Michael Jackson, Elvis or the Beatles

We all have our favorite. Some say Elvis was “the King” and Michael Jackson was “the King of Pop.” The Beatles don’t have a catchy name and they are not one person. For that reason alone, I hate that they are compared to Elvis and MJ.

The Beatles shaped my childhood. When I was about 9 or 10 I got the double red and blue albums of best songs. I was hooked. My best friend and I collected everything we could about the Beatles. We each had our favorite. Hers was always Paul, mine was always Ringo. However, it was John Lennon who inspired us the most and it was George Harrison that we saw in concert in 1974.

George Harrison, Chicago 1974

I still have the scrapbook-type items I saved from the early ’70’s. Unfortunately, I didn’t know to save the whole magazine and just cut out the articles I liked. I also have all the newspaper clippings from George Harrison’s 1974 Tour.  30 years later I saw Paul McCartney.

Paul McCartney, San Jose 2005

The music catalog that Lennon-McCartney created is like none other. Happy songs, sad songs, brilliant songs, funny songs, political songs, oh, and they did love songs too. The Beatle’s music IS the background of my life. “Twist and Shout” is my favorite song to dance to and “Blackbird” was the song I sang to sooth my baby to sleep.

While searching for information on Michael Jackson owning the Beatle Catalog, this post from NPR asked the same question I did. Now that Michael Jackson has passed, will Paul McCartney get the rights to his songs back?

The Beatles Catalog And Michael Jackson

by Robin Hilton

Earlier this year, the British tabloid The Daily Mirror reported that Michael Jackson had drawn up a will, giving the publishing rights to some 250 Beatles songs back to Sir Paul McCartney. Though a number of other sites were quick to report the news, The Mirror cited unnamed sources, and the reports have never been verified. Now, with Jackson’s passing, the question is very much up in the air.

For those who don’t remember or never knew, Jackson and McCartney recorded a couple of hits together back in the ’80s, “Say, Say, Say” and “The Girl Is Mine.”

The two struck up a friendship. At some point, according to some accounts, McCartney reportedly told Jackson how he’d made a lot of money by owning the publishing rights to other people’s music. This inspired Jackson to start his own side business of buying, selling and distributing publishing rights to numerous artists. When the Beatles catalog, which was owned by ATV Music Publishing, came up for sale, McCartney initially said he wasn’t interested in buying it because it was too expensive. McCartney eventually changed his mind and attempted to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a bid for the music, but she declined. In the end, Jackson purchased the catalog for $47.5 million dollars. McCartney, according to the Mirror, said ‘The annoying thing is I have to pay to play some of my own songs. Each time I want to sing ‘Hey Jude’ I have to pay.

It’s hard to separate fact from fiction in this 25 year-old story. But according to the Associated Press, McCartney issued a statement today saying “I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.”

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Let it bequest – Jackson wants to leave Paul McCartney Beatles back catalogue

EXCLUSIVE by Zoe Griffin 3/01/2009

‘Dying’ Jacko to leave Macca £350million Beatles rights in will.

MICHAEL Jackson hopes to bury his 24-year feud with Sir Paul McCartney – by leaving his share of the Beatles back catalogue to him in his will.

Macca was furious when Jacko outbid him in 1985 to win ownership of the £350million publishing rights to the whole Lennon-McCartney songbook.

The stars, once good pals who collaborated on early 80s hits The Girl is Mine and Say, Say, Say have not spoken since.

But the debt-ridden King of Pop, now said to be battling a serious genetic lung disease, is determined to make peace with McCartney.

Jackson, 50, who according to some reports is convinced he is dying and has been using a wheelchair, has drawn up a new will where Sir Paul, 66, will inherit control of his share of the Beatles songbook if the troubled star dies before him.

Sources close to Jacko say he has always regretted falling out with Macca. One insider said: “Michael is worried about his health so decided it was time to look at his finances.

“Most of his estate has been divided up between his three children. But Michael told his lawyers he was sad he no longer talks to Sir Paul and said he wanted to make things right.”

The source added: “Michael is suffering serious back and leg pain and has for a few years. He gets spasms in his back which means he spends a lot of time in bed and a wheelchair.

“He weighs just over seven stone and is very frail. He’s also had a nasty bout of emphysema and there have been reports he has another lung disease.”

Jacko sold half of his Beatles back catalogue rights to Sony in 1995, but still makes about £40million a year from them.

Macca said recently: “The annoying thing is I have to pay to play some of my own songs. Each time I want to sing Hey Jude I have to pay.”

Last night a source close to Sir Paul said: “If Michael Jackson was to give back the song rights in his will then Macca would be delighted.”

Michael Jackson’s spokesman has officially denied the star believes he is dying.

zoe@sundaymirror.co.uk

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/01/03/let-it-bequest-jackson-wants-to-leave-paul-mccartney-beatles-back-catalogue-115875-21013162/

3 Icons in 2 days. R.I.P. Ed, Farrah and Michael

I met Ed McMahon in 1973. I was an 11 year old kid in Vegas with my parents and my best friend. He was very nice. He introduced us to his wife and gave us buttons that said, “Ed’s In Town.” I still have mine. R.I.P.

Farrah Fawcett was a beautiful woman and a great actress. I always thought she was just a “pretty face” until I saw her amazing performance in The Burning Bed. That movie put a face on domestic violence and self-defense. The scene when he backhanded her in the kitchen is as clear in my mind today as it was over 20 years ago. R.I.P. beautiful woman.

Michael Jackson. What can I say about him? He made some great music.

This is how I choose to remember him.

He did some great things for many charities. However, he broke G-d’s law and will not be going to the same place as Ed and Farrah. Goodbye Michael. No Jesus Juice where you’re going.

ETA: My opinions this week have changed.

I do think Michael had inappropriate relationships with children. However, I now do have doubt that he ever touched them. I won’t say I’m 100% convinced he’s innocent but I do think he’s going to heaven and he will rest in peace. Since I changed my mind I thought I should post it.