Just revealed: In 1972 John Lennon & Yoko Ono wrote to Paul and Linda McCartney (using the pseudonyms Sonny and Cher O’Lennon) asking them to join the Plastic Ono Band and The Rolling Stones for a charity concert at Madison Square Garden to support Ireland.
John and Yoko were prompted by the McCartneys single with Wings called “Give Ireland Back to the Irish.” He also asked them then later to play at the One To One concert in support of the children at the scandalous Willowbrook State School on Staten Island.
Lennon may have also have gotten the idea from George Harrison’s Concert for Bangla Desh a year earlier, in which one of the artists participated.
The letter is included in the book from the “Power to the People” Box set Sean Lennon is releasing shortly that includes remastered audio and video from the “One to One” shows.
“Let’s forget our past and save some people!” John wrote in the letter. He also says he’s spoken to Mick Jagger. He adds, “Good luds, anyway, we’re proud of you!”
That last line will come as a shock to Beatles historians who are convinced Lennon and McCartney were still at war in 1972 after the band’s acrimonious break up.
Alas, Wings and the Stones did not join the Lennons. We’ll have to ask them if they responded to the letter.
There’s a nice little dig at the bottom, by the way: “No A.K. at MSG if it’s uncool” — means no Allen Klein, the lawyer who Lennon used to break up the Beatles (and McCartney hated) and who also held onto the Stones’ catalog, forcing them to leave it behind and sign with Atlantic Records a year earlier (Jagger hated him, too).
But even that was no inducement!
WINGS, PLASTIC ONO + STONES?!
LET’S FORGET OUR PAST AND SAVE SOME PEOPLE!https://t.co/CEX3x13mj3
John & Yoko wrote to Paul and Linda (as Sonny and Cher O’Lennon) asking them to join Plastic Ono Band and The Rolling Stones for a charity concert at Madison Square Garden to support… pic.twitter.com/Qs2lsTR4mX— John Lennon (@johnlennon) September 8, 2025
