McCartney accuses The Rolling Stones of copying Beatles. PHOTO: AFP
One of the Rolling Stones' earliest singles, "I Wanna Be Your Man", was written by McCartney and John Lennon, and the band broke America a year after the Fab Four.
McCartney also gave an example of Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' wizard outfits in 1967 album “Their Satanic Majesties Request” as proof of their Beatles imitation, reports contactmusic.com.
"That is the truth. Look at the history: The Beatles go to America, a year later they come too. We wrote their first single (sic), I Wanna Be Your Man. We go psychedelic, they go psychedelic. We dress as wizards, they dress as wizards,” said McCartney.
COMMENTS (16)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
-(1)1714378140-0/AliAminMaryam-(4)-(1)1714378140-0-270x192.webp)
1714371551-0/MahiraArijit-(1)1714371551-0-270x192.webp)
@Robert Weingartner:
Robert! Very well said! What fans seem to miss is that the whole thing really started in America! If the original rockers like Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino and the Blues greats didn't go over to the UK and Europe back when they were fading stars on the American horizon, there would simply not have been a Beatles or Rolling Stones or any of the other "British Invasion" groups and singers. So it really was an "American Invasion" first, before anyone came here. Fact is, the Beatles only got to do this a few months before the Stones took a shot at it. Really if you do your homework you will see it was only 6 months. Not even enough time to make a baby! The other point about the Stones always "copying" the Beatles is more propaganda. Tell me WHERE this was so? As you say, Satanic Majesties had the same flavor as Pepper because of psychedelia, but then so was just about every other contemporary musical act from Jimi Hendrix to the Carpenters! It was actually the "Holy Modal Rounders" who are the first credited with creating a psychedelic album but only after Timothy Leary produced HIS so he was really the first. So if the Stones recording came out several months after the Beatles recording you can bet that both bands were in and out of each others recording sessions during this time (it is documented by the way).
Paul McCartneu only stated what many people already knew. It's obvious the Stones were followers. Many bands copied the Beatles. The Stones are one of the most successful.
The bottom line is, you can all say this or that – pick your favorite band and say that THEY are the best and the rest are crap, but unless you were actually there, and lived in the times that these guys actually played and made records, then you really can't say who is better than who, or who copied whom. Onstage the Stones are still considered the better of the two between them and the Beatles. The songs each wrote are so different that you cannot compare them. One was an innovator in tapping the roots of Rock, and the other was clever with songwriting pop tunes, and dancehall music. I'll let you guess which was which. ;-) Again - it doesn't matter. Like who you like... BUT look who has lasted the longest.
Either Paul McCartney is joking or off his rocker. First off, John Lennon and Paul McCartney gave "I Wanna Be Your Man" to the Stones and told them to record the song for their second single. The song became the Stones first Top 20 hit in England when it peaked at # 11 on the British singles charts. Paul McCartney and John Lennon gave "A World Without Love" to Peter & Gordon who had a # 1 hit in both England and America with the song and literally sold millions of records - a much bigger hit for them then "I Wanna Be Your Man" was for the Stones.
Secondly, how many English bands came to America after the Beatles did? Why is he singling out the Stones? How about The Dave Clark Five, Herman's Hermits, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Peter & Gordon, Freddie & The Dreamers, The Animals, The Searchers, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, The Who, etc, etc? It was called The British Invasion for a reason, and to be quite honest, there are still bands to this day coming to America who walked through the same door the Beatles opened up in 1964. To single out the Stones is ridiculous.
Thirdly, I know the Stones get ripped for their only psychedelic album, Their Satanic Majesties Request, but even that was a little overdone. Yes, it was probably Sgt. Pepper influenced to a degree but I don't think it justifies all the knocking. Despite all the criticism the album receives from people it sounded nothing like Sgt. Pepper and was no different then what any other group was doing at the time. That time in music was known as the psychedelic era because everyone was experimenting with psychedelic drugs like LSD and taking those experiences and putting it into their work whether you were a musician, film maker or an author.
