A rumor that’s been floating all around cyberspace since the sudden death of Michael Jackson has been debunked by none other than Sir Paul McCartney. Contrary to popular belief, Jackson did not bequeath his stake in the Beatles’ song catalog to McCartney in his will – but Paul insists that he never expected the late singer to do so.
Paul McCartney posted a message on his website denying rumors that he’s upset Michael Jackson did not bequeath to him the rights to his Beatles songs. In a post on paulmccartney.com, the former member of the Fab Four wrote:
Some time ago, the media came up with the idea that Michael Jackson was going to leave his share in the Beatles songs to me in his will which was completely made up and something I didn’t believe for a second.
“Now the report is that I am devastated to find that he didn’t leave the songs to me. This is completely untrue. I had not thought for one minute that the original report was true and therefore, the report that I’m devastated is also totally false, so don’t believe everything you read folks!
In fact, though Michael and I drifted apart over the years, we never really fell out, and I have fond memories of our time together.
At times like this, the press do tend to make things up, so occasionally, I feel the need to put the record straight.
Paul
Jackson purchased the rights to more than 200 Beatles songs back in 1985, after Paul himself gave him the advice that song rights and music publishing were more lucrative than recording deals. Jackson famously outbid Paul when the rights for the songs were up for auction, including titles such as “Yesterday,” “Let it Be,” and the entire track selection of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” McCartney was reportedly livid about it, and even as recently as 2006, he said: “You know what doesn’t feel very good, is going on tour and paying to sing all my songs. Every time I sing ‘Hey Jude,’ I’ve got to pay someone.” More recently, the songs were at the center of a controversial partnership between Jackson and Sony, during which the singer offered up the catalog as collateral. Jackson purchased the rights for these songs for a reported $48 million, and now this catalog is thought to be worth more than $400 million.
While it would have been a wonderful gesture on Jackson’s part to give these songs back to the person that many consider their rightful owner, it may not have been legally possible for him to do so, since Sony also claims part ownership of the songs. And while Paul McCartney probably didn’t expect the songs to be returned to him, it has to be frustrating nonetheless. Maybe he’s not upset by the will – but knowing that the songs he and John Lennon wrote together are now part of the Sony conglomerate – and will keep the Jackson family in sequins for decades to come- has to be a bummer.
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