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.
Sgt. Pepper's/The End
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play
They've been going in and out of style
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile.
So may I introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
Sit back and let the evening go.
Sgt. Pepper's lonely, Sgt. Pepper's lonely,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
It's wonderful to be here,
It's certainly a thrill.
You're such a lovely audience,
We'd like to take you home with us,
We'd love to take you home.
I don't really want to stop the show,
But I thought that you might like to know,
That the singer's going to sing a song,
And he wants you all to sing along.
So let me introduce to you
The one and only Billy Shears
And Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Oh yeah, all right
Are you going to be in my dreams
Tonight?
And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make.
The lyrics to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/The End" can be interpreted as a meta-reference to the Beatles themselves as a band, their evolution throughout the years, and their desire to entertain their fans. The title character, Sgt. Pepper, is introduced as an experienced musician who taught the band to play, suggesting a mentorship and growth relationship. The line "They've been going in and out of style" acknowledges the band's varied musical experimentation and changing trends. Regardless, they are guaranteed to make their fans smile, making them beloved by generations of fans.
The band then introduces themselves as the titular "Lonely Hearts Club Band," inviting the audience to enjoy the show and let themselves be entertained. The repeated line "Sgt. Pepper's lonely" seems to suggest that despite the surface-level entertainment and joy provided by the band, there is a lingering sense of isolation and loneliness among its members.
The song then transitions into "The End," which features iconic verses that suggest a sense of finality and closure ("And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"). These verses can be interpreted as a reflection on the Beatles' long and successful career as a band, suggesting that the impact they've made on their fans is worth as much as the love they've received in return.
Line by Line Meaning
It was twenty years ago today,
It happened exactly twenty years ago today.
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play
Sgt. Pepper imparted musical knowledge to the band on how to play.
They've been going in and out of style
The band's fashion and popularity has fluctuated over time.
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile.
Their performance is sure to entertain and bring joy to the audience.
So may I introduce to you
I would like to present to you
The act you've known for all these years,
The group you're familiar with over the years,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
A band known as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
Our group is called Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
We hope you will enjoy the show,
We wish that you will appreciate the performance,
Sit back and let the evening go.
Relax and enjoy the show.
Sgt. Pepper's lonely, Sgt. Pepper's lonely,
Sgt. Pepper seems lonely, he is in solitude.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
A band known as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
It's wonderful to be here,
It feels great to be present in this place,
It's certainly a thrill.
It's definitely thrilling and exciting.
You're such a lovely audience,
The audience is so nice and pleasant,
We'd like to take you home with us,
We wish we could take you with us as you've been very supportive.
We'd love to take you home.
We want to take you with us to continue to enjoy the evening.
I don't really want to stop the show,
I am hesitant to end the entertainment,
But I thought that you might like to know,
But I felt it would be useful for you to know,
That the singer's going to sing a song,
The vocalist will now perform a piece,
And he wants you all to sing along.
And he would like everyone to participate with their singing.
So let me introduce to you
I'd like to formally present to you,
The one and only Billy Shears
I present to you the one and only Billy Shears.
And Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
And the well-known group called Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Oh yeah, all right
An expression of approval or agreement.
Are you going to be in my dreams
Are you going to be present in my dreams,
Tonight?
During the night-time?
And in the end
At the end,
The love you take
The love you receive,
Is equal to the love you make.
Is directly proportional to the love you give back.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Del Owusu
Abe kills it. Such energy. Love him and love his dad too. God bless the Laboriel family.
Guillermo Barba Reyes
Abe's uncle was a mexican rockstar named Johnny Laboriel
lester smith
agree ten fold
Jack Michael
Seems like he'd run through a wall for Paul. Love him.
Thomas Porombka
Like the way he tries to get as close as possible to Ringo's drumming. He is a very good drummer in his own right, but he instinctively feels that he should respect the original.
Franklin McMillan
I swear he must take in 30,000 calories a day, because he must burn well over 20,000 per show. Hardest working musician of our day!
FOXGEAR92
Paul is legendary, and Abe Laboriel Jr. is a beast on the kit. I salute you both, sirs.
Here Now
Paul has kept the Beatles alive all of these years.
Awesome 🎉
Jordan O
This is definitely the best band Paul's ever had (besides The Beatles, obviously). All his musicians are top notch. With all of those screaming guitar solos on 'The End' with Abe's powerhouse drum sound backing them up, how can you not enjoy this performance? Makes me even more excited to see Paul at the end of this month. :)
mr22ron
I believe we as a people have forgotten the love you take is equal to the love you make. That line is one of the greatest-brilliant!