Just silly.
Doesn't really matter. Lots of young people barely know who the Beatles were and don't listen to them.
Beatles & Stones are the 2 best bands of all time. I think Paul is a little grumpy. Hate to tell you Sir you ain't got the moves like Jagger or Lennon & Mccartney were definitely not as cool dressing as Mick n Keith. Wizards? take a look at JJFlash video and tell me who is the cooler band. They were light years ahead in fashion, and still cooler then most bands. I don't think those little cute suits really look cool today. Zeppelin? Please! I don't think they are even in the same league as Pink Floyd or U2 or The Who. They were good at stealing songs and not giving credit to Willie Dixon and Joan Baez. Do a little research. But anyway, I do like Jimmy, can't stand plants silly whining.
Yes, the Stones were never up there with the Beatles but they were still huge in the 1960s and 1970s when their music was rocking the youth of the world. And yes, Led Zep were also big, very big but then again never regarded as in the same league as the Rolling Stones. Anything to the contrary is indeed revisionist new millaneum pap. The youngsters of today are not really into blues music from which all forms of modern rock descends from. The Stones were the masters of bluesy rock - Steetfighting Man, Jumping Jack,Flash, Brown Sugar, Paint It Black et al. Their kind of raw rocking blues may not appeal to the youth of today, but after the Beatles there really was only one group in the lead and it was the Stones.
@Kim. If Keith said that then he's an idiot. Led Zepp broke all previous records of concert ticket sales during their 73 tour including those of the Beatles (and Rolling Stones were further behind). Anyhow Rolling Stones are a great band but IMHO they don't fall under the same category of music genius as The Beatles and Led Zepp. Anyhow Paul Mcartney still didn't need to say that about the Stones
John Lennon has said the same thing in several different interviews. Nothing new here..Mick and Keith would also admit that The Beatles were the kings..
It was very obvious that The Rolling Stones, like most of the other bands in the 60s, was following the lead of The Beatles. From hairstyles to the music itself. "I Wanna Be Your Man" may not be the Stones' first single, but it was their first certified hit.
Let It Bleed - Let It Be, Sgt Peppers - Her Statanic, the list goes on. It's very obvious, The Rolling Stones, like all the other 60s bands, was following the lead of The Beatles.
This is hardly news, Paul ...John Lennon said very much the same thing in the 70s. The Stones are a fine band but they were never as innovative as the Beatles and were always playing catch-up
you've got to be kidding. the rolling stones can't even sing, just holler. @Jack Flash:
Anyone who lived through that period and didn't buy into the subsequent revisionist history put out by the rock press would have to agree. There's really no doubt the rolling stones weren't ever up there with the beatles. The stones didn't even get that big till after the beatles split. I saw an interview with keith Richards on youtube where he said Led Zeppelin "never really got off the ground for me." I've got news for him. Among my daughter's generation virtually no one thinks the rolling stones are the cultural icon that Led zeppelin is. The rolling stones were very, very good song writers. they aren't great ones. they've never done an album as good as even "rubber soul." On top of that if you've ever seen them live and not fallen into the "emperor has no clothes" phenomenon you must admit they're really not worth very much as a live band either. all this hogwash about being "the greatest rock and roll band in the world" is some kind of weird joke. of all the british bands that followed the beatles they were the ones that developed into really good songwriters. that doesn't make them great ones. lennon-mcccartney were some of the very greatest songwriters of all times. thanks for your attention.
PM needs a reality check. Lots of bands were doing similar things at any given period. It's a cultural fashion statement. Everyone jumping on the fashionable bandwagon around the same time.
Who did what first in any case can only be decided by actually looking at the period in when it was all done. Trends often are started by those little known or unknown and then taken up by those who are well-known, who then receive the credit of "originality".
By-the-way, the Stones first professionally recorded single was actually written by Chuck Berry, ("Come On"). Come on, McCartney, get your facts straight, please. Thank you.