Sir James Paul McCartney CH MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, s… Read Full Bio ↴Sir James Paul McCartney CH MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and record and film producer who gained worldwide fame as co-lead vocalist and bassist for the Beatles. His songwriting partnership with John Lennon remains the most successful in history. After the group disbanded in 1970, he pursued a solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda, and Denny Laine.
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.
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.
Lunch Box/Odd Sox
Paul McCartney Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Paul McCartney:
01. Long Leather Coat I'M ALL ALONE, SAID SHE, NO ONE TO PHONE, NO ONE…
02.The World Tonight I saw you sitting at the center of a circle Everybody Everyb…
04. More I Cannot Wish You Velvet, I can wish you For the collar of your coat And…
10 Paul McCartney Late at night when the wind is still I'll come flying…
12. Get Yourself Another Fool At last I've awakened to see what you've done All I…
12. Helen Wheels Said farewell to my last hotel It never was much a…
13. The Inch Worm Two and two are four Four and four are eight Eight and…
14. Only Our Hearts If only my love was here I’d be taking the time…
2. Listen To What The Man Said Any time, any day You can hear the people say That love…
23.Once Upon A Long Ago Picking Up Scales And Broken Chords Puppy Dog Tails In The…
3 Legs Well when I walk, when I walk On my horse upon…
6. Every Night Every night, I just wanna go out Get out of my…
6. We All Stand Together Win or lose, sink or swim One thing is certain we'll…
8. Another Day Every day she takes a morning bath she wets her…
8. Maybe I'm Amazed Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all…
A Certain Softness A certain softness In her eyes Fascinates me More than I eve…
A Day in the Life I read the news today, oh boy About a lucky man…
A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance I read the news today oh boy About a lucky man…
A Fine Day Now the weekend's here I plan to have some fun Take you…
A Hard Day's Night It's been a hard day's night And I've been working like…
A Love For You You know I'll need you Through the night When morning comes …
A Room With a View A room with a view and you And no one to…
About You You give me power to get out of bed When in…
Abracadabra I'm partial to your abracadabra I'm raptured by the joy of…
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive Gather 'round me, everybody Gather 'round me, while I preach…
Again and Again and Again Well when I, when I was just a little baby…
Ain't No Sunshine Ain't no sunshine when she's gone Only darkness every day …
Ain't That A Shame You made me cry when you said goodbye Ain't that a…
All My Loving Close your eyes and I'll kiss you Tomorrow I'll miss you Rem…
All My Trials There's only one thing that money can't buy True love, that…
All Shook Up A well I bless my soul What's wrong with me? I'm…
All Things Must Pass Sunrise doesn't last all morning A cloudburst doesn't last a…
All Together Now Win or lose, sink or swim One thing is certain, we'll…
All You Horse Riders / Blue Sway All You Horse Riders Alright now All you horse riders come …
Alligator I want someone to come home to I need somewhere I…
Always Everything went wrong And the whole day long I'd feel so blu…
And I Love Her I give her all my love That's all I do And if…
Angry What The Hell Gives The Right To Tell Me What…
Another Day Every day she takes a morning bath she wets her…
Anyway If you love me, won't you call me I've been waiting,…
Appreciate Lift up your head And remember what your life is Don't have…
Arrow Through Me Ooh, baby You couldn't've done a worse thing to me If you'd…
At The Mercy At the mercy, at the mercy At the mercy of a…
Atlantic Ocean Uh! Hit it! Uh! Hit it out! Stolen black man, fam'ly l…
Average Person [Chorus:] Look at the average person Speak to the man in the…
Baby I'm Amazed Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all…
Baby's Request When the moon lays his head on a pillow And…
Back In Brazil Back in Brazil There lives a girl Dreams of the future And a…
Back In The Sunshine Again Here we are, Back in the sunshine again No more worries,…
Back In The U.S.S.R Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC Didn't get to bed last…
Back on My Feet How many days will the wet weather last? I want…
Back Seat of My Car Speed along the highway, honey I want it my way But…
Backwards Traveller Hey, did you know that I'm Always going back in time Rhymi…
Ballroom Dancing Well I used to smile when I was a pup Sailing…
Band On The Run Stuck inside these four walls Sent inside forever Never seei…
Be My Valentine What if it rained? We didn't care She said that someday soon…
Be What You See The one you wanted to be Is now the one you…
Be-Bop-A-Lula *Well Be-Bop-A-Lula She's My Baby Be-Bop-A-Lula Don't Mean…
Beatiful Night Someone's gone out fishing Someone's high and dry. Someone…
Beautiful Night Someone's gone out fishing Someone's high and dry Someone's …
Beware My Love And when I go away I know my heart can stay…
Big Barn Bed Who's that coming round that corner Who's that coming round…
Big Boys Bickering BIG BOYS BICKERING, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOIN' EV'RYDAY. BIG …
Biker Like An Icon This one's called "Biker Like An Icon" There was a girl…
Bip Bop Bip bop, bip bip bop Bip bop, bip bip band…
Bip Bop / Hey Diddle Bip bop be-bop bop Bip bop be-bop bam Treat me like a…
Birthday You say it's your birthday It's my birthday too, yeah …
Blackbird Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken…
Blue Jean Bop Bluejean baby With…
Blue Moon Of Kentucky I said blue moon of Kentucky Keep on shining Shine on the…
blue sway Any time that you want, I know How it feels when…
Bluebird Late at night when the wind is still I'll come flying…
Bluejean Bop Bluejean baby With…
Bogey Music Everybody bogey Dig that bogey beat Man that bogey rhythm S…
