4 Beatles Songs Paul McCartney and John Lennon Wrote as Teenagers

Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote dozens of songs for the Beatles, most of which are credited to the iconic "Lennon-McCartney" and, on rare occasions, "McCartney-Lennon." As teenagers, the duo made a pact that both their names would appear on their songs, regardless of who wrote them. This partnership set the stage for one of music history’s most legendary songwriting collaborations. 

Some of the Beatles’ fan favorites actually began as songs penned by a young Lennon and McCartney in Liverpool, both before and during their days with the Quarrymen. Whether written solo or as a team, these tracks foreshadow the artists’ creative genius; a genius that would one day set the tone for the musical landscape of the 1960s and 70s. 

Here are four Beatles songs John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote as teenagers.

1. "Hello Little Girl"
2. "One After 909"
3. "I'll Follow the Sun"
4. "Love Me Do"

"Hello Little Girl"

John Lennon wrote his first song, "Hello Little Girl," in 1957 when he was just 16. Inspired by a 1930s or ‘40s tune his mother used to sing to him, Lennon’s first musical endeavor is credited to Lennon-McCartney. The Beatles performed it during their 1962 Decca audition. The Fourmost and Gerry & The Pacemakers recorded their own versions, and the Beatles followed in 1963. "Hello Little Girl," an idea jotted down by a young Lennon, eventually appeared on the Fab Four's Anthology 1.

“That was me. That was actually my first song. That always fascinated me for some reason or another. It’s also connected to my mother. It’s all very Freudian. She used to sing that one. So I made ‘Hello Little Girl’ out of it,” Lennon revealed during his “last major interview” with David Sheff. 

"One After 909"

Lennon, still just 16, also wrote "One After 909," though it wouldn’t be released for another 13 years. Credited to Lennon-McCartney, as McCartney gave his "input," the song was finally recorded during the Beatles’ legendary rooftop concert in 1969 and released on Let It Be in 1970, shortly after their breakup.

The lyrics paint a picture of a man trying to travel with his "honey," only to miss the train by showing up at the wrong station.

"That was something I wrote when I was about 17," Lennon told Sheff of the inspiration behind the title, "I lived at 9 Newcastle Road. I was born on the ninth of October, the ninth month. It’s just a number that follows me around, but, numerologically, apparently I’m a number six or a three or something, but it’s all part of nine."

"I'll Follow the Sun"

Paul McCartney wrote "I'll Follow the Sun" around 1958, also at age 16. Credited to Lennon-McCartney, the song appears on Beatles For Sale, released in 1964 with McCartney on lead vocals. 

The Quarrymen, the duo’s original band that also featured George Harrison, performed the song years earlier. "I’ll Follow The Sun," a bit more serious than McCartney’s usual style, was later released as the B-side to "Baby It’s You" in 1995.

Commenting on the song’s origins in The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, McCartney recalled:

“I’ll Follow The Sun was one of those very early ones. I seem to remember writing it just after I’d had the flu and I had that cigarette – I smoked when I was 16 – the cigarette that’s the ‘cotton wool’ one. You don’t smoke while you’re ill, but after you get better you have a cigarette, and it’s terrible; it tastes like cotton wool, horrible. I remember standing in the parlor, with my guitar, looking out through the lace curtains of the window, and writing that one."

"Love Me Do"

"Love Me Do" was among McCartney and Lennon’s first true collaborations. According to the Beatles Bible, McCartney wrote the verses at 16, and Lennon contributed the bridge. Written around 1958 and released in 1962, "Love Me Do" was the Beatles’ debut single, with "P.S. I Love You" as the B-side. It was later featured on the group’s first studio album, Please Please Me, and hit number one in the U.S. in 1964.

McCartney remembers the track as their first attempt to mimic the blues.

"'Love Me Do' was us trying to do the blues. We were just young Liverpool musicians. We didn't have any finesse...But 'Love Me Do' was probably the first bluesy thing we tried to do," he shared in Mark Lewisohn's book "The Beatles Recording Sessions."

"Love Me Do" remains a Beatles classic and a testament to the songwriting skills of a teenage Lennon and McCartney. Its simple lyrics and timeless melody have kept it spinning for over 60 years, much like the entirety of their catalog. 

Read More: