Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942 - Liverpool, England) is a British singer, musician and songwriter, who first came to prominence as a member of The Beatles. Linda McCartney established herself as a professional photographer in the rock and roll scene, and met her second husband, Paul McCartney, while photographing groups for a book titled Rock and Other Four Letter Words in 1967. They met at a night club called the Bag o' Nails in May of 1967 and married in 1969. After the breakup of the The Beatles in 1970, Paul began teaching Linda to play keyboards, and included her in the lineup for his new band, Wings. Although Linda was shunned by music critics for her amateur singing and playing skills, Wings garnered several Grammy Awards for their music, and became one of the most successful bands of the 1970s.
A Love for You
Paul & Linda McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Your light is shining through
The shadows are everywhere
But you don't have a care
What love has done to you
Is set you free
What love has done to you
Is plain to see
What love has done to you
Ain’t nothing that you can't do
The critics will say you're wrong
But you keep singing your own song
What love has done to you
Is set you free
What love has done to you
Is plain to see
What love has done to you
Your dreams are coming true
The doubters are all around
But you don't hear a sound
What love has done to you
Is set you free
What love has done to you
It's brought you back to me
In the song "A Love for You" by Paul & Linda McCartney, the lyrics express the transformative power of love on an individual's life. The opening lines, "What love has done to you, Your light is shining through, The shadows are everywhere, But you don't have a care," convey the idea that love has brought a sense of brightness and freedom to the person. Despite challenges and obstacles represented by the shadows, the individual remains unfazed and carefree, illustrating the liberating effect of love.
The lyrics continue to emphasize the empowering nature of love with lines like, "What love has done to you, Ain’t nothing that you can't do, The critics will say you're wrong, But you keep singing your own song." Here, the song speaks to the confidence and resilience that love instills in the person, enabling them to pursue their dreams and passions despite external criticism and doubt. Love acts as a source of inner strength that propels the individual forward, unencumbered by negativity or naysayers.
As the song progresses, it conveys a sense of fulfillment and achievement stemming from love, as evidenced by the lines, "What love has done to you, Your dreams are coming true, The doubters are all around, But you don't hear a sound." The individual's dreams are becoming a reality, and despite the presence of skeptics or detractors, they remain undeterred and focused on their path. Love is portrayed as a catalyst for success and resilience in the face of adversity, allowing the person to persevere and realize their aspirations.
In the final lines, the lyrics poignantly reflect on the reunion and reconnection that love has facilitated, stating, "What love has done to you, Is set you free, What love has done to you, It's brought you back to me." Here, love is depicted as a unifying force that not only liberates the individual but also strengthens relationships and fosters a sense of belonging. The song encapsulates the profound impact of love in empowering, inspiring, and ultimately bringing people together in a transformative journey of self-discovery and fulfillment.
Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), Évangeline/APEM
Written by: Paul Cargnello
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Just Another Random Crit
There’s something about this song. The first time I heard it was like I had been listening to it my whole life.
dranelemakol
Right? And what's crazy is I feel that about half of McCartney's songs. It's either that so much music we hear has been ripped off from him, or I heard it in commercials or radio as a child, or the man is literally channeling pure melody out of our collective unconscious
clay novak
I feel the same exact way
E. Belloq
For me this is the greatest version.
I cannot tell why, but listening to this song makes me feel happy.
The man can do that!
Ah. and the bass line just lovely.
Cindy Warnick
I agree, some of his songs make me so uplifted. Bouncing around in my chair. :-)
Joaquim Duarte
When I first heard this song at the end of The In-laws I didn't know it was Paul singing. It just felt and sounded fuh-ing cool. At the same time the voice sounded familiar and I even said to my wife "these guys [I assumed it was a band] sound a lot like Paul". And then I saw the final credits and my thoughts were "why and how don't I know this amazing song when I have nearly everything that Paul ever published (including the less known Percy Thrills Thrillington, The Fireman, Twin Freaks & Liverpool Sound Collage)? Part of the explanation is that this was an outtake from Ram ("seriously?!" You might ask), the other reason being that Paul is so prolific that there's no end to what you can unearth from his music vaults. From classical (I love Standing Stone and Ecce Cor Meum) to Jazz and Latin compositions, bits of punk and even heavy metal (late 70's type), Paul has done it all. There's even stuff in YouTube that seems to have his trademark (Now and Then, for example, that was worked for the Anthology and dropped by George). Long story short, Paul's a genius and even his scrapped material is better than the best of most artists' portfolio out there, so no wonder this is a huge song resurfacing from his second choice catalogue. 🖖😊❤
Marcos Salas
Underrated masterpiece
La Co
Another awesome vocal from Paul. Just amazing. Of course, it's Paul. It's brilliant.
Eric Hix
He’s brilliant
La Co
Yep. This song gets me happy and dancing. And this is the better/best version of this great little song