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 Love This House
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Holes in the gutters, holes in the slate, holes in the carpet but I won't evacuate.
I love this house, it's where I? ll stay, eat and sleep the night and day.
I love this house, it's where I? ll be, for you to spend some time with me, I love this house.
Damp in the basement, damp in the hall, damp in the living roomthat's climbing up the wall, up the wall.
Rust in the drainpipe, rust in the spout, rust in the radiators still won't get me out.
I love this house, it's where I? ll stay, eat and sleep the night and day.
I love this house, it's where I? ll be, for you to spend some time with me, I love this house.
Cracks in the pavement, cracks in the road, cracks in the ceiling where the bathtub overflows.
Holes in the gutters, holes in the slate, holes int he carpet but I won't evacuate.
I love this house, it's where I? ll stay, eat and sleep the night and day.
I love this house, it's where I? ll be, for you to spend some time with me, I love this house.
The lyrics of Paul McCartney's "I Love This House" seem to describe a house with numerous problems, such as cracks in the pavement and ceiling, holes in the gutters and carpets, dampness, and rust. Despite all these issues, the singer still professes love for the house and insists on staying there, because it's a place where he can eat, sleep and spend time with others. Alternating between a list of the house's problems and the singer's fondness for it, the lyrics convey a sense of attachment and nostalgia that one may feel for a beloved home, regardless of its faults.
One possible interpretation is that the song is not just about a physical dwelling, but also about the memories and emotions that are associated with it. The cracks, holes, dampness and rust may represent the wear and tear of time, the imperfections that come with every living space, and the challenges that one has to face in life. By embracing these imperfections, the singer expresses a sense of resilience, adaptability and gratitude for what he has, rather than complaining about what he lacks. The repetition of the chorus ("I love this house") reinforces the idea that a house is not just a building, but a place where one can find comfort, security, and a sense of belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
Cracks in the pavement, cracks in the road, cracks in the ceiling where the bathtub overflowed, overflowed.
The house has visible cracks and signs of wear and tear, including cracks in the pavement, road, and ceiling due to an incident where the bathtub overflowed.
Holes in the gutters, holes in the slate, holes in the carpet but I won't evacuate.
The house also has holes in the gutters, slate, and carpet, but the singer still refuses to leave.
I love this house, it's where I'll stay, eat and sleep the night and day.
Despite its flaws, the singer loves the house and plans to stay there indefinitely, eating, sleeping, and living there.
I love this house, it's where I'll be, for you to spend some time with me, I love this house.
The artist also wants others to come and spend time with them in their beloved house.
Damp in the basement, damp in the hall, damp in the living room that's climbing up the wall, up the wall.
The house has a problem with dampness, with moisture present in the basement, hall, and living room that is even climbing up the walls.
Rust in the drainpipe, rust in the spout, rust in the radiators still won't get me out.
Additionally, there is rust present in the drainpipe, spout, and radiators, yet the singer remains unwilling to leave the house.
Hot in the summer, rattling windows, teeth and knees, perfect place for cat and mouse, but I never mind, I love this house.
During the summer, the house can get uncomfortably hot and the windows rattle, causing the singer discomfort in their teeth and knees. Despite this, the singer still considers it the perfect place for a game of cat and mouse and continues to love the house.
Cracks in the pavement, cracks in the road, cracks in the ceiling where the bathtub overflows.
The song repeats the first verse again to emphasize the state of disrepair the house is in.
Holes in the gutters, holes in the slate, holes int he carpet but I won't evacuate.
The second verse is also repeated to drive home the point that despite all the problems, the artist still refuses to leave the house they love.
I love this house, it's where I'll stay, eat and sleep the night and day.
The chorus is repeated again to showcase the artist's unwavering love for their home.
I love this house, it's where I'll be, for you to spend some time with me, I love this house.
The chorus is repeated again to express the singer's desire for others to come and spend time with them in their beloved home.
Contributed by Eva A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
aBeatleFan4ever
It was recorded in late September/early October of 1984 with both Paul and David Gilmore on lead guitar. McCartney also did the bass , David Foster was on keyboards and David Mattacks was on drums. So this was a three David track. They could have called themselves "Paul & the Three Daves". Paul added some overdubs during the "Press To Play" sessions in 1985 - but then decided not to use it. They brought it off the shelf when it was released as the B side to the "Young Boy" single in April of 1997.
Isabel Widera
Paul McCartney can do anything !!!
Ron A.
What a fun song. Dig the groove.
Broderick Harper
How this was never released as a track is beyond me!!! Would have severely given his album 'Off the Ground' some verve that it badly needed
jimidee33
Nice rocker. The vocal is mixed down and the whole song has a grungy feel. I like it.
the13corinne
Greatsong from Paul has a bit of a new wave feel to it !
0nceler
A Gem! Feat. David Gilmour on guitar..
Paul TRESO
Back then I was thinking average but now. I love this song!
gregor allnight
Amazing vocals and arrangement..the said house,
altho full of problems,musta been like him,full of
real good vibes and atmosphere...and he could
afford an army of remodelers if he so chooses.haa
María Gabriela
it's always a pleasure listen "the Paul rocker" which it's so wonderful! His range voice is so stunning, what a powerful voice!!