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.
Early Days
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I lived through those early days
So many times I had to change the pain to laughter
Just to keep from getting crazed
Dressed in black from head to toe
Two guitars across our backs
We would walk the city roads
That we were writing down at home
But they can't take it from me, if they try
I lived through those early days
So many times I had to change the pain to laughter
Just to keep from getting crazy
Hair slicked back with Vaseline
Like the pictures on the wall
Of the local record shop
Hearing noises we were destined to remember
We willed the thrill to never stop
May sweet memories of friends from the past
Always come to you, when you look for them
And your inspiration, long may it last
May it comes to you time and time again
Now everybody seems to have their own opinion
Who did this and who did that
But as for me I don't see how they can remember
When they weren't where it was at
And they can't take it from me, if they try
I lived through those early days
So many times I had to change the pain to laughter
Just to keep from getting crazy
I lived through those early days
I lived through those early days
In the song Early Days, Paul McCartney reflects on the early days of his career as a musician in Liverpool with John Lennon before they became famous as part of The Beatles. The first stanza talks about how the memories of those days are his and can't be taken away from him. He had to change the pain to laughter many times to keep from getting crazy. The second stanza describes the look they had - dressed in black with slicked-back hair - and the places they would go to perform their music. They were seeking someone who would listen to the music that they had written at home. The third stanza talks about sweet memories of friends from the past and the inspiration that they give. McCartney reflects on how everybody seems to have their own opinions about what happened during those early days, but he knows what really happened because he lived through them.
The song is a nostalgic reflection on the early days of McCartney's career, which was a significant time for him and his band. It's a reminder of the struggles he faced as a young musician and how he overcame them, and also a sign of respect for the people he knew and the memories he made.
Line by Line Meaning
They can't take it from me, if they try
No matter how hard they try, they cannot take away my memories of the early days of my music career.
I lived through those early days
I have experienced the tumultuous early days of my music career first hand.
So many times I had to change the pain to laughter
I had to mask the pain of rejection and failure with laughter in order to stay sane and keep going.
Just to keep from getting crazed
In order to avoid going crazy due to the stress and uncertainty of those early days.
Dressed in black from head to toe
I used to dress completely in black during those early days of my music career.
Two guitars across our backs
My friend and I would carry two guitars each as we walked around the city streets in search of someone to listen to our music.
We would walk the city roads
We would take long walks through the city streets as a way to clear our minds and come up with new ideas for our music.
Seeking someone who would listen to the music
We were constantly searching for people who were willing to listen to our music, and give us feedback.
That we were writing down at home
The music we played had all been written by us at home, in our own time and space.
Hair slicked back with Vaseline
During those early days of my music career I used to slick my hair back with Vaseline, emulating pictures of other musicians in local record shops.
Like the pictures on the wall
I was inspired by pictures of musicians on the walls of local record shops and tried to imitate their style, look, and sounds.
Hearing noises we were destined to remember
We would hear sounds that we knew would stay with us forever and shape our own music in the future.
We willed the thrill to never stop
We were so passionate and determined to keep the thrills of the early days going, to never lose our spark or excitement for music.
May sweet memories of friends from the past
I hope that the memories of my friends from the early days of my music career will always remain special and memorable.
Always come to you, when you look for them
I hope that those memories remain fresh in my mind, and can be easily recalled whenever I seek them out.
And your inspiration, long may it last
I hope that the inspiration I felt during those early days of my music career will continue to stay with me for a long time.
May it comes to you time and time again
I hope that I can continue to rediscover that inspiration time and time again, always finding new ways to create and innovate.
Now everybody seems to have their own opinion
Everyone has their own opinion of the past, including the early days of my music career.
Who did this and who did that
People are constantly discussing and debating who played what role in the formation of my career and music.
But as for me I don't see how they can remember
I cannot understand how others can claim to remember events and details that they were not present for or directly involved in.
When they weren't where it was at
Since they were not present, their accounts and opinions may not accurately represent what actually happened in those early days.
I lived through those early days
I experienced the highs and lows, the struggles and triumphs, of those early days of my music career.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MediaWest
50 years later, we in the music industry and the recording studio pros here in LA, are still chasing this guy.
@a1974h
Nice post
@peaceandlove544
Media/West Productions what do you mean?
@alzimaryramos7897
🤗🤗
@marrynblackwell247
One of the best songs ever! Such a beautiful song about the friendship and love between Paul and John. Paul has written a genius tribute to his lost friend.
@IvanBoden
What a lovely song! Paul is a treasure and we are so fortunate he continues to write and perform. I love it.
@DrSLyriqueChaalisWatson
Incredabl
@DrSLyriqueChaalisWatson
S'il vous plaît....more
@davedesmond1713
Paul's insight on what he shares with us...Beatle Fans... is truly wonderful. He shows where and who helped to inspire John and him. Thanks.
@prof2yousmithe444
Every time I hear this, I cannot help to think about Paul and John meeting and the struggles they faced. They persevered and as a result, we were all blessed by their music, then and now! This is just a glimpse as I believe Sir Paul's best days are yet to come!