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.
My Love
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know my heart can stay with my love
It's understood
It's in the hands of my love
And my love does it good
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh-oh
My love does it good
And when the cupboards bare
I'll still find something there with my love
It's understood
It's everywhere with my love
And my love does it good
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh-oh
My love does it good
Oh, I love, oh, my love
Only my love holds the other key to me
Oh, my love, oh, my love
Only my love does it good to me
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh-oh
My love does it good
Don't ever ask me why
I never say goodbye to my love
It's understood
It's everywhere with my love
My love does it good, oh
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh-oh
My love does it good
Oh, I love, oh, my love
Only my love does it good to me
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh oh
The lyrics of Paul McCartney & Wings's song "My Love" express the depth of love that the singer has for his significant other. The singer acknowledges that although he may have to leave for a while, his heart will remain with his love. He recognizes that the love they share is something special, and he entrusts it in the hands of his love. The repetition of the phrase "it's understood" emphasizes the depth of connection and trust between the two lovers.
Even when the singer is in need, he finds comfort in the fact that his love is always present and willing to help him. The repetition of the phrase "with my love" emphasizes the strong bond between the two lovers. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer's love is not just physical but emotional, as only his love holds the key to his heart. Finally, the singer realizes that his love does good to him, and he will never say goodbye to it.
In summary, the lyrics of "My Love" portray a deep and authentic love that overcomes all obstacles. The singer trusts and entrusts his love in the hands of his beloved, and he acknowledges that his love does good to him.
Line by Line Meaning
And when I go away
Even though I leave, my heart remains with my love
I know my heart can stay with my love
I am confident that my love will always have a place in my heart
It's understood
There's an unspoken agreement between me and my love
It's in the hands of my love
My love has power over my heart and feelings
And my love does it good
My love always does what's best for me
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh-oh
A joyful expression of the positive feelings I have for my love
And when the cupboards bare
Even when times are tough and resources are scarce
I'll still find something there with my love
I know my love has a way of providing for me, even when things seem bleak
It's understood
Once again, there's a sense of mutual understanding between me and my love
It's everywhere with my love
Love permeates every aspect of my life, thanks to my love
And my love does it good
No matter what the circumstance, my love always does what's best for me
Oh, I love, oh, my love
An expression of how deeply I feel for my love
Only my love holds the other key to me
My love is the one person who truly understands me and has access to my heart
Oh, my love, oh, my love
Repeating the phrase reinforces how much I cherish my love
Only my love does it good to me
Out of all the people in my life, only my love always has my best interests at heart
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh-oh
Once again, I express my joy and pleasure in my love's presence
Don't ever ask me why
No need to question my devotion to my love
I never say goodbye to my love
My love is a permanent fixture in my life, and I never want to part ways
My love does it good, oh
Through thick and thin, my love always makes me feel good
Whoa oh-oh, whoa oh-oh
A final expression of my love and gratitude for my partner
Lyrics © ABRAMUS
Written by: Armando Macedo, James Paul Mccartney, Linda Mccartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Oliver Van Hurst
And when I go away
I know my heart can stay with my love
It's understood, it's in the hands of my love
And my love does it good
Wo wo wo wo, wo wo wo wo
My love does it good
And when the cupboard's bare
I'll still find somethin' there with my love
It's understood, it's everywhere with my love
And my love does it good
Wo wo wo wo, wo wo wo wo
My love does it good
Oh, I love, oh, my love
Only my love holds the other key to me
Oh, my love, oh, my love
Only my love does it good to me
Wo wo wo wo, wo wo wo wo
My love does it good
Don't ever ask me why
Lord, I never say goodbye to my love
It's understood, it's everywhere with my love
And my love, she does it good
Wo wo wo wo, wo wo wo wo
Wo wo wo wo wo wo wo wo
My love does it good
Oh, I love, oh, my love
Only my love does it good to me
Wo wo wo wo wo wo wo wo wo