Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together

James with his famous father, Paul McCartney, back in 2015. (Richard Young/Shutterstock via CNN Newsource)

LONDON — A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.

Yet fans of the Beatles have been taken by surprise by a new single released by the sons of two of the Fab Four - James McCartney and Sean Ono Lennon, who are both musicians themselves.

The new single, entitled “Primrose Hill” after a park in north London that offers a panoramic view of the city, was announced by McCartney, son of Paul and his late wife Linda, on Instagram four days ago.

Together with a picture of the pair - who look startlingly like their famous fathers - he wrote: “‘Primrose Hill’ is here! Today I am so very excited to share my latest song co-written by my good friend @sean_ono_lennon. With the release of this song it feels like we’re really getting the ball rolling and I am so excited to continue to share music with you.”

In a separate post, McCartney revealed the inspiration behind the song. He said: “I had a vision as a child in Scotland, on what was a lovely summers day. Letting go, I saw my true love and saviour in my mind’s eye. ‘Primrose Hill’ is about getting the ball rolling with me & finding this person.”

Written and composed by the pair, the acoustic song recalls a time spent with a loved one at the popular beauty spot.

McCartney’s sister Mary, a professional photographer, also played a part in the song’s promotion, capturing short clips of her brother performing at his piano and apparently in silhouette on Primrose Hill itself.

The second-generation performers were both born in the 1970s after the Beatles split up.

There seems to have been no word from Ono Lennon, son of John and Yoko, but the song did have a ringing endorsement from Macca himself. Flagging the release to his millions of followers worldwide on social media, Paul McCartney wrote: “My son James has a new song out called ‘Primrose Hill’ - check it out! And lots of love to Sean Ono Lennon who co-wrote the song.”

The picture of the pair used to promote the song is not new. It was first posted by Ono Lennon on Instagram back in 2018, captioned “Peakaboo…”

The bougie north London suburb of Primrose Hill is a stone’s throw from the city’s Regent’s Park and the famous market at Camden Town. It is no stranger to the rich and famous, even spawning a “Primrose Hill set” in the 1990s after a host of stars - among them Jude Law, Liam Gallagher and Kate Moss - moved in.