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 Love for You
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the night
When morning comes
I love the light
But in the nighttime
That dark is black
Come on, baby
You got to help me get back
I love you, oh, yeah
I really love you, oh, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (ow)
Do one thing (do one thing)
Do one thing for me (thing for me)
If you've got love (you've got love)
Then let me see (let me see)
If you feel it in your heart (in your heart)
Then show it right now (right now)
You know I love you, baby (love you, baby)
I gotta get to you, get to you somehow
Oh, yeah, I really love you
Oh, yeah, I really love you
You know it's true, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Ow, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
I really love you
Day and night
Yeah, I really love you
In the morning light
I really love you
Sure be right
Come on, little baby
Gotta find out, find out somehow
Yeah, yeah, really love you
Oh, yeah, really love you
I love the things (love the things)
You say and do (say and do)
I can't get over (can't get over)
How much I love you (love you)
You know you do something (something)
Special to me (special to me)
And that's the way (that's the way)
I want it always to be, yeah
Oh, yeah, really love you
Oh, yeah, I really love you
I need your love (need your love)
Like a bear needs a break (needs a break)
I need your heart, baby (need your heart)
Hopping on a plate (on a plate)
I need the sunshine (sunshine)
Of your smile (of your smile)
Help me walkin' (help me walk)
Help me walk that extra mile
Little baby, I love you
Oh, yeah, you know I really love you
Oh, yeah (oh, yeah), you know it's true (know it's true)
Oh, yeah (oh, yeah), I love you (I love you)
I love you
The lyrics to Paul McCartney's song "Really Love You" express the singer's deep affection and dependency on his lover. The opening lines establish his need for her, particularly during the night when the darkness can be overwhelming. He implores her to help him find his way back to her. The chorus repeats the phrase "I really love you" multiple times, emphasizing the singer's devotion to his lover. He asks her to do one thing for him - to demonstrate her love if she has it in her heart.
The second verse emphasizes the singer's fascination with his lover's words and actions, and how deeply he loves her. He believes that she has a special quality that draws him to her, and he wants to maintain this connection perpetually. The final verse uses playful imagery to express the singer's need for his lover's love, describing it as something as essential as food and sunshine. The lyrics convey an earnest desire for connection and love.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I'll need you
I will always rely on your love and support
Through the night
Especially during hard times, your presence and love are crucial
When morning comes
As much as I love the beginning of a new day, I still need you by my side
I love the light
I enjoy the brightness and warmth of the daytime
But in the nighttime
However, when the darkness falls, I feel lost and helpless
That dark is black
The night is so dark and oppressive that it feels almost suffocating
Come on, baby
Please help me get through the night, my love
You got to help me get back
With your love and support, I can overcome the troubles and pain of the night
I love you, oh, yeah
There are no doubts in my heart - I truly love you
I really love you, oh, yeah
I want to emphasize the strength and depth of my love for you
Do one thing (do one thing)
I have a request to make of you
Do one thing for me (thing for me)
Please do me a favor
If you've got love (you've got love)
If you truly love me
Then let me see (let me see)
Please show me your affection and passion openly
If you feel it in your heart (in your heart)
If your love for me is genuine and strong
Then show it right now (right now)
Then don't hesitate to demonstrate it to me, my love
You know I love you, baby (love you, baby)
I hope you remember how much I care for you
I gotta get to you, get to you somehow
I will do anything to get closer to you and feel your love
In the morning light
As the new day starts and the sun rises, I still love you
Sure be right
Our love is meant to be, and it feels natural and perfect
Come on, little baby
Let's find a way to be together and never apart
Gotta find out, find out somehow
We need to explore our feelings and figure out how to make it work
I love the things (love the things)
I truly appreciate everything you do for me
You say and do (say and do)
Your words and actions touch my heart and soul
I can't get over (can't get over)
I am still amazed and impressed by your love and kindness
How much I love you (love you)
My love for you is immeasurable and endless
You know you do something (something)
There is something unique and special about you
Special to me (special to me)
You mean everything to me, my love
And that's the way (that's the way)
I want our relationship to stay this way forever
I want it always to be, yeah
Our love should never fade or disappear, my dear
I need your love (need your love)
I can't live without your affection and devotion
Like a bear needs a break (needs a break)
I need your love as much as a bear needs to hibernate
I need your heart, baby (need your heart)
Your heart is my sanctuary and my source of joy
Hopping on a plate (on a plate)
I want to devour your love and savor it completely
I need the sunshine (sunshine)
Your smile brightens up my day and fills me with warmth
Of your smile (of your smile)
Your smile is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen
Help me walkin' (help me walk)
Please guide me through life and support me, my love
Help me walk that extra mile
Together we can face anything and overcome any obstacle
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Paul McCartney, Richard Starkey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind