A self-taught musician, McCartney is proficient on bass, guitar, keyboards, and drums. He is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing (mainly playing with a plectrum), his versatile and wide tenor vocal range (spanning over four octaves), and his eclecticism (exploring styles ranging from pre-rock and roll pop to classical and electronica). McCartney began his career as a member of the Quarrymen in 1957, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. Starting with the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, he gradually became the Beatles' de facto leader, providing the creative impetus for most of their music and film projects. His Beatles songs "And I Love Her" (1964), "Yesterday" (1965), "Eleanor Rigby" (1966) and "Blackbird" (1968) rank among the most covered songs in history.
In 1970, McCartney debuted as a solo artist with the album McCartney. Throughout the 1970s, he led Wings, one of the most successful bands of the decade, with more than a dozen international top 10 singles and albums. McCartney resumed his solo career in 1980. Since 1989, he has toured consistently as a solo artist. In 1993, he formed the music duo the Fireman with Youth of Killing Joke. Beyond music, he has taken part in projects to promote international charities related to such subjects as animal rights, seal hunting, land mines, vegetarianism, poverty, and music education.
McCartney is one of the most successful composers and performers of all time. He has written or co-written 32 songs that have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and as of 2009, had sales of 25.5 million RIAA-certified units in the United States. His honours include two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of the Beatles in 1988 and as a solo artist in 1999), 18 Grammy Awards, an appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1965, and a knighthood in 1997 for services to music. As of 2020, he is also one of the wealthiest musicians in the world, with an estimated fortune of £800 million.
Best known for primarily using a plectrum or pick, McCartney occasionally plays fingerstyle. He was strongly influenced by Motown artists, in particular James Jamerson, whom McCartney called a hero for his melodic style. He was also influenced by Brian Wilson, as he commented: "because he went to very unusual places". Another favourite bassist of his is Stanley Clarke. McCartney's skill as a bass player has been acknowledged by bassists including Sting, Dr. Dre bassist Mike Elizondo, and Colin Moulding of XTC.
During McCartney's early years with the Beatles, he primarily used a Höfner 500/1 bass, although from 1965, he favoured his Rickenbacker 4001S for recording. While typically using Vox amplifiers, by 1967, he had also begun using a Fender Bassman for amplification. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he used a Wal 5-String, which he said made him play more thick-sounding basslines, in contrast to the much lighter Höfner, which inspired him to play more sensitively, something he considers fundamental to his playing style. He changed back to the Höfner around 1990 for that reason. He uses Mesa Boogie bass amplifiers while performing live.
McCartney was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of the Beatles and again as a solo artist in 1999. In 1979, the Guinness Book of World Records recognised McCartney as the "most honored composer and performer in music", with 60 gold discs (43 with the Beatles, 17 with Wings) and, as a member of the Beatles, sales of over 100 million singles and 100 million albums, and as the "most successful song writer", he wrote jointly or solo 43 songs which sold one million or more records between 1962 and 1978. In 2009, Guinness World Records again recognised McCartney as the "most successful songwriter" having written or co-written 188 charted records in the United Kingdom, of which 91 reached the top 10 and 33 made it to number one.
McCartney has written, or co-written, 32 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: twenty with the Beatles; seven solo or with Wings; one as a co-writer of "A World Without Love", a number-one single for Peter and Gordon; one as a co-writer on Elton John's cover of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"; one as a co-writer on Stars on 45's "Medley"; one as a co-writer with Michael Jackson on "Say Say Say"; and one as writer on "Ebony and Ivory" performed with Stevie Wonder. As of 2009, he has 15.5 million RIAA certified units in the United States as a solo artist plus another 10 million with Wings.
Credited with more number ones in the UK than any other artist, McCartney has participated in twenty-four chart topping singles: seventeen with the Beatles, one solo, and one each with Wings, Stevie Wonder, Ferry Aid, Band Aid, Band Aid 20 and "The Christians et al." He is the only artist to reach the UK number one as a soloist ("Pipes of Peace"), duo ("Ebony and Ivory" with Wonder), trio ("Mull of Kintyre", Wings), quartet ("She Loves You", the Beatles), quintet ("Get Back", the Beatles with Billy Preston) and as part of a musical ensemble for charity (Ferry Aid).
"Yesterday" is one of the most covered songs in history with more than 2,200 recorded versions, and according to the BBC, "the track is the only one by a UK writer to have been aired more than seven million times on American TV and radio and is third in the all-time list ... [and] is the most played song by a British writer [last] century in the US". His 1968 Beatles composition "Hey Jude" achieved the highest sales in the UK that year and topped the US charts for nine weeks, which is longer than any other Beatles single. It was also the longest single released by the band and, at seven minutes eleven seconds, was at that time the longest number one. "Hey Jude" is the best-selling Beatles single, achieving sales of over five million copies soon after its release.
