Mick Jagger Shares The Difference Between Paul McCartney and John Lennon

As the frontman of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger had the rare privilege of knowing both John Lennon and Paul McCartney personally. Over the years, he spent time with both Beatles legends and had some interesting insights about them.

While McCartney was known for his charm and easygoing personality, Lennon had a sharper, more sarcastic edge. Jagger even believed that Lennon looked to him for inspiration after leaving The Beatles.

Let’s take a look at what Jagger had to say about these two icons and the influence he may have had on Lennon’s music.

John Lennon Was ‘Acerbic’ While Paul McCartney Was ‘Nice’

In a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone, Jagger opened up about his friendship with Lennon. While he respected both John and Paul, he had a lot more to say about Lennon. Jagger recalled:

“[John] was educated and very smart and cynical and funny and really amusing company.
“He had a very funny take on the rest of The Beatles. If they boasted too much about how great they were, he had ways to shut them up. He’d say, ‘Don’t worry, he’s just getting used to being famous. Shurrup!’
“As if he’d been famous longer, you know.”

While Jagger also got along with McCartney, he admitted that their personalities were very different. He said:

“But I used to get on with Paul as well.
“Paul is very nice and easy to get on with—didn’t have the acerbic side. You always knew with John, you’re gonna be on the end of a lot of sarcastic remarks that you weren’t always in the mood for.”

Lennon’s sharp wit and blunt honesty made him one of the most compelling figures in rock history. But Jagger’s comments suggest that his sarcasm could sometimes be a bit much, even for close friends.

Jagger’s Musical Influence on Lennon

Aside from their friendship, Jagger believed he played a role in Lennon’s musical journey—especially after Lennon left The Beatles. Jagger explained:

“There was a professional thing above the friendship.
“You could talk about problems, bounce things off each other, and get a different take on it. Later, when John wasn’t in The Beatles anymore, he was bouncing more ideas off me than ever before.”

While Lennon had many creative influences, Jagger made it clear that he was one of the people Lennon frequently turned to for feedback. It’s fascinating to think that one of rock’s greatest songwriters valued Jagger’s input so much in his post-Beatles years.

John Lennon Loved a Rolling Stones Song—And Thought He Inspired It

Lennon, for his part, had his own thoughts about Jagger’s music. In a 1980 interview from All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Lennon revealed that he believed he helped inspire The Rolling Stones’ hit “Miss You.”

According to Lennon, his song “Bless You” from the album Walls and Bridges was the model for “Miss You,” though he wasn’t sure if Jagger realized it.

Despite the similarity, Lennon wasn’t bitter about it. He openly praised the Stones’ song.

He even admitted: “Miss You” is a better song than “Bless You.”

That level of humility and open-mindedness was rare among rock legends, especially when it came to comparing their music to others. At a time when many rock artists dismissed disco, Lennon appreciated The Rolling Stones’ disco-influenced hit and even considered it superior to one of his own songs.

Lennon also believed that music belonged to everyone and that only music publishers cared about ownership.