Yoko, he was required to make digs at Paul to placate Yoko to make her feel better and more secure, however if you listen carefully to (Just Like)Starting Over, you'd realize that the song was John's musical coded appeal to Paul to reunite their partnership. It's all in the lyrics.
Paul instigated John's ill will by suing him and the other Beatles which lead to the press reporting the business dealings and arguments within the Beatles that John wanted to keep quiet. It is no surprise that the Beatles business partnership was not desolated until a long time after John's death. Starting over was about Yoko and not Paul!
+Maren Denison I'm glad they were friends in the end. I actually read some of the interview on "How do you sleep?" Apparently John didn't take it nearly as seriously as we are. They were just taking digs at eachother. Even Paul said even when he was laying into me, after it all he said, "I love you, man." I think a lot of John's issues stemmed from being abandoned by his parents.. I feel in some ways Paul filled that void... Paul would do anything for John because he loved him like family.... I question how many times they fought it was just about John's past... He had the ability to be dark and brutal.... Yet Paul never took it seriously.... There is not a chance in hell I could have taken that kind of abuse.... but when you really love someone it's amazing how you realize you can't be without them.
i absolutely love Paul's voice
This song makes me cry......I am a forever....Beatles Girl.
This beautiful painful ballad shows more love and pain than Here Today. Shows the pain and seperation and John was here on earth to hear it. You can feel the dagger in his soul
Yet another gem from Paul's bottomless well of great songs--and one that few people have ever heard. He is truly the finest song writer of our time who kept producing at a very high level long after the Beatles came to an end John was arguably his equal as a song writer, but tragically, his life was cut short. Dylan? Wrote some genuine classics, but his overall body of work is not in the same league, IMO.
agree!
Well, Dylan's musicianship (including his singing) is DEFINITELY not in the same league. I remember one reviewer who said--maybe not verbatim--"Paul could probably play a Bach toccata on a tugboat whistle." 😄
2:48 I've always loved this picture. Great photography. It's almost as if John is looming over Paul, like a guardian angel or something. ;~;
+Maren Denison the irony is it was so much the opposite... I feel as Paul brought some warmth into John's life. He was so wild, and often times cruel in his younger days.. Yet Paul always said, "He didn't mean it." He loved him so much and had patience with him in such a larger than life capacity.
Spot on. And the only one that you don't hear one word of criticism of the others, is Paul. The other 3 were always making slightly bitchy comments about Paul. Never him about them - other than sharing his heart ache. l love the man to bits - one of God's best creations.
TheScaletIbisNW ಥ﹏ಥ That's so beautiful
Agree with you 100% :)
@@allymayful Honestly, he rarely if ever bitches about the other Beatles at all, at least not publicly. He supports Ringo every chance he gets and was a driving force for getting him into the Hall of Fame as a solo artist. Paul plugged George’s “Cloud Nine” album in an interview in the 80’s and was real with Howard Stern and said he loves George like a little brother. He doesn’t ever publicly hate on his golddigger ex Heather Mills. I’ve always thought Paul was super classy.
I've been reading the comments of people trying to decipher the lyrics. "Dear friend" - John. "What's the time?" - It goes by so fast... "Is this really the borderline?" Is our time already up? Beatles breakup. John finding another relationship that Paul felt was overpowering theirs. With all of their time together, it shows how little anyone knew that they had been drifting for a while now. As for the second verse, he's surprised at how fast John and Yoko's relationship was going, along with how fast theirs was ending. He was asking if John was afraid in the song because he didn't want it to be true. Just my theory!
Paul of all the Beatles was the one who wanted it to stay the same. It was surprising to him, that after all these years, anything like that would ever happen.
Debbie Smith Geez Louise,it is BREAK UP,not brake up. Does ANYONE on social media know how to bloody spell?
this song was so warm and cold at the same time--it's painful..
I'm crying for these two soulmates
Johns song, "how do you sleep" was supposedly written about himself and not so much about Paul for he wasn't that mad anymore. This song is so heartbreaking and it really shows how much Paul cared about his friendship with john. Very touching.
The saddest line to me is, "dear friend, what's the time, is this really the borderline."
I didn't buy that when he said it and never did... It was about Paul alright.... He just felt bad about it later and was back pedaling.... The song did feature some AWESOME guitar work by George Harrison!
i didnt hear any 'lead guitar?????
Rudy Wilson Not in this song... Was talking about the lead guitar part George played in "How Do You Sleep" by John Lennon. This is the song the original poster in this thread was talking about.
Sorry, but how is "How Do You Sleep?" not about Paul?
"The only thing you did was 'Yesterday', but since you've gone you're just 'Another Day'."
