John and Paul
 |
Description
Book Introduction
★ MBC Radio's "Bae Cheol-soo's Music Camp" supervised and recommended by writer Bae Soon-tak
★ Amazon, New York Times, and Sunday Times bestseller
★ Written by Ian Leslie, whose book “64 Things I Love About Paul McCartney” was shortlisted for the 2020 BBC Russell Prize
The Beatles, the most beloved band in the world, and the relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were at the center of their band, is as famous as the band itself.
Their relationship is often described as the "Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership," but the emotions involved are so complex that they cannot be condensed into just one word.
John and Paul were best friends, friendly rivals, and deeply affectionate with each other.
But as everyone knows, John and Paul parted ways with the breakup of the Beatles.
Although there was a trend of reconciliation afterwards, in the end the two were not able to unite as one soul, and John remained John and Paul remained Paul.
How did John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet, and what journeys they endured to create such a complex relationship? The process of finding these answers is also about understanding the music of the Beatles and retracing everything that shaped their epic story.
After all, the core of the Beatles is John and Paul.
The new book, John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs, is just that kind of book.
This book tells the story of the 23 years that John Lennon and Paul McCartney lived together and apart through 43 songs.
In addition to the emotions of the two people involved in 43 songs, the musical technique is also masterfully captured, adding a new dimension to the now familiar Beatles' music.
Meanwhile, this book was reviewed by Bae Soon-tak, a music critic and writer for Bae Cheol-soo's Music Camp since 2008, to enrich its content.
Author Bae Soon-tak is a self-proclaimed Beatles fan and a person with extensive knowledge that any pop music enthusiast would know.
He emphasized that this book was a “good book,” and praised it by saying, “It makes you discover and play even music you are already familiar with.”
In this way, "John and Paul" is a book that provides a new perspective even to Beatlemaniacs who know everything about the Beatles.
★ Amazon, New York Times, and Sunday Times bestseller
★ Written by Ian Leslie, whose book “64 Things I Love About Paul McCartney” was shortlisted for the 2020 BBC Russell Prize
The Beatles, the most beloved band in the world, and the relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were at the center of their band, is as famous as the band itself.
Their relationship is often described as the "Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership," but the emotions involved are so complex that they cannot be condensed into just one word.
John and Paul were best friends, friendly rivals, and deeply affectionate with each other.
But as everyone knows, John and Paul parted ways with the breakup of the Beatles.
Although there was a trend of reconciliation afterwards, in the end the two were not able to unite as one soul, and John remained John and Paul remained Paul.
How did John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet, and what journeys they endured to create such a complex relationship? The process of finding these answers is also about understanding the music of the Beatles and retracing everything that shaped their epic story.
After all, the core of the Beatles is John and Paul.
The new book, John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs, is just that kind of book.
This book tells the story of the 23 years that John Lennon and Paul McCartney lived together and apart through 43 songs.
In addition to the emotions of the two people involved in 43 songs, the musical technique is also masterfully captured, adding a new dimension to the now familiar Beatles' music.
Meanwhile, this book was reviewed by Bae Soon-tak, a music critic and writer for Bae Cheol-soo's Music Camp since 2008, to enrich its content.
Author Bae Soon-tak is a self-proclaimed Beatles fan and a person with extensive knowledge that any pop music enthusiast would know.
He emphasized that this book was a “good book,” and praised it by saying, “It makes you discover and play even music you are already familiar with.”
In this way, "John and Paul" is a book that provides a new perspective even to Beatlemaniacs who know everything about the Beatles.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Reviewer's Note
prolog
1.
Come Go with Me
2.
I Lost My Little Girl
3.
What'd I Say
4.
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
5.
Besame Mucho
6.
Till There Was You
7.
Please Please Me
8.
She Loves You
9.
If I Fell
10.
I Don't Want to Spoil the Party
11.
Ticket to Ride
12.
Yesterday
13.
We Can Work It Out
14.
In My Life
15.
Tomorrow Never Knows
16.
Eleanor Rigby
17.
Here, There and Everywhere
18.
Strawberry Fields Forever
19.
Penny Lane
20.
A Day in the Life
21.
Getting Better
22.
I Am the Walrus
23.
Lady Madonna
24.
Yer Blues
25.
Look at Me
26.
Hey Jude
27.
Julia
28.
