Difference between revisions of "Paul McCartney in Audience Watching The Quarrymen"

Revision as of 08:49, 31 August 2011

Although we always thought it was just John Lennon who wore the glasses in the Beatles, it turns out that McCartney occasionally needed glasses, as well.

This Daily Mail article includes the following, with this Frank Hermann photo during the Sgt. Pepper recording-session meeting:

The Beatles in a meeting with George Martin during the Sgt. Pepper sessions, 30 Mar 1967 - Photo: Frank Herrmann

Friends of the singer say McCartney rarely wore glasses because it was part of his friend John's image.

"He was always conscious that John was famous for his glasses," said one friend. "He felt that it was important to maintain their image and John's glasses were part of that.

"His eyesight is also pretty good, so he didn't need to wear them much."

This has become a hot topic due to the speculation that a picture of the Quarrymen's 22 June 1957 gig shows Lennon singing and a bespectacled McCartney in the audience looking on:

John Lennon performing with the Quarrymen 22 Jun 1957, as Paul checks out the scene...

Who knows whether or not Paul needed to wear glasses. Maybe it was just something cool to do, a la Buddy Holly (Lennon and McCartney were both huge fans and hugely influenced by Holly), or looking older (he'd turned 15 just 4 days before the above photo), or perhaps more intellectual and mature so as to appeal to the girls.

In the detail at left, compare Paul in the Quarrymen photo (at 15) and (inset) Paul at 19 or 20. The chin, the mouth, the ear, the whole thing. If it's not Paul, it's his doppelganger!

Here are some other pics of McCartney in glasses:

		Buddy Holly