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.
Midnight Special
Paul McCartney Lyrics
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And they march you to the table to see the same old thing
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Yonder come Miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?
By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a everlovin' light on me
If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down
The next thing you know, boy, oh! you're prison bound
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a everlovin' light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine a everlovin' light on me
Paul McCartney's song "Midnight Special" is his version of a traditional folk song by the same name. The song talks about the life of a prisoner in a Southern chain gang. The opening lines describe the daily routine of the prisoners - waking up to the sound of the work bell and being marched to the table to find no food or meat. The prisoners are warned not to complain, or they'll get in trouble with the man. This speaks to the harsh living conditions in Southern prisons and the lack of basic amenities.
The chorus of the song highlights the hope that shines through the darkness, as the singer asks for the midnight special - a train that ran in the late hours - to shine a light on him. This could represent the hope of freedom at the end of his sentence or the hope that the train would bring him good news. The second verse focuses on Miss Rosie, who wears an apron and carries a piece of paper, which could imply that she is either a maid or a lawyer. She comes to see the governor to plead for her man's release. This verse suggests that there may still be hope even in the despair of prison life.
The final verse warns people to stay out of trouble if they ever find themselves in Houston, Texas. Fighting or gambling could get them arrested and thrown in jail. The repetition of the chorus serves as a reminder that hope can shine through even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring
As soon as morning dawns, the sound of the work bell signals the beginning of the day.
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing
You're led to the table every day to see the same old terrible food.
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan
There's no food on the table, not even a scrap of pork in the pan.
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man
If you dare to complain, you'll be in hot water with the man.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
May the Midnight Special shine a light on me.
Yonder come Miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?
Here comes Miss Rosie, how did you find out about her arrival?
By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore
You can tell it's her by the way she's dressed in her apron and clothes.
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
She's carrying an umbrella on her shoulder and a piece of paper in her hand.
She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man
She's come to see the governor and plead for her man's release.
If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right
If you ever find yourself in Houston, you had better play it safe.
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
You must not gamble or fight, not even a little bit.
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down
If you're caught, the sheriff and his men will come after you.
The next thing you know, boy, oh! you're prison bound
Next, you'll soon find yourself behind bars and headed straight to prison.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
May the Midnight Special shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
May the Midnight Special shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
May the Midnight Special shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special shine a everlovin' light on me
May the Midnight Special shine an ever-loving light on me.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
May the Midnight Special shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
May the Midnight Special shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
May the Midnight Special shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special shine a everlovin' light on me
May the Midnight Special shine an ever-loving light on me.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Cameron Fogerty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind