Breakups are messy. Breakups between bandmates who changed the world? That’s songwriting gold. Even after The Beatles went their separate ways, they never truly stopped talking to each other—they just started using guitars and microphones instead of group chats and press statements. Whether it was affection, frustration, or playful jabs (depending on which member you asked), the Fab Four kept their complicated brotherhood alive in lyrics and melody.
Here are 8 songs The Beatles wrote at one another—proof that even when the band broke up, the music kept the conversation going, good and bad. Mostly bad. Until 1980.
1. “Too Many People” – Paul McCartney
From the album: Ram (1971)
Paul was clearly holding a grudge—and a guitar. This track kicks off with veiled digs at John and Yoko, accusing someone of preaching too much and taking liberties. “Too many people going underground,” he sings, with a melodic smirk.
2. “How Do You Sleep?” – John Lennon
From the album: Imagine (1971)
John’s scorched-earth answer to Paul’s subtle shade. With George Harrison on slide guitar (!), John doesn’t hold back: “The only thing you done was ‘Yesterday’… and since you’ve gone you’re just ‘Another Day.’” Ouch. Fire, meet gasoline.
3. “Back Off Boogaloo” – Ringo Starr
From the single: Back Off Boogaloo (1972)
Ringo’s glam-rock stomper has long been rumored to throw playful punches at Paul’s solo work. Lines like “wake up, meathead” raised eyebrows, especially with Paul’s vegetarian lifestyle. Subtle? Not quite. Funky? Absolutely.
4. “Dear Friend” – Paul McCartney
From the album: Wild Life (1971)
Paul brings the olive branch—and a piano. A slow, sorrowful ballad asking John, “Is this really the borderline?” It feels like Paul stepping back from the feud and extending a heartfelt moment of reconciliation.
5. “Jealous Guy” – John Lennon
From the album: Imagine (1971)
While not directly aimed at Paul, this track’s origin story is rooted in their post-Beatles tension. John transformed his anger into vulnerability, singing, “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” in a moment of rare emotional nakedness.
6. “Early 1970” – Ringo Starr
From the B-side to It Don’t Come Easy (1971)
Ringo gives a musical postcard update on where everyone’s at: Paul’s on the farm, John’s in New York, George might jam with him. It’s funny, sincere, and the ultimate “I hope we’re still cool” track in pop history.
7. “God” – John Lennon
From the album: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
When John sang “I don’t believe in Beatles,” it was like watching the curtain close on an era. It wasn’t anger—it was detachment, honesty, and a declaration of emotional independence.
8. “All Those Years Ago” – George Harrison
From the album: Somewhere in England (1981)
Written in tribute to John after his death, George’s song is full of fond memories and admiration. “You were the one who imagined it all,” he sings. It’s sincere, soaring, and a final love letter across the sky.
Even when they were feuding, The Beatles still found a way to make brilliant music out of it. Petty? Occasionally. Poetic? Always. Whether it was a dig, a tribute, or an attempt to heal old wounds, these songs remind us that their connection ran deeper than any headline. They made history and wrote some of the greatest songs in history, and some they wrote it to each other.