Bring It On Home To Me If you ever change your mind, About leavin', leavin' me beh…
Bring It To Jerome If you ever change your mind, About leavin', leavin' me behi…
Broadcast We're got a chance and we'll take it; We may win…
Brown Eyed Handsome Man Well, flying across the desert in a TWA I saw a…
Bye Bye Blackbird Pack up all my cares and woes, Here I go, singing…
C 'mon People Well, we're going to, yeah, we're going to Get it right…
C Moon Check, mm, check, mm, check it out Was that the intro…
C'mon Well, we're going to, yeah, we're going to Get it right…
Caesar Rock She's a rock She's a rock She's a rock If I could find…
Cage Emotional moments, you left in a rage But if you could…
Calico Skies It was written that I would love you From the moment…
Call Me Back Again Well when I, when I was just a little baby…
Can't Buy Me Love Can't buy me love, love Can't buy me love I'll buy you…
Can't Buy Me Love-Paul McCartney Can't buy me love, love Can't buy me love I'll buy you…
Can’t Buy Me Love Can't buy me love, love Can't buy me love I'll buy you…
Carry That Weight Boy, you gotta carry that weight Carry that weight a long…
Celebration High above this overcrowded place A little blackbird flies t…
Check My Machine (Spoken) Sticks And Stones May Break My Bones But Names Will…
Come and get it You've got to get it mm mm You've got to get…
Come Home For so long I was out in the cold, And…
Come On To Me I saw you flash a smile, that seemed to me…
Comfort of Love (Paul McCartney) There once was a time when I thought if…
Coming Up You want a love to last forever One that will…
Comming Up You want a love to last forever One that will never…
Confidante You used to be my confidante My underneath's darkest friend …
Cook of the House All you rocking hep cats, come on! Ground rice, sugar, vi…
Coquette Hear me; why you keep fooling, little coquette Making fun of…
Corridor Music If this keeps up We're gonna be in London til Boxing…
Cosmically Conscious C'mon, be cosmically conscious, Cosmically conscious with …
Country Dreamer I'd like to walk in a field with you, take…
Crackin' Up You're always karkin' 'bout the money I spent, You never…
Cut Me Some Slack Did your mama, set me free Oh mama, let me be Oh…
C’Mon People Well, we're going to, yeah, we're going to Get it right…
Dance Tonight Everybody gonna dance tonight Everybody gonna feel alright E…
Darkroom Got a place we can go Lights are low Let…
Day Tripper Got a good reason for taking the easy way out Got…
Daytime Nightime Suffering For all the love she gave you There on the ladder…
Dear Boy I guess you never knew, dear boy, what you had…
Dear Friend Dear friend, what's the time? Is this really the borderline…
Deep Deep Feeling You know that deep, deep feeling When you love someone so…
Deliver Your Children Well, The Rain Was A-Failin' And The Ground Turned To…
Deliverance I will always be hoping, hoping You will always be holding,…
Demons Dance I can't ask you to thrill me That'd be asking too…
Despite Repeated Warnings Despite repeated warnings Our danger's up ahead The captain …
Distractions What is this thing in life that persuades me to…
Do It Now Got the time, the inclination I have answered your invitatio…
Dominoes In time we'll know It's all a show It's been a blast As…
Don't Be Careless Love Burn the midnight lamp Down until the dawn, I'll keep…
Don't Break The Promise Take my life but don't throw it all away Don't break…
Don't Break the Promises Take my life but don't throw it all away, don't…
Don't Get Around Much Anymore Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Don't Let It Bring You Down Though Some Things In Life Are Hard To Bear Don't Let…
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying Don't let the sun catch you cryin' Cryin' on my front…
Dont Break the Promises Take my life but don't throw it all away Don't break…
dont let the sun catch you crying Don't let the sun catch you cryin' Cryin' on my front…
Don’t Be Careless Love Burn the midnight lamp Down until the dawn, I'll keep…
Down To The River Now take me down to the river, Baby, take me down…
Dress Me Up as a Robber Well you can dress me up as a robber But I…
Drive My Car Asked a girl what she wanted to be She said baby,…
Driving Rain One, two, three, four, five let's go for a drive Six,…
Early Days They can't take it from me, if they try I lived…
Eat At Home Come on, little lady, Lady, let's eat at home Come on, littl…
Ebony & ivory Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony Side by…
Ebony And Ivory Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony Side by…
Ecce Cor Meum Ecce Cor Meum Behold my heart Ecce Cor Meum Behold my heart …
Eight Days A Week Ooh I need your love babe Guess you know it's true Hope…
Eleanor Rigby Look at all the lonely people Look at all the lonely…
Eleanor Rigby/Eleanor's Dream Ah, look at all the lonely people Ah, look at all…
English Tea I've been waiting on the other side, for your friends…
Ever Present I've got too much on my plate Don't have no time…
Ever Present Past I've got too much on my plate Don't have no time…
Every Night Every night, I just wanna go out Get out of my…
Everybody Out There Hey, everybody out there, You know what it's like, When you …
Fabulous Well I always knew I was crazy for you But now…
Famous Groupies All Stand Back, Let The People See Take A Snap…
Feet In The Clouds Teacher said I had my head in the clouds They directed,…
Figure of Eight Well you've got me dancing in a figure of eight, Don't…
Fine Line A one, two There is a fine line Between recklessness and co…
Fixing a Hole I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in And stops…
Flaming Pie Making love underneath a bed Shooting stars from a purple sk…
Flying to My Home I'm, I'm FLYING TO MY HOME, Home, FLYING TO MY HOME. Home, h…
Follow Me I bit my tongue I never talked too much I…
Fool on the hill Day after day alone on the hill The man with the…
Footprints It's beautiful outside, an old hand gathers wood, Can he…
and many more tracks by Paul McCartney.
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