Martha My Dear
29.
Get Back
30.
Two of Us
31.
Don't Let Me Down
32.
The Ballad of John and Yoko
33.
Oh! Darling
34.
The End
35.
God
36.
How Do You Sleep?
37.
Dear Friend
38.
Jealous Guy
39.
Let Me Roll It
40.
I Saw Her Standing There
41.
Coming Up
42.
(Just Like) Starting Over
43.
Here Today
Acknowledgements
main
References
prolog
1.
Come Go with Me
2.
I Lost My Little Girl
3.
What'd I Say
4.
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
5.
Besame Mucho
6.
Till There Was You
7.
Please Please Me
8.
She Loves You
9.
If I Fell
10.
I Don't Want to Spoil the Party
11.
Ticket to Ride
12.
Yesterday
13.
We Can Work It Out
14.
In My Life
15.
Tomorrow Never Knows
16.
Eleanor Rigby
17.
Here, There and Everywhere
18.
Strawberry Fields Forever
19.
Penny Lane
20.
A Day in the Life
21.
Getting Better
22.
I Am the Walrus
23.
Lady Madonna
24.
Yer Blues
25.
Look at Me
26.
Hey Jude
27.
Julia
28.
Martha My Dear
29.
Get Back
30.
Two of Us
31.
Don't Let Me Down
32.
The Ballad of John and Yoko
33.
Oh! Darling
34.
The End
35.
God
36.
How Do You Sleep?
37.
Dear Friend
38.
Jealous Guy
39.
Let Me Roll It
40.
I Saw Her Standing There
41.
Coming Up
42.
(Just Like) Starting Over
43.
Here Today
Acknowledgements
main
References
Detailed image
Into the book
The Beatles' first two albums contained five covers of songs by female groups.
This shows that the Beatles were most influenced by female groups rather than any specific genre or artist.
On stage, they performed songs by many more female groups, some of which are known only through the testimony of those who attended the time.
If I could hear just one cover song out of all the ones I'll never hear again, it would be "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shire.
--- p.104
Their singing style was reminiscent of the Everly Brothers, with John singing the introduction first and Paul adding harmonies.
This was especially true of the long, drawn-out, and desperate “please” part.
John then sang the chorus (“Love me do…”) solo, which made the phrase stand out.
The problem was that I had to play the harmonica riff right away.
--- p.144
The more you look into 〈Yesterday〉, the stranger it feels.
Let's think about it this way.
What happens when you try to sing this song yourself? You'll realize that the melody, which you thought was so familiar without practice, doesn't come out easily.
As such, this song is much more unique than it appears on the surface.
--- p.226
We want to make people feel something.
You don't necessarily need to understand music.
You just have to feel the emotion.
This is one of the reasons why fans can feel our music even if they don't fully understand it.
The reason some singers can only sing our songs like that is because they lack feeling.
I don't understand the emotions in the song, and I'm too old to express them.
Only the Beatles can sing Beatles music.
--- p.259
For their first recording attempt, they used heavily processed drum and guitar loops as the base accompaniment, overlaid with Ringo's live drums.
Above it, a soft six-note melody repeated.
But even the sound created this way sounded too tame.
So they decided to play the whole thing live.
--- p.281
John and Paul gradually moved away from the psychedelic sound.
The new songs didn't feature complex sound effects or dreamy lyrics.
The composition of "Lady Madonna" was inspired by a hit song by a boogie-woogie jazz band released in 1956.
〈Hey Bulldog〉 is also an energetic rock song based on a strong piano riff, and the improvisation from the time of recording is still felt.
--- p.390
Before recording at Trident Studios (where they wanted to use their 8-track equipment), the Beatles rehearsed the song for two days at Abbey Road Studios.
Part of the process was captured on camera by a short documentary film crew.
The video shows John and Paul deeply absorbed in the song together, happily concentrating, even amidst the commotion around them.
--- p.435
"Instant Karma" begins with a chord progression taken from the intro of "Some Other Guy".
Over a strong, thumping bass drum beat, John speaks to someone specific in a rough, hoarse voice.
The karma he sings about never seems to be on the good side.
Because it will come down on you and hit your head (like Maxwell's silver hammer).
--- p.522
"I Saw Her Standing There" isn't just a song that harkens back to the Beatles' beginnings.
