"But there is a freshness of perspective in Ian Leslie's book, which tells of Lennon and McCartney's unique alchemy through the songs they wrote together. Leslie's background in psychology serves him well in a study that jettisons the usual narrative of male rivalry; their partnership, Leslie suggests, was closer to a marriage. He begins with the pair's early songwriting sessions, usually in McCartney's front room, where rather than each taking ownership of songs, they worked in sync."
"Other fabled musical partnerships such as Leiber and Stoller, or Rodgers and Hammerstein, divided the labour between lyrics and melody, but Lennon and McCartney worked together on both. Pointing to their profound connection, Leslie notes how in the song If I Fell they performed an intricate courtship dance, moving apart and close again as the song unfolds, like birds weaving in and out of each other's flight path, alternately shielding and leading the other."
A psychological perspective frames Lennon and McCartney's songwriting as a partnership resembling a marriage rather than a rivalry. Early songwriting sessions, often in McCartney's front room, featured synchronized collaboration with both contributors working on melody and lyrics together. Unlike partnerships that divided labour between lyricist and composer, Lennon and McCartney co-authored songs at every level. The song If I Fell exemplifies their interplay, with vocal lines moving apart and close like birds weaving in and out of each other's flight path, alternately shielding and leading. A bonus conversation reflects on the unparalleled scale and lasting public enthusiasm for their achievements.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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