Did Jackson Will McCartneythe Beatles Publishing Rights?

Think back to the new story last year that Michael Jackson was to will his share the Beatle's Song Catalog back to Paul McCartney? Will McCartney now get his songs back?

The homepage on McCartney's website states...

"It's so sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones. I send my deepest sympathy to his mother and the whole family and to his countless fans all around the world."

Most kind of McCartney if you concider how his former friend and co-collaborator later would stab him in his back. McCartney often retold the anectdote of how he provided Michael some brotherly advice saying he should invest in a pasion of his like Music Publishing. McCartney was pretty sure his friend and one-time singing partner was joking when Jackson tittered, "One day I'm going to buy your songs Paul".

Only Michael was not joking. In the mid eighties, Jackson outbid The Beatle and invested 47.5 Million for the Beatles publishing catalog

Today, the future of the Beatles Publishing is unknown after M.J.'s passing.

Last January, a reputable British newspaper had a report that someone in Jackson's circle had stated, "Michael told his lawyers he was sad he no longer talks to Sir Paul and said he wanted to make things right." Maybe Jackson foresaw his premature passing later the same year and wished to right his previous mistake?

But who really owns the catalog now? Was Michael able to retain his publishing purchase despite his poor finaical condition? Michael gave up fifty percent to Sony but kept the other fifty percent of the lucrative catalog.

Just 4 years ago, The Wall Street Journal reported Jackson was up to five hundred Million in debt.

So is it likely the Beatles song catalog will become property of a Jackson creditor? Or, maybe willed to his former singing partner and collaborator Paul McCartney. Keep those fingers crossed.

Paul and Michael's brief musical partnership began after McCartney wrote "Girlfriend" for his London Town album with Jackson in mind. Jackson didn't record the song, but thought of McCartney for his next project "Thriller".

So, McCartney and Jackson worked together in 1982 on Jackson's "This Girl is Mine" for the Thriller album.

Even post death, Jackson continues to provide the strangest stories.

- Pete the Beatle Geek
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