In the 1960s, McCallum recorded four albums for Capitol Records with music producer David Axelrod: Music...A Part of Me (Capitol ST 2432, 1966), Music...A Bit More of Me (Capitol ST 2498, 1966), Music...It's Happening Now! (Capitol ST 2651, 1967), and McCallum (Capitol ST 2748, 1968). The best known of his pieces today is "The Edge", which was sampled by Dr. Dre as the intro and riff to the track "The Next Episode", "M.I.A" by Missin' Linx, and "No Regrets" by Masta Ace.
McCallum did not sing on these records, as many television stars of the 1960s did when offered recording contracts. As a classically trained musician, he conceived a blend of oboe, English horn, and strings with guitar and drums, and presented instrumental interpretations of hits of the day. The official arranger on the albums was H. B. Barnum. However, McCallum conducted, and contributed several original compositions of his own, over the course of four LPs. The first two, Music...A Part of Me and Music...A Bit More of Me, have been issued together on CD on the Zonophone label. On Open Channel D, McCallum did sing on the first four tracks, "Communication", "House on Breckenridge Lane", "In The Garden, Under The Tree" (the theme song from the movie Three Bites of the Apple), and "My Carousel". The music tracks are the same as the Zonophone CD. This CD was released on the Rev-Ola label. The single release of "Communication" reached No. 32 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1966.
In recent years, McCallum gained renewed international recognition and popularity for his role as NCIS medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard in the American television series NCIS.
Michelle
David McCallum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
These are words that go together well
My Michelle
Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble
I love you, I love you, I love you
That's all I want to say
I will say the only words I know you'll understand
Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble
I need to, I need to, I need to
I need to make you see
Oh, what you mean to me
Until I do I'm hoping you will know what I mean
I love you
I want you, I want you, I want you
I think you know by now
I'll get to you somehow
Until I do I'm telling you so you'll understand
Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble
And I will say the only words I know that you'll understand
My Michelle
The lyrics of Michelle, written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, describe the love and devotion the singer has for a woman named Michelle. The song is often interpreted as a love letter to a French woman, with the lyrics alternating between English and French phrases. McCartney's experience studying French in school likely influenced the inclusion of French in the song. The repeated phrase "Michelle, ma belle" is a term of endearment, which translates to "Michelle, my beautiful one."
The singer expresses that they love Michelle and that they want her to know how much she means to them. They acknowledge that they may not know how to express their love adequately, but they will continue to try until they can convey the depth of their emotion. The singer also expresses a sense of urgency, stating that they need to make Michelle see how much she means to them.
The song is a classic example of McCartney's songwriting prowess and his ability to convey powerful emotions with a simple melody and lyric. Michelle has remained a favorite among Beatles fans, and it has been covered by many artists over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Michelle, ma belle
Addressing Michelle, whose name is beautiful
These are words that go together well
Stating that the words he is about to say complement each other
My Michelle
Emphasizing ownership and affection towards Michelle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Reiterating that these are the words that complement each other well
Tres bien ensemble
Expressing that they go together very well
I love you, I love you, I love you
Repeatedly expressing his love for Michelle
That's all I want to say
Stating that his love is the only message he wants to convey
Until I find a way
Implying that he will continue to express his love until he can find another way to show it
I will say the only words I know you'll understand
Reiterating that his message of love is the only way he knows he can communicate his feelings to Michelle
I need to, I need to, I need to
Repeatedly expressing a desire to do something
I need to make you see
Wanting Michelle to understand how much she means to him
Oh, what you mean to me
Expressing the depth of his feelings towards Michelle
Until I do I'm hoping you will know what I mean
While he is trying to find a way to show his feelings, he hopes Michelle can understand his love for her
I love you
Reiterating his love for Michelle
I want you, I want you, I want you
Repeatedly expressing his desire to be with Michelle
I think you know by now
Believing that Michelle knows how he feels about her
I'll get to you somehow
Promising to find a way to be with Michelle
Until I do I'm telling you so you'll understand
Until he can be with Michelle, he will continue to express his feelings so she knows how he feels
Michelle, ma belle
Calling Michelle's name again
And I will say the only words I know that you'll understand
Reiterating that expressing his love is the only way he can communicate with Michelle
My Michelle
Endearingly calling Michelle his own
Writer(s): Paul Mccartney, John Lennon
Contributed by Aiden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.