Korina Lopez

USA TODAY

To Beatles fans, getting the band back together was a no-brainer must-do. But to The Beatles, they weren't sure it would have been a successful venture.

Paul McCartney, who is busy promoting his Out There stadium tour, called into Los Angeles' KROQ radio show on Tuesday to talk about the good old days.

Band members were badgered about a reunion for years, and while it may seem they turned down the idea because they simply didn't want to reunite, it was also out of fear that they'd upset the fans. "'If we get back together again, it could fall flat, we might not enjoy it, so why do it?'" McCartney explained. "As we say in England, leave 'em laughing."

In 1976, the boys were thisclose to reuniting. Paul and John were hanging out in Lennon's New York City apartment watching Saturday Night Live. They toyed with the idea of just showing up at the studio in response to Lorne Michaels' offer to fork over $3,000 for a Beatles reunion. They didn't take the bait, obviously.

"Once or twice, it was quite tempting, we got some tempting offers," he says. "(But) why spoil the whole thing and come out of retirement and have it not work, so we decided against it. I agree with you, it was the smartest move."