Posted by Adam

Wednesday July 8, 2009

Sir Paul McCartney insists he “didn’t believe for a second” reports that Michael Jackson would leave the rights to the Beatles back catalog to him.

It was claimed earlier this year that Jacko — who died Thursday, June 25 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles — was keen to repair his relationship with McCartney by passing the lucrative catalog on to him in his will.

Jackson’s 50 per cent share in the Beatles catalogue was one of the late singer’s most valuable assets and, together with other song rights, was estimated to be worth in the region of $450 million.

Jackson bought Northern Songs — which owned almost all the Lennon and McCartney Beatles compositions — in the mid 1980s, outbidding Sir Paul.

But Paul has spoken out to set the record straight.

“Some time ago, the media came up with the idea that Michael Jackson was going to leave his share in the Beatles songs to me in his will which was completely made up and something I didn’t believe for a second,” he said.

“Now, the report is that I am devastated to find that he didn’t leave the songs to me. This is completely untrue. I had not thought for one minute that the original report was true and, therefore, the report that I’m devastated is also totally false, so don’t believe everything you read folks!

“In fact, though Michael and I drifted apart over the years, we never really fell out, and I have fond memories of our time together.”

Tags: michael jackson, paul mccartney