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.
House of Wax
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Poets spill out on the street
To set alight the incomplete
Remainders of the future
Hidden in the yard
Hidden in the yard
Poets scatter through the night
But they can only dream of flight
Away from their confusion
Hidden in the yard
Underneath the wall
Buried deep below a thousand layers lay
The answer to it all
Lightning hits the house of wax
Woman scream and run around
To dance upon the battleground
Like wild demented horses
Hidden in the yard
Underneath the wall
Buried deep below a thousand layers lay
The answer to it all
Yeah
Hidden in the yard
Underneath the wall
Buried deep below a thousand layers lay
The answer to it all
Ooh...
The song "House of Wax" by Paul McCartney is a poignant commentary on the human condition, examining our struggles to find meaning in a world that often seems incomplete and confusing. The opening lines of the song describe a sudden flash of insight or inspiration, represented by lightning striking the "house of wax." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for a moment of clarity or understanding, when the normally insubstantial nature of our lives is illuminated by some higher power or force. The next lines suggest that this moment inspires poets to spill out onto the street, searching for something to set alight - perhaps a symbol of their desire to make their mark on the world or leave a lasting legacy.
The chorus of the song focuses on what is hidden in the yard, suggesting that there is some deeper truth or answer to be found in the world around us, if only we knew where to look. The refrain "buried deep below a thousand layers lay the answer to it all" speaks to the idea that there may be more than meets the eye when it comes to our lives and our existence, and that we must be willing to dig deep and search for the truth in order to find it. This message is repeated throughout the song, with the poets seeking to escape their confusion and find a way towards a more complete and meaningful life.
Overall, the song House of Wax is a powerful representation of the human experience, exploring themes of inspiration, creativity, and the search for meaning in a chaotic and ever-changing world. Through its evocative lyrics and haunting melody, it reminds us that although we may often feel lost and confused, there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow if we are willing to keep searching.
Line by Line Meaning
Lightning hits the house of wax
A sudden realization or epiphany shakes up an unstable situation
Poets spill out on the street
Creative individuals strive to share their ideas and find common ground with others
To set alight the incomplete
To ignite the imagination and inspiration of others, even if the ideas are not fully formed yet
Remainders of the future
Fragments of what is to come, waiting to be pieced together and brought to fruition
Hidden in the yard
Something important or valuable that is not immediately apparent or visible
Hidden in the yard
The previously mentioned thing is repeated to emphasize its significance
Thunder drowns the trumpets blast
A powerful force or overwhelming obstacle causes chaos or confusion
Poets scatter through the night
Creative individuals disperse in search of inspiration and understanding, even in the midst of uncertainty
But they can only dream of flight
Although they long for progress or escape, they are still held back by their current circumstances
Away from their confusion
To escape confusion, uncertainty, or chaos and find clarity and direction
Underneath the wall
The location of the hidden thing is revealed to be concealed behind a formidable barrier or obstacle
Buried deep below a thousand layers lay
The hidden thing is buried beneath numerous obstacles or distractions, making it difficult to uncover
The answer to it all
The hidden thing is the key to understanding or resolving a complex problem or situation
Woman scream and run around
Individuals react in fear or excitement to a sudden, dramatic event
To dance upon the battleground
To find pleasure or entertainment in the midst of conflict and turmoil
Like wild demented horses
The reaction to the dramatic event is intense and uncontrollable, resembling the behavior of untamed animals
Ooh...
A vocalization of emotional response or emphasis
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andrés Arias
In my opinion, this is the best song of the album. Along with Dance Tonight and Mr. Bellamy. :)
dana arden
I am glad there's someone else who appreciates Mr. Bellamy.
Daniel Ford
The best thing is, he doesn't really understand the genius of the music he makes, he just has the idea to do it, and it sounds great. He once said about The Beatles' music: "If we knew what we were doing, we could never have written those songs." Most if not all of it is insticnt. That's what you call genius ;)
Roger J
I can still remember listening to Memory Almost Full for the first time and House of Wax came on, I got a chill then just as I still do today. If this was a Beatle song, he would still be playing this today at every concert.
Just Another Random Crit
Especially chilling after something like Feet in the Clouds.
John S
His vocals alone are amazing!!!
imabeatlemaniac
I don't believe I've ever heard a drum track like this one in any modern rock tune. Just like Paul... always inventing and then re-inventing music. People will be studying his music for hundreds of years into the future, like they study the compositions of Bach, Mozart or Beethoven today.
IndieHaj
This song and the way Paul sings it is legendary. Epic. Gives me shivers every time I hear it.
Math Breemen
Agree!
Rodney Punt
Wonderful sound-world. Spacious musical atmosphere. Sophisticated and appealing.