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.
Everybody Out There
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know what it's like,
When you haven't got a life,
when you haven't got a life,
Hey, do you want to make a difference?
Well stand in the line,
If you haven't got the time,
I can give you some of mine,
We're the brightest objects in the sky,
Never for the grace of god go you... And I,
Do some good before you say goodbye,
Hey, I was trying to remember
How bad it was then,
When you didn't have a friend (x2)
Hey everybody out there (ooh ooh ooh ooh),
Everybody out there,
Hey, everybody out there,
Everybody out there.
Never for the grace of god go you and I,
We're the brightest objects in the sky,
Remember never for the grace of god go you and I,
Do some good before you say goodbye,
Hey, everybody out there,
Oh talk to me! I can't hear you, oh yeh yeh yeh yeh,
Hey is anybody out there,
I know what it's like (x2)
Anybody out there, I can't hear you, I can't hear you,
Everybody out there
The song "Everybody Out There" by Paul McCartney talks about the importance of making a difference, reaching out to each other, and being connected as a community, no matter how busy or lonely our lives may be. It begins with a rhetorical question that implies the empathetic solidarity of the human experience, as we've all experienced moments of isolation or stagnation in our lives. McCartney suggests that we can all make a difference if we stand in line and that he can give some of his time to help. The chorus reminds us that we are all the brightest objects in the sky, unique and valuable, but also vulnerable and in need of support.
The second verse relates to McCartney's personal memories of feeling isolated, without any friends. This highlights that everyone has gone through rough patches, and it's important to remember how difficult it can be and empathize with others. The chorus repeats the same message of connectedness, emphasizing the importance of doing good before it's too late. The repetition of "hey everybody out there" throughout the song serves as an invitation or a call to action, urging listeners to come together, communicate, and help each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, everybody out there,
McCartney invites his audience to listen to him and his message throughout the song.
You know what it's like,
Everyone can relate to feeling lost or disconnected at times.
When you haven't got a life,
When you feel aimless or unfulfilled.
when you haven't got a life,
A repeat of the previous line to emphasize its importance.
Hey, do you want to make a differance?
McCartney implies that everyone has the potential to make a positive change and encourages them to do so.
Well stand in the line,
McCartney suggests that actively working towards a greater purpose is worth the effort and should not be ignored.
If you haven't got the time,
McCartney is aware that it can be difficult to find time to make a difference in the world, but he still urges people to try.
I can give you some of mine,
McCartney offers his own time and resources to help others.
Never for the grace of god go you... And I,
McCartney recognizes that life can be unpredictable and one's circumstances could change at any moment. He reminds his audience to empathize and support each other.
We're the brightest objects in the sky,
McCartney suggests that everyone has the potential to shine and make a positive impact on the world.
Do some good before you say goodbye,
McCartney encourages his audience to leave a positive mark on the world and make a difference in the time they have on this earth.
Hey, I was trying to remember
McCartney reflects on a difficult time he faced in his life and how it felt to be alone.
How bad it was then,
McCartney is reminiscing about a negative experience that he went through.
When you didn't have a friend (x2)
McCartney remembers feeling alone and wishes to remind his audience that they are not alone.
Hey everybody out there (ooh ooh ooh ooh),
A repetition of the opening line to keep the audience engaged and connected to the message of the song.
Never for the grace of god go you and I,
A repeat of a previous line to emphasize its importance and relevance to the song's message.
Remember never for the grace of god go you and I,
The repetition of the line above reinforces the idea that life can be unpredictable and difficult, and that everyone should support and empathize with each other.
Hey, everybody out there,
Repetition of the opening line to conclude the song with a final call to action.
Oh talk to me! I can't hear you, oh yeh yeh yeh yeh,
McCartney engages with his audience and encourages them to speak up and share their own experiences and messages with the world.
Hey is anybody out there,
McCartney is seeking connection and looking for others who share his message and values.
I know what it's like (x2)
McCartney understands that life can be difficult and lonely, and wishes to remind his audience that they are not alone.
Anybody out there, I can't hear you, I can't hear you,
McCartney is specifically reaching out to those who may feel unheard or disconnected.
Everybody out there
A final call to action, urging everyone to connect and work together to make the world a better place.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind