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.
Used to Be Bad
Paul McCartney Lyrics
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I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
Yeah, I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
There ain't no doubt about it, people
It's something you can't ignore, yeah
Well, I ain't good looking
People, you know I've been up on a shelf
Yes, I know I ain't good looking
And I've been put up on the shelf
But I got a sweet disposition
I like to enjoy myself
I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
Yeah, I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
You know I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago
Well, no matter what you say
No matter what you do
You got one life to live
It's gonna come back home to you
I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
Yeah, people, I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago (yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Whoa, ha, hey)
Yeah
Oh, yeah, c'mon, now
Yeah
The good Lord made this world
And everything that's in it
Well, the way I see it, baby
You got to love it to the limit
Oh yes, now people
It's something you can't ignore, yeah
Yes, I used to be bad
But I ain't gonna be bad no more, ooh
Well, the way you treat me, darling
Made me understand
Never quit you, baby
I'm gonna love you to the end
Yeah, I used to be bad
But I ain't gonna be bad no more, no more
Yes, I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago (yeah, yeah)
Yes, I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago
Yes, I learned my lesson
You're gonna reap just what you sow
The lyrics to Paul McCartney's song "Used to Be Bad" communicate a sentiment of growth and redemption. The singer acknowledges that they had a past of being "bad" but that they have since changed and grown. They explain that they no longer have to be bad and that it's something that shouldn't be ignored. The lyrics suggest that the singer has learned from their past mistakes and has moved past them. They also touch on the idea of treating others with kindness and love, stating that it's important to love everything in the world to the limit.
The second verse seems to touch on the idea of physical appearance and how it doesn't define a person's worth. The singer acknowledges that they may not be conventionally attractive, but that they have a sweet disposition and enjoy themselves. This further emphasizes the idea that growth and redemption come from within, not from external factors.
Overall, "Used to Be Bad" represents a mature and reflective perspective on personal growth and redemption. The lyrics emphasize the importance of learning from past mistakes and treating others with kindness, suggesting a sense of emotional intelligence and growth on the part of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to be bad
I used to have bad behavior
But I don't have to be bad no more
But I have changed and no longer behave that way
Yeah, I used to be bad
Yes, I had bad behavior in the past
But I don't have to be bad no more
But I have changed and no longer behave that way
Well ain't no doubt about it, people
It is an undeniable fact, my fellow humans
It's something you can't ignore
It is a reality that cannot be overlooked
Well, I ain't good looking
Well, I am not physically attractive
People, you know I've been up on a shelf
People, you know that I have not been in the limelight or in demand
And I've been put up on the shelf
And I have been relegated to obscurity
But I got a sweet disposition
But I have a pleasant nature
I like to enjoy myself
I like to have fun and be happy
You know I learned my lesson
I have gained wisdom from my past actions
A long, long time ago
A significant amount of time has passed since then
Well, no matter what you say
Regardless of what you say
No matter what you do
No matter what actions you take
You got one life to live
You only have one life to live
It's gonna come back home to you
The consequences of your actions will eventually catch up to you
The good Lord made this world
The Creator made this world
And everything that's in it
And everything that exists within it
The way I see it, baby
In my perspective, my dear
You got to love it to the limit
You have to fully appreciate and enjoy it
Oh yes, now people
Oh yes, my fellow humans
It's something you can't ignore
It is a reality that cannot be overlooked
Well, the way you treat me darling
The way you behave towards me, my dear
Made me understand
Helped me comprehend
Never quit you baby
I will never give up on you, my dear
I'm gonna love you to the end
I will love you until the end of time
Yes, I learned my lesson
Yes, I have gained wisdom from my past actions
You're gonna reap just what you sow
You will face the consequences of your actions
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Paul McCartney, Steve Miller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind