The Last Beatles Song John Lennon Sang
John Lennon (1940 - 1980) of the Beatles plays the guitar in a hotel room in Paris, 16th January 1964. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
As John Lennon approached the end of his life, it seemed unlikely he’d ever perform a Beatles song live again. He had largely withdrawn from touring, and fans had little reason to expect he’d revisit his Beatles catalog during one of his rare public appearances. However, Lennon gave fans an unexpected gift by performing one last Beatles classic before his tragic death — and it all happened thanks to a bet.
The Last Beatles Song Lennon Performed Live
One of Lennon’s final live performances took place at Madison Square Garden, where he joined Elton John on stage. Lennon had become increasingly private and reluctant to perform live, so it took a friendly wager to bring him back into the spotlight.
During the set, the two performed “I Saw Her Standing There,” an early Beatles hit beloved by fans. Co-written by Lennon and Paul McCartney, the track represents the duo’s early songwriting style. McCartney recalled:
“I wrote it with John in the front parlour of my house in 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton.
“We sagged off school and wrote it on guitars and a little bit on the piano that I had there.”
McCartney added:
“We were learning our skill. John would like some of my lines and not others… There would sometimes be a cringe line, such as, ‘She was just seventeen, she’d never been a beauty queen.’ John thought, ‘Beauty queen? Ugh.’ So we asked ourselves, what should it be? We came up with, ‘You know what I mean.’ Which was good, because you don’t know what I mean.”
In hindsight, it felt poetic that “I Saw Her Standing There” would become the final Beatles song Lennon ever performed in public.
A Bet That Led to a Bittersweet Moment
Before their Madison Square Garden appearance, Lennon and Elton John collaborated on the track “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night.” The two shared a strong friendship, and this collaboration also strengthened their professional ties.
After recording the song, John bet Lennon that if it hit No. 1 on the charts, he’d have to join him on stage in New York. To Lennon’s surprise, the song did top the charts, and true to his word, he made a surprise appearance, leading to what would become a historic and emotional performance.