In July 2005, McCartney's performance of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with U2 at Live 8 became the fastest-released single in history. Available within forty-five minutes of its recording, hours later it had achieved number one on the UK Official Download Chart.
In December 2020, the release of his album McCartney III and its subsequent charting at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 earned McCartney the feat of being the first artist to have a new album in the top two chart positions in each of the last six decades.
A Day in the Life
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well, I just had to laugh
I saw the photograph
He blew his mind out in a car
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
They'd seen his face before
Nobody was really sure if he was
From the House of Lords
I saw a film today, oh boy
The English army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
But I just had to look having read the book
I'd love to turn you on
(One)
Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
(Huh, huh, huh, huh)
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream
Ah, ah ah ah ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah
I read the news today, oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it
Takes to fill the Albert Hall
I'd love to turn you on
The song A Day in the Life by Paul McCartney is meant to provide a snapshot of a typical day in England in the mid-1960s, while also delivering a larger message about the absurdity of life. The first verse refers to news of a man who has "made the grade," meaning he has succeeded in some way. However, the man's success is overshadowed by the fact that he has "blown his mind out in a car," which is a metaphor for losing control and possibly even committing suicide. The line "nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords" adds to the ambiguity of the situation, suggesting that the man may have been very wealthy and powerful but was still susceptible to tragedy.
The second verse takes a turn towards the surreal, with the singer describing a film about the English Army winning a war. This is accompanied by a crowd of people turning away, perhaps indicating a collective uneasiness or discontent with the idea of war. The last line of the verse, "I'd love to turn you on," has been interpreted in various ways, but it likely refers to the idea of "tuning in" to something deeper or more meaningful than the shallow aspects of daily life that the song has been describing.
The final verse returns to the mundane details of everyday life, with the singer waking up late, rushing to catch a bus, and smoking a cigarette. Then there is a sudden shift into a dreamlike state, with "somebody" speaking and the singer drifting off into a reverie. The song ends with a surreal image of "four thousand holes" in Blackburn, Lancashire, which serves as a commentary on the absurdity of counting and quantifying things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I read the news today oh boy
I read the news today and was struck by what I read.
About a lucky man who made the grade
The news was about a man who had achieved his goals and become successful.
And though the news was rather sad
Despite the sadness of the news,
Well I just had to laugh
I found myself laughing anyway.
I saw the photograph
I saw a picture that accompanied the article.
He blew his mind out in a car
A man had died in a car accident, possibly as a result of drug use.
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
The man was not paying attention to the road because he was under the influence of drugs.
A crowd of people stood and stared
Onlookers were observing the aftermath of the accident.
They'd seen his face before
The man was possibly a public figure, known to many people.
Nobody was really sure
There was uncertainty surrounding the man's true identity and social standing.
If he was from the House of Lords
People were speculating that the man may have belonged to the British aristocracy.
I saw a film today oh boy
I watched a movie that left a strong impression on me.
The English Army had just won the war
The movie featured a scene where the British Army emerged victorious from a conflict.
A crowd of people turned away
Some viewers were upset by what they saw on the screen and walked out.
But I just had to look
Despite the gruesome content, I couldn't look away from the movie.
Having read the book.
My interest in the film was sparked by reading a book on the same subject.
I'd love to turn you on
I would like to stimulate your senses, either through conversation or perhaps a romantic encounter.
Woke up, fell out of bed,
I awoke abruptly from sleep and stumbled out of bed.
Dragged a comb across my head
I made a half-hearted attempt to comb my disheveled hair.
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
I went down to the kitchen and had a cup of coffee or tea.
And looking up I noticed I was late.
Upon checking the time, I realized that I was running behind schedule.
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
I quickly located my coat and hat and prepared to leave the house.
Made the bus in seconds flat
Despite being in a rush, I managed to catch the bus without delay.
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
After boarding the bus, I climbed the stairs and had a cigarette.
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
I was lost in thought, possibly daydreaming or reminiscing about a past experience.
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
A report from Blackburn, Lancashire revealed that there were 4,000 potholes in the area.
And though the holes were rather small
Despite their size,
They had to count them all
A survey was conducted in which every pothole was meticulously counted and recorded.
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall
The survey revealed that there were enough potholes in Blackburn, Lancashire to fill the famous Albert Hall music venue.
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