Daniel Hudelson Exactly...
This song always amazes me. So raw and naked with emotion at such a fraught time. Incredible.
Such a sweet song. Only Paul could do this.
Good god. Can these two musicians ever be truly appreciated? The friendship between them is only surpassed by the marriage of their music together.
Paul, you've done it, brought tears to my eyes. Just simply beautiful. And John, RIP.
The sad thing is whenever you see a video or interview and he talks about John or George he looks lost and and like he wants want to shut down:(but he doesn't which is the reason I love Paul he just holds it in the people who said he didn't care about john ALWAYS PEES ME OFF it was OBVIOUS they didn't know how he REALLY felt:(and I know this song was before he died,but it was because they never really hated each other it was just HOW brother/friends sometimes are especially with George:(
Awwww... This song is just so emotional.. I mean you can hear the way Paul sings, he sounds like he is gonna cry.
When you add the pics of John and Paul, just ugggh, so emotional!
Good Job~ Alex
That beautiful voice of Paul's the way he hits the highs, just beautiful and a lovely song, heart wrenching.
I hope they meet again in the end
I love his emotion in this song. Paul and John loved each other. If you could`t see through Johns cruelty towards Paul you were blind. It was a complex relationship resulting in these fantastically written songs. I am happy Paul and Ringo are still here with us. John and George, I miss you guys.
They really did love each other.
It's no accident that PM is considered one of the all time greatest song writters and performers. This brilliant gem is another example of that!
even though it's been written by Paul, I can almost hear John singing this, it sounds alot like some of the songs he did after the Beatles.
+Justitchi Gaming Channel It's a lot more tasteful than much of Paul's post-Beatles solo stuff. He did some good tracks don't get me wrong, but he also did some kind of tacky work. I think Lennon was still too in love with rock n roll to have made this track though. This is something else.
They truly did lovey each other!
That melody... that high Note... No words to describe how beautiful this is !!!!!
Oh John, why did you have to go so soon? :(
Beautifull melody !!!
a true super duo; I still miss John so much!! :(
So beautiful, for reason perhaps... John/Paul together were so much better than them apart from each other.
Great song and further testament that Paul really is a genius when it comes to melody.
Paul n John had a great bond..😁😎.Similar heart breaks n loss...Nothing like True Friendship!!!😉
I love this song because I find it very moving.
This is one of those rare songs that actually gets a tear in my eye.
I miss John too.
The name that shall not be spoken. Ever.
If ever there was a rose or a dove to say i still love you only paul could say it in a wonderful song
Great song. Really intense emotionally.
They were brothers, and they loved each other as such. That's what this song was getting at - beyond all the bickering, they would have to realize sooner or later that they were in love with each other in that way (as brothers).
Love Paul and John, and love The Beatles forever.
Great song about something really important in human life. Simple and honest lyrics, sad and beutifull melody.
For most artists,a song like this would be the pinnacle of their collective achievement.One has to appreciate the genius of Macca.Sometimes one gets the impression that even Paul didnt know how good he was-the most underrated musician in terms of his gigantic contribution to the genre-nobody eclipses him.
I can feel Paul's emotions in this song. I love it
One haunting ballad
This sends shivers up my spine. Thank you Paul.
They indeed had a bond. I am still taken a back that this all occurred LAST CENTURY! MY GOD!
За душу берет! Отличная песня, слезы наворачиваются.
This is one of the few songs which actually made me cry my eyes out.
Dear friend see you on the other side.
Amazing composition by Paul. Love this song.....So moving....
This song is pure brilliance and that's it
I just adore this song !
This song makes me cry every time I listen to it. But I love it.
I'd never heard this tune of Paul's. Brought tears to my eyes today, this tragic day.
Honestly between the two "call and response songs" (How do you Sleep? and Dear Friend), I much prefer Dear Friend. It's hauntingly beautiful, sad and just better written.
Beautiful ❤️
A friend who grieves for a brother...a friend...his music partner..paul always singing his heart out
"Friend" 😂
Adding those touching pictures to this song... very moving.
One of Paul McCartney's most beautiful songs. His voice at 4.45-4.50 is perhaps one of the most haunting moments in his entire musical career.
when the heart breaks, it bleeds
I love this song. It is sort of like Paul is singing this the day John died. John said in one of this interview. "I'm not worried about Paul, he will do fine without me." Now John is gone and Paul is I don't how to put it in my own words. ✌️
Masterpiece,very emotional song.,about sadness after the break up of The Beatles.
privatspace Mostly the breakup of him and John.
Beautiful, great tribute from one genius to another...
Love them both, forever!