It sings of the beginning of a relationship.
A fateful relationship where they only look at each other.
“How could I dance with another?” Perhaps John, standing on stage for the first time in a long time, did not want to face the reality in front of him alone, so he pulled Paul towards him.
--- p.593
In the end, McCartney was left without knowing or understanding Lennon.
Same goes for us.
But one thing I can say for sure:
They loved each other and found a way to share that love with people around the world through music.
And in the process, we made the world an immeasurably better place.
Because he was John.
Because he was Paul.
This shows that the Beatles were most influenced by female groups rather than any specific genre or artist.
On stage, they performed songs by many more female groups, some of which are known only through the testimony of those who attended the time.
If I could hear just one cover song out of all the ones I'll never hear again, it would be "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shire.
--- p.104
Their singing style was reminiscent of the Everly Brothers, with John singing the introduction first and Paul adding harmonies.
This was especially true of the long, drawn-out, and desperate “please” part.
John then sang the chorus (“Love me do…”) solo, which made the phrase stand out.
The problem was that I had to play the harmonica riff right away.
--- p.144
The more you look into 〈Yesterday〉, the stranger it feels.
Let's think about it this way.
What happens when you try to sing this song yourself? You'll realize that the melody, which you thought was so familiar without practice, doesn't come out easily.
As such, this song is much more unique than it appears on the surface.
--- p.226
We want to make people feel something.
You don't necessarily need to understand music.
You just have to feel the emotion.
This is one of the reasons why fans can feel our music even if they don't fully understand it.
The reason some singers can only sing our songs like that is because they lack feeling.
I don't understand the emotions in the song, and I'm too old to express them.
Only the Beatles can sing Beatles music.
--- p.259
For their first recording attempt, they used heavily processed drum and guitar loops as the base accompaniment, overlaid with Ringo's live drums.
Above it, a soft six-note melody repeated.
But even the sound created this way sounded too tame.
So they decided to play the whole thing live.
--- p.281
John and Paul gradually moved away from the psychedelic sound.
The new songs didn't feature complex sound effects or dreamy lyrics.
The composition of "Lady Madonna" was inspired by a hit song by a boogie-woogie jazz band released in 1956.
〈Hey Bulldog〉 is also an energetic rock song based on a strong piano riff, and the improvisation from the time of recording is still felt.
--- p.390
Before recording at Trident Studios (where they wanted to use their 8-track equipment), the Beatles rehearsed the song for two days at Abbey Road Studios.
Part of the process was captured on camera by a short documentary film crew.
The video shows John and Paul deeply absorbed in the song together, happily concentrating, even amidst the commotion around them.
--- p.435
"Instant Karma" begins with a chord progression taken from the intro of "Some Other Guy".
Over a strong, thumping bass drum beat, John speaks to someone specific in a rough, hoarse voice.
The karma he sings about never seems to be on the good side.
Because it will come down on you and hit your head (like Maxwell's silver hammer).
--- p.522
"I Saw Her Standing There" isn't just a song that harkens back to the Beatles' beginnings.
It sings of the beginning of a relationship.
A fateful relationship where they only look at each other.
“How could I dance with another?” Perhaps John, standing on stage for the first time in a long time, did not want to face the reality in front of him alone, so he pulled Paul towards him.
--- p.593
In the end, McCartney was left without knowing or understanding Lennon.
Same goes for us.
But one thing I can say for sure:
They loved each other and found a way to share that love with people around the world through music.
And in the process, we made the world an immeasurably better place.
Because he was John.
Because he was Paul.
--- p.638
Publisher's Review
“Think of me sometimes, old friend.”
Lennon-McCartney, one of the most famous partnerships in modern music history
They explore an epic tale of profound friendship and jealousy.
There are probably few who would disagree that John Lennon and Paul McCartney are at the center of the Beatles, who have become a legend in world pop history.
George Harrison and Ringo Starr also left significant marks in their respective fields, but the core of the Beatles were John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
The Beatles' producer George Martin also commented, "The core talent of the Beatles came from John and Paul."
John and Paul's characters were so unique, and the record they left behind was unparalleled.
The partnership between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who created the history of the Beatles and pop music and wrote famous songs that have left a deep impression on people's hearts, is already famous.
But until now, there hasn't been much in-depth exploration of how their relationship shaped the Beatles' music.
