Paul McCartney recently brought out his former bandmate Ringo Starr during a concert in London. But while such public reunions of the Beatles are rare, they take place quite frequently in McCartney’s subconscious.

“As a musician, you often have dreams about being in the studio or on stage,” he told BBC Radio Scotland (as reported by the Daily Mail), “so I’m often with the guys. Just the other morning, I woke up and I was with George [Harrison]. And that was very nice. I think of George as my little mate – he was the youngest in the group. That’s how I run into John [Lennon] and George these days. So the Beatles have re-formed – in my head.”

The Beatles announced their breakup in 1970 and they never reunited as a foursome, although they came close on a number of occasions. In the mid-’90s, more than a decade after Lennon’s murder, McCartney, Harrison and Starr overdubbed new parts onto a pair of Lennon demos for the Anthology project. Then Harrison passed away in 2001, but the spirits of McCartney’s departed colleagues remain with him.

“John and George are still a big part of my life, always will be,” he also admitted. “It would have been great to get the Beatles back together again. People always say, ‘What if’? But we can’t so, sadly, that’s not going to happen. I often think about them with a lot of sadness, because they should still be here. In John’s case, it was a terrible thing. In George’s, a terrible illness.”

“Even though there is sadness, the main thing is the joy of knowing those two guys,” McCartney concluded. “I miss them a lot.”

The Best Song on Every Beatles Album

‘Please Please Me’ (1963): “I Saw Her Standing There”

The opening song on the Beatles’ debut album and the B-side of their first U.S. Capitol single. Any wonder why it holds such a special place in fans’ hearts?

‘With the Beatles’ (1963): “All My Loving”

An early Beatles original that was never released as a single but became one of their most popular songs just as Beatlemania was taking hold.

‘A Hard Day’s Night’ (1964): “A Hard Day’s Night”

The title track to the group’s first movie begins with a chiming chord that rings like a bell signaling a new era. And in a sense it was: the first Beatles album to include all original material by Lennon and McCartney.

‘Help!’ (1965): “Yesterday”

McCartney wasn’t even 23 when he recorded “Yesterday,” one of the most covered songs in music history. He reflects like a man twice his age on what is basically a solo track (producer George Martin brought in some strings). One of the Beatles’ first steps toward maturity … and a timeless classic.

‘Beatles for Sale’ (1964): “Eight Days a Week”

Beatlemania was draining the group by the end of 1964, when their fourth album in a year came out. You can hear the strain throughout Beatles for Sale, but “Eight Days a Week” still shimmers.

‘Rubber Soul’ (1965): “In My Life”

McCartney had “Yesterday”; Lennon had “In My Life.” He had just turned 25 when he recorded this plaintive song about looking back. The Beatles had grown up immensely since “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” “In My Life” was just the start.

‘Revolver’ (1966): “Tomorrow Never Knows”

Recorded at the start of the Revolver sessions, “Tomorrow Never Knows” is the sound of the Beatles reinventing themselves and modern music in the process. Tape loops, backward guitars and an abstract wall of noise serve as the bedrocks of a truly revolutionary work. Nothing was the same after this.

‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (1967): “A Day in the Life”

The Beatles’ vision, ambition and execution flawlessly come together in five and a half breathtaking minutes. It’s the culmination of the landmark Sgt. Pepper’s LP and of the band’s career, stitched together from two separate songs. Pop art doesn’t get more sublime than this.

‘Magical Mystery Tour’ (1967): “I Am the Walrus”

A bit of lyrical surrealism by Lennon that perfectly suits the Beatles’ post-Sgt. Pepper’s creative rush. Loaded with sound effects and distorted side trips, “I Am the Walrus” is a grand aural experiment.

‘The Beatles’ (1968): “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

Harrison’s tour de force is a sly dig at the other Beatles during one of their most tumultuous periods. The White Album is basically four solo albums with assist from the other members and occasionally outside guests – like Eric Clapton, who contributes a searing guitar solo here.

‘Yellow Submarine’ (1968): “Hey Bulldog”

Recorded before the White Album but not released until the Yellow Submarine soundtrack a year later, “Hey Bulldog” belies the difficult times ahead with its playful tone, which includes Lennon and McCartney barking like dogs.

‘Abbey Road’ (1969): “Something”

Harrison was finally given an A-side of a Beatles single, pulled from the final album they recorded. It went to No. 1. A majestic love song better than anything on the LP written by his two more established bandmates.

‘Let It Be’ (1970): “Let It Be”

McCartney’s tribute to his late mother doubles as a meditative hymn to the final days of the Beatles. They knew the end was near. “Let It Be” is their somber farewell.

Source: Paul McCartney Dreams About Reuniting the Beatles