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.
Come and get it
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got to get it don't forget
It doesn't come around again
You've got to get it mm mm
You've got to get it and you've got to get it good
Once I had a little Spanish guitar
The neighbors told me I could go pretty far
And my guitar got bent
But I discovered that the people who love
Are what we need if we're to get up above it all
And that's that
Unless the world is flat
I wanna get it mm mm
I wanna get it just in case
It doesn't come around again
I wanna get it mm mm
I wanna get it and I wanna get it good
Pardon me if I've been misunderstood
I wanna get it while the going is good
The telephone rang
About a song I sang
The life of Cadillac and ultra for sure
Is automatic for the lady demure
She came and she went
Without a single dent
You got to get it mm mm
You got to get it just in case
It doesn't come around again
You got to get it mm mm
You got to get it and you got to get it good
I hear you
Go cat
Come on, let's get it mm mm
You got to get it don't forget
It doesn't come around again
You've got to get it mm mm
You've got to get it and you've got to get it good
The lyrics to Paul McCartney's "Come and Get It" are a call to action, urging the listener to grab onto opportunities and make the most of them. The opening lines set the tone for the song's message, encouraging the listener to seize the moment and not let it slip away. McCartney sings "You've got to get it mm mm, you've got to get it don't forget, it doesn't come around again." This line reinforces the idea that opportunities are fleeting, and it's essential to take advantage of them when they present themselves.
The second verse is a reflection on the past, with McCartney singing about a little Spanish guitar he once had. The neighbors told him that he could go far with it, but it ultimately got bent. He learned that what's essential is the people who love us and support us, rather than material possessions. McCartney sings, "But I discovered that the people who love are what we need if we're to get up above it all. And that's that unless the world is flat."
In the final verse, McCartney returns to the central theme of the song, urging the listener to get it while they can. He sings, "Pardon me if I've been misunderstood, I wanna get it while the going is good. The telephone rang about a song I sang, the life of Cadillac and ultra for sure." These lines emphasize that getting what we want is not always easy, but we must still try. The song ends on a high note, with McCartney reiterating the refrain, "You've got to get it mm mm, you've got to get it and you've got to get it good."
Overall, "Come and Get It" is a powerful call to action, urging the listener to seize opportunities and not let them slip away. The song's message is one of determination and perseverance, with McCartney urging the listener to keep trying until they achieve their goals.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got to get it mm mm
The importance of seizing the moment is emphasized through repetition of the phrase 'mm mm'.
You've got to get it don't forget
The imperative tone of the lyrics reminds listeners that opportunities can be fleeting - seize the day!
It doesn't come around again
Life is full of fleeting opportunities - if you don't act, they may pass you by.
Once I had a little Spanish guitar
The guitar is a metaphor for a dream or opportunity. Everyone has had something they wanted to pursue, but not all dreams come true.
The neighbors told me I could go pretty far
Friends and family can provide motivation and inspiration to pursue your dreams.
Well I came and I went
The journey towards achieving a dream can be long and difficult, and there may be setbacks and failures along the way.
And my guitar got bent
When pursuing our dreams, we may face obstacles that damage our confidence or skills.
But I discovered that the people who love
Paul McCartney learned through experience that supportive people are crucial to achieving success.
Are what we need if we're to get up above it all
Overcoming obstacles and achieving our goals requires support from those who believe in us.
And that's that
The point being made is clear - a supportive community is essential to success.
Unless the world is flat
This line is a playful acknowledgement that sometimes we don't know what we don't know!
I wanna get it mm mm
The repetition of 'mm mm' reinforces the importance of seizing opportunities when they arise.
I wanna get it just in case
There's no harm in pursuing your dreams, even if it's uncertain whether they will come to fruition.
The telephone rang
This line demonstrates that sometimes opportunities arise unexpectedly!
About a song I sang
Success can come in many different forms, and sometimes we don't even realize that we're on the path to success.
The life of Cadillac and ultra for sure
This line is a commentary on the American Dream - a life of luxury and excess - and whether it's actually attainable for most people.
Is automatic for the lady demure
Some people may inherit wealth and privilege through no effort of their own.
She came and she went
The fleeting nature of opportunity is echoed in this line.
Without a single dent
Some people seem to sail through life without facing any significant hurdles - this is not the case for most people.
I hear you
This line could be seen as a call to action - encouraging listeners to pursue their dreams and seize opportunities.
Go cat
This is another expression of enthusiasm - a call to action to pursue one's goals with energy and enthusiasm.
Come on, let's get it mm mm
The final line of the song is a call to action - to seize opportunities, pursue goals with enthusiasm, and make the most of life.
You've got to get it and you've got to get it good
The final line reinforces the idea that it's not enough to simply pursue opportunities - you have to pursue them with excellence and give it your all.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind