Paul McCartney Describes Yoko Ono's Presence During 'Let It Be' Sessions As 'Disturbing'

Paul McCartney’s new podcast with co-host Paul Muldoon, McCartney: A Life In Lyrics, has been filled with treats about the meanings behind The Beatles, Wings and solo songs, but in the latest episode, he’s addressed a topic many Beatles fans still discuss to this day: Yoko Ono’s presence with the band.

While discussing the “period of change” as The Beatles were working on 1968’s The White Album, particularly the track Let It Be, McCartney candidly expressed the band’s feelings towards Ono at the time.

“Things like Yoko being literally in the middle of the recording session [were] something you had to deal with,” McCartney said, describing some of the tension brewing within the band. “The idea was that if John wanted this to happen, then it should happen. There's no reason why not.”

When Muldoon reacted and said The Beatles were supposed to be working at the time, McCartney responded, “Anything that disturbs us is disturbing.”

He continued, “We would allow this and not make a fuss. And yet, at the same time, I don't think any of us particularly liked it. It was an interference in the workplace.

“We had a way we worked. The four of us worked with George Martin. And that was basically it. And we'd always done it like that. So, not being very confrontational, I think we just bottled it up and just got on with it.”

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You can listen to the podcast episode below, with the above remarks beginning at the six-minute mark.

The first season of A Life In Lyrics will follow McCartney as he opens up about timeless songs, including Eleanor Rigby, Back In The U.S.S.R, Let It Be, Penny Lane, Live And Let Die, Helter Skelter, and more. Season two will arrive in February 2024, with McCartney and Muldoon lifting the curtain behind another twelve songs written by McCartney.

Tomorrow night (18 October), McCartney begins his Got Back Australian tour. His first gigs down under since 2017 start with a gig at Adelaide Entertainment Centre, then stadiums in Melbourne and Newcastle, followed by two nights in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist performing in Newcastle and the Gold Coast for the first time.

Tickets to Paul McCartney’s Got Back Australian tour are on sale now via Frontier Touring.