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.
Gratitude
Paul McCartney Lyrics
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Gratitude
Gratitude
I'm so grateful for everything you've ever given me
How can I explain what it means to be loved by you
By you, loved by you, loved by you
I wanna show my gratitude, gratitude, yeah
Well, I was lonely, I was living with a memory
But my cold and lonely nights ended when you sheltered me
Loved by you, I was loved by you, yeah, I was loved by you
I wanna show my gratitude, gratitude, show my gratitude to you
Gratitude, show my gratitude to you, oh yeah
I should stop loving you
Think what you put me through
But I don't want to lock my heart away
I will look forward to
Days when I'd be loving you
Until then, gonna wish and hope and prey
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!
I wanna show my gratitude, gratitude
I wanna show my gratitude, show my (Gratitude)
Yeah my gratitude
To be loved by you, be loved by you
Loved by you, to be loved by you
Gratitude
Gratitude
Gratitude
In "Gratitude," Paul McCartney expresses his deep sense of appreciation for the love he receives from his partner. He acknowledges that he feels incredibly grateful for everything they have given him, and he struggles to fully explain the extent of his emotions. However, he is committed to showing his gratitude through his words and actions.
The song's lyrics describe how McCartney was once lonely, living in memories of the past. But his partner has given him a new sense of purpose and joy, sheltering him from the loneliness he once felt. He is loved by this person, and he recognizes how transformative and important that love has been for him. Despite any challenges they may face in their relationship, McCartney is determined to continue loving his partner and expressing his gratitude for their presence in his life.
Overall, "Gratitude" is a powerful tribute to the importance of love in our lives, and to the ways in which it can transform us and bring meaning to our existence. McCartney's lyrics are straightforward and heartfelt, capturing the simple but profound gratitude we can feel towards those who give us the gift of their love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so grateful for everything you've ever given me
I feel extremely thankful for all the gifts and affection you have bestowed upon me.
How can I explain what it means to be loved by you
It's beyond my ability to convey how it feels to experience your love and care.
By you, loved by you, loved by you
I cherish the fact that you love me, that you shower me with your affection.
Show my gratitude, gratitude, show my gratitude
I want to express my thankfulness; yes, I want to make it palpable to you.
Well, I was lonely, I was living with a memory
I was leading an empty life, clinging to my past experiences.
But my cold and lonely nights ended when you sheltered me
Your arrival in my life gave me warmth and comfort, ended my lonely nights.
Loved by you, I was loved by you, yeah, I was loved by you
Being loved by you was a blessing that gave me joy and contentment.
I should stop loving you
I know I should move on and forget you.
Think what you put me through
I can't help but dwell on the difficult times you've put me through.
But I don't want to lock my heart away
Despite everything, I don't want to close myself off from the possibility of love.
I will look forward to the days when I'd be loving you
I still harbor hope of being able to love you again someday in the future.
Until then, gonna wish and hope and pray
Until that day comes, I'll keep wishing and hoping and praying for it to happen.
I wanna show my gratitude, gratitude
Again, I want to make it known that I'm thankful and appreciative of everything you've done.
To be loved by you, be loved by you
Being loved by you is a wonderful feeling, one that I am lucky to have experienced.
Gratitude
The main theme of this song is gratitude, the attitude of thankfulness and appreciation.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind