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.
I've Just Seen A Face
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't forget the time or place
Where we just meet
She's just the girl for me
And want all the world to see
We've met, mmm-mmm-mmm-m'mmm-mmm
Had it been another day
And I'd have never been aware
But as it is I'll dream of her
Tonight, di-di-di-di'n'di
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
I have never known
The like of this, I've been alone
And I have missed things
And kept out of sight
But other girls were never quite
Like this, da-da-n'da-da'n'da
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
I've just seen a face
I can't forget the time or place
Where we just meet
She's just the girl for me
And want all the world to see
We've met, mmm-mmm-mmm-da-da-da
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
Oh, falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
The lyrics of "I've Just Seen a Face" by Paul McCartney depict the overwhelming feeling of falling in love at first sight. McCartney describes how he met a girl who he believes is perfect for him and how he cannot forget the time or place where they met. He then goes on to describe how he has never experienced such a feeling before and how he had missed out on things by keeping out of sight. The chorus "Falling, yes I am falling / And she keeps calling me back again" conveys how he is falling deeply in love with this girl and how he cannot resist her charm.
The lyrics showcase McCartney's ability to write catchy and romantic pop songs with simple yet effective lyrics that resonate with listeners. The song's upbeat melody and powerful vocals make it a timeless classic, which has stood the test of time. The lyrics also highlight the fleeting nature of love and how it can catch anyone off guard, giving hope to anyone who has ever experienced love at first sight.
In conclusion, "I've Just Seen a Face" is a beautifully crafted love song that captures the essence of falling in love. With its catchy melody and relatable lyrics, it evokes a sense of nostalgia and reminds listeners of the powerful emotions that come with falling in love.
Line by Line Meaning
I've just seen a face
I have just encountered someone who has caught my attention
I can't forget the time or place
The moment was so significant that it has been seared into my memory
Where we just meet
The place where we met was a chance encounter
She's just the girl for me
This person is perfect for me
And want all the world to see
I want everyone to know how right this feels
We've met, mmm-mmm-mmm-m'mmm-mmm
The connection was instant and strong
Had it been another day
If we had met on any other day, I might not have paid attention
I might have looked the other way
I may not have noticed her or given her a second glance
And I'd have never been aware
I wouldn't have known what I was missing
But as it is I'll dream of her
I can't stop thinking about her and will probably have dreams about her
Tonight, di-di-di-di'n'di
This is on my mind this very evening
Falling, yes I am falling
I am falling deeply in love with this person
And she keeps calling
I can't resist her allure
Me back again
A powerful draw brings me back to her
I have never known
I have not experienced this level of connection before
The like of this, I've been alone
I have been alone in my search for this kind of deep rapport
And I have missed things
I may have missed out on love in the past by being too cautious
And kept out of sight
Insecurity or fear may have kept me hiding in the shadows
But other girls were never quite
I have met other women before, but it was never like this
Like this, da-da-n'da-da'n'da
This feeling is completely new and unique
Falling, yes I am falling
I am giving in to the vulnerability of love
And she keeps calling
The pull towards this person is relentless
Me back again
I keep coming back to her despite any doubts or fears
Oh, falling, yes I am falling
I am still falling in love with her and feeling that deep pull
And she keeps calling
The attraction is still very strong
Me back again
I can't help but return to her, drawn in by the intensity of the feelings
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@evyalley
@@georgeparker6664 1. Paperback Writer
2. Taxman
3. I’ve just Seen A Face
4. Two Of Us
5. Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite
6.Rain
7. And Your Bird Can Sing
8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun
9. I’m Down
10. This Boy
Thanks for showing interest! Made my day.
@1atomicblond1
Paul could throw a guitar out the window and have a Number 1 hit. So much talent.
@Bella-nt7ec
🙂
@macaronidelta1925
He called it Suicide...
@ExtremeBeatlesArchive
If nothing else, the sidewalk.
@Ivar97
Out the window to the road
@scottinnh88
This was from the Beatles help album. I thought John lennon sung it but maybe I’m wrong
@tockita
I love 2:00 when he says "other girls were never quite like this" while looking at Linda. Even though Paul hadn't met her when he wrote this song, he certainly felt this way when he did meet her.
@gdaig203
Nice pickup
@jacobmassey3897
As much as I like his current wife I can't see that Paul could feel this strongly about her as he did for Linda 😢
@mercurygirl17
Indeed. I'm sure Linda was aware that this was written about someone else (presumably Jane), and Paul's nod to her is a gracious way of saying "That was then, and this is now."