The day after discussions around a possible appearance on NBC’s Saturday Night (later Saturday Night Live), John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for what would become their final in-person encounter.

The meeting took place in New York, where Lennon was living at the Dakota building. According to accounts, McCartney arrived unannounced and was turned away at the door.

Despite this moment of awkwardness, Lennon later characterised the relationship as broadly amicable, though strained by the practical realities of their separate lives and responsibilities.

“Paul just kept turning up at our door with a guitar… I said, ‘Please call before you come over.’”
— John Lennon, 1980 (All We Are Saying, David Sheff)

Lennon explained that the request was not personal rejection, but a reflection of domestic life at the time, with childcare and privacy concerns making spontaneous visits difficult.

After leaving New York, McCartney travelled to Dallas, Texas, where Wings began rehearsals for the US leg of their world tour. Although the two remained in contact by phone and correspondence, they would never meet face-to-face again.

FAQs

Did Lennon and McCartney meet in 1976?

Accounts describe a brief, final face-to-face encounter in New York.

Where did the meeting take place?

At the Dakota building, where John Lennon lived.

Was McCartney invited?

No — reports suggest he arrived unannounced and was not admitted.

Why was the visit awkward?

Lennon was focused on family life and preferred planned visits.

Did they meet again afterwards?

No, they remained in contact but never met in person again.