Sir Paul McCartney has defended his decision to reverse Beatles' song-writing credits, saying Yoko Ono got her "knickers in a twist".

The singer reversed the famous "Lennon-McCartney" credit on 19 songs on his new live album.

The truth is that this is much ado about nothing Sir Paul McCartney

He said he thought it was only fair that people realised which songs he had written solo and said he was happy for John Lennon's name still to go first on all co-written songs.

"I think it is fair and accurate for the songs that John declared were mine to carry my name first," he said.

Sir Paul described the row with Yoko Ono, as reported in the press, as a "long-running and rather silly dispute".

He added: "The truth is that this is much ado about nothing and there is no need for anybody to get their knickers in a twist."

Despite reports that Yoko Ono was considering legal action, her spokesman denied she was consulting lawyers.

Original order

He said it was harmless to reverse the credit on songs he wrote on his own.

Lennon songs A Hard Day's Night You've Got To Hide Your Love Away Ticket To Ride Norwegian Wood Strawberry Fields Forever Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds I Am The Walrus Come Together

The millionaire singer explained that the original order for credits was decided by John Lennon and the Beatles' late manager Brian Epstein.

"I arrived at the meeting to find that Brian and John had already independently decided the the billing would be 'songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney'," he said.

McCartney songs I Saw Her Standing There Can't Buy Me Love Yesterday Eleanor Rigby Here, There and Everywhere The Fool on the Hill Hey Jude Let It Be

"I said, 'What about McCartney/Lennon?' They said, 'We'll do this for now and we can change it around to be fair at any point in the future'.

"Having been reassured by this I let the matter go and our songs became known as Lennon/McCartney songs, a fact I was perfectly happy about."

But Sir Paul said he had been distressed by Yoko Ono's objections to putting his name first on the track Yesterday.

He said he recently found a pianist book in a bar with "Hey Jude written by John Lennon".

"If there is an argument for 'correct labelling' I think this is probably the best one," he said.