I was just focused on a relationship that was nothing more than gossip.
The new book, John & Paul, delves into the relationship between Lennon and McCartney and how their profound relationship shaped the music of the Beatles.
This book criticizes the narratives of John Lennon and Paul McCartney that we have known only in a flat way.
He sharply refutes the idea that John was a creative and literary genius, while Paul was a cool-headed, analytical nerd, and that they were such polar opposites that they clashed and eventually broke up.
As we follow their musical trajectories, we learn that John and Paul were friendly rivals, best friends, and deeply cared for each other.
Without John Lennon, there would be no Paul McCartney, and vice versa.
How did they meet, and what time passed before their complex relationship developed? This book vividly reveals the tangled story of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's fateful encounter and their entangled friendship.
Above all, its greatest strength is that it offers a detailed analysis of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership, allowing us to revisit that relationship.
Analyzed through 43 songs, beautifully presented in a flowing style.
Off the record, a partnership that created countless hit songs, including "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude."
Ian Leslie, author of John and Paul, is a journalist and writer who delves into human psychology, communication, and creativity, and publisher of the newsletter Ruffian.
He was also shortlisted for the 2020 BBC Russell Award for his work 64 Things I Love About Paul McCartney.
The author, with his remarkable insight into human nature, asks the question, “If Paul truly hated Yoko, why did Yoko leave a recording saying that Paul was always kind to her?”
And the song, which the two wrote with Yoko and Linda in mind respectively, raises the question of whether it was really written for them, and focuses on the fact that to find the answer, we must look back at the feelings John and Paul had for each other.
And through “Two of Us,” we find a glimpse of that friendship.
The author interprets "Two of Us" as not a song filled with excitement about the future, but rather a song that evokes a feeling of loneliness and longing.
The lyrics are about trying to get back to the 'us of old'.
The same goes for 〈Hey Jude〉.
We all know very well that this song is dedicated to John Lennon's son, Julian.
This book offers an interpretation that goes one step further.
"Hey Jude" is not just a song for the heartbroken Julian, but a comforting message to all those whose hearts have been broken, including John.
For this analysis, the author consulted renowned works on the Beatles, as well as numerous interviews, documentaries, and podcasts.
Gathering the necessary pieces from a vast amount of data and carefully fitting them together is not a task that just anyone can do.
This book does just that.
The author also says that Beatles podcasts run by women have helped reshape the Beatles narrative, which has long been male-dominated.
“True surprise comes when you see familiar facts in a new light.”
A unique interpretation of a famous anecdote that any Beatles fan would know.
Thanks to the author's efforts, "John & Paul" provides a fresh perspective on widely known Beatles anecdotes, making them more understandable.
A representative example is an interpretation that refutes the common belief that 'Yoko Ono had a great influence on the breakup of the Beatles.'
As we follow the author's interpretation, we can keenly feel how important John and Paul thought of each other.
One of the things to read in this book is to savor the 'sound' of the song itself.
Did you know that for Paul McCartney, the piano represented the sounds of family and friends, or perhaps a bustling pub? The author begins with the pitch and examines the timing of specific instruments, thereby discerning the emotions John and Paul intended to convey in their songs.
In this way, "John and Paul" is a book that slowly and deeply savors all the elements that make up a song.
If you are a Beatles fan or a pop fan, you will find this an interesting read.
One Amazon reader also commented, “As I read the book, each song became clearer, and I could feel the messages the two people were sending to each other throughout the lyrics.”
Author Bae Soon-tak, who reviewed this book, said, “True surprise does not come when you learn something you didn’t know before.
Rather, it comes in the realization that I didn't really know what I thought I knew.
This book did exactly that for me.
I guarantee you will do the same,” he recommended.
It will offer a new perspective to Beatlemania and anyone interested in pop music, and will guide them to discover the various stories hidden behind the music.
Lennon-McCartney, one of the most famous partnerships in modern music history
They explore an epic tale of profound friendship and jealousy.
There are probably few who would disagree that John Lennon and Paul McCartney are at the center of the Beatles, who have become a legend in world pop history.
George Harrison and Ringo Starr also left significant marks in their respective fields, but the core of the Beatles were John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
The Beatles' producer George Martin also commented, "The core talent of the Beatles came from John and Paul."
