29 years

ago, on 8th December 1980, John Lennon was shot dead outside his home in New York city. At the time and since, there have been many reactions to his death. From those closest to him, there were several musical responses: from Elton John, the song Empty Garden; from George Harrison, All Those Years Ago, on his 1981 album Somewhere In England; from Yoko Ono, John's wife, the harrowing album Season Of Glass. And from Paul McCartney, the song Here Today on his 1982 album, Tug Of War.

McCartney's offering could never plumb the depths of emotional trauma that Yoko's did - she was his wife, after all, and with him when he was killed. Yet Here Today has its own deep resonances and is, in its own way, a remarkable statement.

McCartney & Lennon famously fell-out as the Beatles imploded and were never visibly close friends thereafter. But having lived through so much together left its mark and in this song McCartney testifies to such, with obvious regret at their latter years of distanced relationship.

Its most telling line, though, is surely the unexpected acknowledgement from one Liverpudlian man to another, 'I love you'.

Well said, Paul.

It's on Spotify, complete with a Yesterday-style string quartet. And here are the lyrics.

And if I say I really knew you well,
What would would your answer be
If you were here today?
Here today.

Well, knowing you,
You'd probably laugh and say that
We were worlds apart,
If you were here today.
Here today.

But as for me,
I still remember how it was before.
And I am holding back the tears no more.
I love you.

What about the time we met,
Well I suppose that you could say that we were playing hard to get.
Didn't understand a thing.
But we could always sing.

What about the night we cried,
Because there wasn't any reason left to keep it all inside.
Never understood a word.
But you were always there with a smile.

And if I say I really loved you
And was glad you came along.
If you were here today,
For you were in my song.
Here today