The song Paul McCartney wrote for Michael Jackson
In the history of music, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson are potentially the two most famous figures. Their stories, which are now undeniably intertwined, began when the two musicians first met in 1974. At this time, McCartney was riding high with Wings, and Jackson was beginning to establish himself outside of The Jackson 5.
Jackson was yet to change the face of pop music and was still a soul singer under contract with Motown Records. Within a few years, he was unrecognisable, and there was arguably nobody more well-known on the planet. After meeting in 1974, the pair remained in contact, and McCartney had a surprise up his sleeve for his friend when they next saw each other at the wrap party for the Wings Over America tour in Beverly Hills.
During the party, McCartney pulled Jackson aside and revealed that he had written a song with him in mind. The Beatle explained to the former child star that he was free to take ‘Girlfriend’, and they agreed to stay in contact to discuss the recording of the track. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the opportunity fell through.
Jackson later explained in Moonwalk: “We shook hands amid a huge crowd of people, and he said, ‘You know, I’ve written a song for you.’ I was very surprised and thanked him. And he started singing ‘Girlfriend’ to me at this party. So we exchanged phone numbers and promised to get together soon, but different projects and life just got in the way for both of us and we didn’t talk again for a couple of years. He ended up putting the song on his own album London Town.”
As Jackson explained, McCartney chose to release the track himself in 1978 with Wings as part of their sixth studio album, London Town, but that’s not where this story ends. Despite Jackson rejecting the song, his producer Quincy Jones heard ‘Girlfriend’ and recommended it to his client for his Off The Wall album. Jones was unaware McCartney had previously offered the material to Jackson.
Jackson and McCartney’s friendship would continue to prosper over the next few years, with the pair collaborating on numerous occasions. However, it wasn’t to last. During a conversation in the studio, McCartney advised Jackson to invest his newfound wealth into music publishing, which backfired hugely when his friend obtained the publishing rights to the majority of The Beatles’ back catalogue.
Understandably, their relationship was never the same from that moment, and they “drifted apart”, according to McCartney. Detailing further, he explained to David Letterman in 2009: “So I kept thinking, it was time for a raise … I did talk to him about it, but he kind of blanked me on it. He kept saying, ‘That’s just business, Paul.’ You know. So, I thought, ‘Yeah, it is,’ and waited for a reply, but we never kind of got to it … It was no big bust-up. We kind of drifted apart after that”.
After a lengthy legal battle, McCartney finally regained his ownership stake in The Beatles’ back catalogue in 2017.
Listen to ‘Girlfriend’ below.