John and Paul's characters were so unique, and the record they left behind was unparalleled.
The partnership between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who created the history of the Beatles and pop music and wrote famous songs that have left a deep impression on people's hearts, is already famous.
But until now, there hasn't been much in-depth exploration of how their relationship shaped the Beatles' music.
I was just focused on a relationship that was nothing more than gossip.
The new book, John & Paul, delves into the relationship between Lennon and McCartney and how their profound relationship shaped the music of the Beatles.
This book criticizes the narratives of John Lennon and Paul McCartney that we have known only in a flat way.
He sharply refutes the idea that John was a creative and literary genius, while Paul was a cool-headed, analytical nerd, and that they were such polar opposites that they clashed and eventually broke up.
As we follow their musical trajectories, we learn that John and Paul were friendly rivals, best friends, and deeply cared for each other.
Without John Lennon, there would be no Paul McCartney, and vice versa.
How did they meet, and what time passed before their complex relationship developed? This book vividly reveals the tangled story of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's fateful encounter and their entangled friendship.
Above all, its greatest strength is that it offers a detailed analysis of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership, allowing us to revisit that relationship.
Analyzed through 43 songs, beautifully presented in a flowing style.
Off the record, a partnership that created countless hit songs, including "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude."
Ian Leslie, author of John and Paul, is a journalist and writer who delves into human psychology, communication, and creativity, and publisher of the newsletter Ruffian.
He was also shortlisted for the 2020 BBC Russell Award for his work 64 Things I Love About Paul McCartney.
The author, with his remarkable insight into human nature, asks the question, “If Paul truly hated Yoko, why did Yoko leave a recording saying that Paul was always kind to her?”
And the song, which the two wrote with Yoko and Linda in mind respectively, raises the question of whether it was really written for them, and focuses on the fact that to find the answer, we must look back at the feelings John and Paul had for each other.
And through “Two of Us,” we find a glimpse of that friendship.
The author interprets "Two of Us" as not a song filled with excitement about the future, but rather a song that evokes a feeling of loneliness and longing.
The lyrics are about trying to get back to the 'us of old'.
The same goes for 〈Hey Jude〉.
We all know very well that this song is dedicated to John Lennon's son, Julian.
This book offers an interpretation that goes one step further.
"Hey Jude" is not just a song for the heartbroken Julian, but a comforting message to all those whose hearts have been broken, including John.
For this analysis, the author consulted renowned works on the Beatles, as well as numerous interviews, documentaries, and podcasts.
Gathering the necessary pieces from a vast amount of data and carefully fitting them together is not a task that just anyone can do.
This book does just that.
The author also says that Beatles podcasts run by women have helped reshape the Beatles narrative, which has long been male-dominated.
“True surprise comes when you see familiar facts in a new light.”
A unique interpretation of a famous anecdote that any Beatles fan would know.
Thanks to the author's efforts, "John & Paul" provides a fresh perspective on widely known Beatles anecdotes, making them more understandable.
A representative example is an interpretation that refutes the common belief that 'Yoko Ono had a great influence on the breakup of the Beatles.'
As we follow the author's interpretation, we can keenly feel how important John and Paul thought of each other.
One of the things to read in this book is to savor the 'sound' of the song itself.
Did you know that for Paul McCartney, the piano represented the sounds of family and friends, or perhaps a bustling pub? The author begins with the pitch and examines the timing of specific instruments, thereby discerning the emotions John and Paul intended to convey in their songs.
In this way, "John and Paul" is a book that slowly and deeply savors all the elements that make up a song.
If you are a Beatles fan or a pop fan, you will find this an interesting read.
One Amazon reader also commented, “As I read the book, each song became clearer, and I could feel the messages the two people were sending to each other throughout the lyrics.”
Author Bae Soon-tak, who reviewed this book, said, “True surprise does not come when you learn something you didn’t know before.
Rather, it comes in the realization that I didn't really know what I thought I knew.
This book did exactly that for me.
I guarantee you will do the same,” he recommended.
It will offer a new perspective to Beatlemania and anyone interested in pop music, and will guide them to discover the various stories hidden behind the music.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: October 21, 2025
- Format: Hardcover book binding method guide
- Page count, weight, size: 668 pages | 1,176g | 152*210*44mm
- ISBN13: 9788925573120
- ISBN10: 8925573121
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