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.
Long Haired Lady
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you love me like you know you ought to do?
Well, well, well, well, well
Or is this the only thing you want me for?
Well, I've been meaning to talk to you about it for sometime
Sweet little lass, you are my long-haired lady
Who's the lady that makes that brief occasional laughter?
Who'll be taking her ome when all the dancing is over?
I'm the lucky man she will hypnotize
Long-haired lady
Long-haired lady
Bees are buzzing about my sweet, delectable baby
Birds are humming about their big surprise
Who's your favorite person, dear phenomenal lady?
I belong to the girl with the flashing eye
Long-haired lady
Long-haired lady
Ah, love is long, love is long, love is long
Ah, sing your song, love is long, love is long
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long (win or lose it, winter song, love is long)
Well, well, well, well, well
Do you love me like you know you ought to do?
Well, well, well, well, well
Or is this the only thing you want me for?
Well, I've been meaning to talk to you about it for sometime
Sweet little lass, you are my long-haired lady
Ah, love is long, love is long, love is long
Ah, sing your song, love is long, love is long
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long (win or lose it, winter song, love is long)
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long (win or lose it, winter song, love is long)
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long (win or lose it, winter song, love is long)
Ah, love is long, love is long, love is long
Ah, love is long, love is long, love is long
Yes, love is long, love is long, love is long
Yes, sing your song, love is long, love is long (win or lose it, winter song, love is long)
The lyrics of Paul McCartney's "Long Haired Lady" seem to speak about the intense love shared between two individuals, with the titular "Long Haired Lady" being the subject of the song. The opening lines ask whether the lady loves McCartney as she should, or if there are ulterior motives behind her affection. The singer then proceeds to praise her, saying that she is "sweet" and "delectable," and belongs to her with her "flashing eye." McCartney is confident that he is the lucky man that she will hypnotize, and that she will be with him even when the dancing is over.
The chorus repeats the phrase "long-haired lady," emphasizing her beauty and the object of McCartney's love. The middle section of the song introduces the metaphor of bees buzzing and birds humming around the lady, highlighting her irresistible charm. McCartney asks the question, "who's your favorite person, dear phenomenal lady?" and answers it himself by saying that he is the one she belongs to.
The final lines repeat the earlier sentiment of love being long and that it endures through the ups and downs of life, while also reiterating the question of whether the "long-haired lady" loves McCartney for who he is, or for something else.
Overall, Paul McCartney's "Long Haired Lady" is a love song that celebrates the feelings of affection and admiration between two people. The lyrics highlight the physical and personal attributes that make the lady special, emphasizing how much McCartney appreciates her and wants to be with her.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, well, well, well, well
The singer is being insincere and mocking the listener, introducing the topic with a sarcastic tone
Do you love me like you know you ought to do?
The singer is questioning the depth of the listener's affection, asking if they truly love them as they should
Or is this the only thing you want me for?
The singer suspects that the listener may have ulterior motives for being with them
Well, I've been meaning to talk to you about it for sometime
The artist has been wanting to address this issue for a while but has not had the opportunity or courage to do so
Sweet little lass, you are my long-haired lady
Despite their doubts, the artist still holds affection for the listener and admires their beauty, referring to them as their beloved with flowing hair
Who's the lady that makes that brief occasional laughter?
The singer notices the listener's laughter, which is not frequent but more like isolated moments of joy
She's the lady we wears those flashing eyes
The singer is drawn to the listener's sparkling and captivating eyes
Who'll be taking her ome when all the dancing is over?
The artist wonders who will have the pleasure of being with the listener in the long run or when the current excitement fades away
I'm the lucky man she will hypnotize
The artist considers themselves fortunate to be the one the listener will capture or seduce
Bees are buzzing about my sweet, delectable baby
The artist is proud and happy to have the listener, comparing them to a sweet and delicious magnificence, eliciting attention from nature
Birds are humming about their big surprise
The environment seems to be implying that there's something significant or extraordinary about the listener
Who's your favorite person, dear phenomenal lady?
The artist addresses the listener, marveling at their wonderful and exceptional qualities, and is curious to know their preferred companion
I belong to the girl with the flashing eye
The singer asserts ownership of the listener with the captivating eyes, declaring themselves as part of them
Ah, love is long, love is long, love is long
The singer expresses that love is a lengthy and continuous experience, repeating 'love is long' three times for emphasis
Ah, sing your song, love is long, love is long
The singer encourages the listener to express themselves and to sing their own individual love song
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long
The artist believes that even when things go wrong in a relationship, love can still endure and be everlasting
Ah, when you're wrong, love is long, love is long (win or lose it, winter song, love is long)
The artist repeats the earlier line and adds new lyrics, emphasizing that love can endure through difficult times, challenges, and seasons of life
Yes, love is long, love is long, love is long
The singer restates the notion that love is a prolonged and enduring emotion
Yes, sing your song, love is long, love is long (win or lose it, winter song, love is long)
The singer encourages the listener to keep singing their song, reiterating the earlier sentiment that love can persist through various circumstances and obstacles
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: LINDA MCCARTNEY, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind