MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR (1967)

January 13th, 1969 (Twickenham Film Studios, London): During a discussion on how the rest of the group should move forward after George’s departure on the 10th, John wonders if they should get George back at all, suggesting his role as a Beatle is replaceable (unlike his own or Paul’s), and likens this unkindly to how Ringo first replaced Pete Best. Paul notes that John has been the top buck in getting himself heard (and getting his way) since the inception of the group (which John protests) and quickly reassures Ringo when he wryly declares himself to be little more than rabbit food for the group.

Paul admits that both he and John have done one over on George, albeit unconsciously as an effect of the competition and unaware of how it may have hurt George in the process, but John argues that he’s known since early childhood how manipulative he himself can be, and has tried to curb it to little avail.

PAUL: See, I’m just assuming he’s coming back, you know. I tell you, I’m just assuming he’s coming back. RINGO: If he wants— JOHN: What if he isn’t? PAUL: If he isn’t, then… if he isn’t, then it’s a new problem. RINGO: He would like the four of us to sit down. JOHN: It’s like we’ve said— PAUL: Yeah. RINGO: He wants the four of us to actually— JOHN: See, if we want it – if we do want it, I still won’t tour, man, but I do want to— PAUL: But you seem to – you seem to think— JOHN: But if we do end up deciding we want it, as a policy, I can go along with that. Because the policy has kept us together. RINGO: But the thing is that if we want him— JOHN: If we want him, because we want him – but the thing is, like George said, it’s that The Beatles, to me, isn’t just limited to the four of us. I think that I, alone, could be a Beatle. [to Paul] I think you could. [to Ringo] I’m not sure whether you could, because you’re doing… Well, like, but I’m just telling you what I think! I don’t think The Beatles revolve around the four people! It might be like a job— PAUL: But you know what, John, I’ll tell you one thing— JOHN: [to Ringo] It’s like you joining the band instead of Pete. It’s like – to me, it is like that.

PAUL: Tell you what— [inaudible] Let me tell you what I think. [pause; inaudible] —thing is this. [to John] You have always been at the front of the chute. Now, there have been some secondary rungs, but George has been third rung— RINGO: And I’ve been the cabbage. PAUL: [immediately] Never. JOHN: [dismissive] No, we haven’t— PAUL: No, just, no – listen here. You’re the rabbit, he’s right. JOHN: But not always, though— PAUL: [anxious] No, listen here – listen – always! But! But! [pause] I do think – no, I do think that as grim as it all is, that [George]’s right. And I do think that like our sole approach is exactly what he’s been saying. And that our brains sort of… con him. It’s all nothing. I do think that is a – I mean— [stumbling] As a first way out, I can’t really even say that, but I do think, you know, that when you get right down to it— JOHN: Yes. PAUL: ’Cause the moments of clarity, that I’ve just been – are just so innocent, and so simple, that all my connive, and all my – urge, or— [inaudible] JOHN: But don’t give me like – ’cause I’ve at least been aware of my conniving since fourteen. Real aware of it. PAUL: Sure. JOHN: And before that. You realize that I’ve known I’ve been conniving from – from Dovedale, you know that. I’ve been aware of that. Just because – I don’t know whether it’s him. It’s not him. It’s just me. That I’ve realized where it’s nowhere – but the thing is, I only know where it is when I’m in the middle of all of it— PAUL: Yeah. JOHN: —that I am sort of at it again. And that’s why I’ve had to fight for the last three years. And I’ve done it – the other way. Just – rather than allow myself to connive, I thought, “Stop it now. Stop it.”

Coiffure trouble 🌬️

What's with Paul freaking out whenever his hair is about to be messed up? Like he can't hold it together that George wants to punch him in the face. John so soft, lovingly looks at P, fully understanding his bestie's ridiculous self-consciousness. George "See you in Greece. Any Tuesday afternoon" Harrison.

|The Beatles interview with the BBC, 1964 🇬🇧🧒🏻🧒🏻🧒🏻🧒🏻

Jonah Lees and Blake Richardson nailed it

I don't understand why the scenography choises, they couln't find a couch?

John: [about his haircut] I've had it on and off for five years. Paul: Yeah. You should've seen it off.

tell me why this bitch is actually beautiful

John & Paul 🤍

The Beatles backstage at the Atlanta Stadium | 18 August 1965 © Robert Whitaker (I)

As a fellow blind I don't think Paul was short sighted or at least very lightly. He doesn't do "the totally lost face I'll stare somewhere faking confidence" or the evergreen "I am not squinting my eyes, I am just focusing on the serious matters you are bringing in the conversation"

He is being cute as hell and the cheeky boyfriend with John

Paul Wearing John's Glasses

Paul would often steal John’s glasses, and refuse to give them back, and True Fact: Without his glasses, or contacts, John was legally blind.  I vaguely remember a quote along the lines of “John would be searching for his glasses where he’d last left them, only for Paul to be walking about wearing them, and not telling him. And then John would figure it out and shout, “MACCA!”. 

The Daily Mail reported that Paul also needed glasses, but never wore them in public because glasses were John’s thing, at least according to “McCartney’s friends”, how true that is I don’t know. But it gives me an excuse to post these other pictures in which Paul is wearing glasses similar to John’s, but which may or may not be his: 

Paul McCartney in Beatles '64 (2024)