JOHN LENNON used to lie awake at night agonising over why Paul McCartney’s songs were more popular than his own, Yoko Ono has revealed.

Receiving a special award to mark the 65th anniversary of her late husband’s birth, Ono spoke about the crises of confidence that gave the Beatle sleepless nights.

In comments likely to damage Ono’s already sensitive relationship with Sir Paul, the Japanese artist said that she pacified John by assuring him that his songs were more sophisticated than his colleague’s simple rhythms.

Ono, 72, accepted the award at the Q Magazine ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel. Delivering an emotional speech in front of Coldplay, Oasis, Jimmy Page and Ray Davies, she said that John worried that other artists preferred to perform Paul’s songs.

She said: “John was very human. In the middle of the night he would say, ‘They always cover Paul’s songs, they never cover mine’.

“I said to him, ‘You’re a good song writer, it’s not June-with-spoon that you write. You’re a good singer too. Most musicians would be a bit nervous about covering your songs’.”

Ono appeared to imply that Sir Paul’s lyrics were from the “moon, June, spoon” school of rhyming love songs, a criticism applied to simplistic song writing.

Her comments reopened the long-running debate over which of the Beatles’ songwriting team was the greater talent, but they will also be seen as a snub to Sir Paul.

They last clashed over Sir Paul’s request to reverse the Lennon-McCartney credits on Beatles’ classics, which are widely recognised to be McCartney’s work. Yoko objec-ted to the request and Sir Paul backed down.

Ono said: “I wish John was here today, because he would have enjoyed attending a room full of bands inspired by his example.” She also delighted Liam Gallagher by anointing Oasis as the keeper of Lennon’s spirit in modern rock.

A room of warring musical factions united to give Ono a standing ovation. Oasis, winners of the best album and people’s choice categories, were seated at the furthest points away from Damon Albarn and Chris Martin, artists against whom the Manchester band have previously declared hostilities.

Martin dedicated their award to Alan McGee, the record mogul behind Oasis, who had dismissed Coldplay as “bedwetters” six years ago. Martin said: “We are the best act in the world today so he must be having a heart attack.”

There was a breakthrough for a new breed of British melodic songwriters with James Blunt winning best new act and K T Tunstall, the Scottish singer-guitarist, taking the best track award.

SIX BY JOHN

Strawberry Fields
Nowhere Man
All You Need is Love
Come Together
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Norwegian Wood

. . . AND BY PAUL

Penny Lane
Yesterday
Eleanor Rigby
Hey Jude
Let It Be
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da

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