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.
We Can Work It Out
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do I have to keep on talking 'til I can't go on
While you see it your way
Run the risk of knowing that or love may soon be gone
We can work it out
We can work it out
Think of what you're saying
Think of what I'm saying
We can work it out and get it straight or say good night
We can work it out
We can work it out
Life is very short and there's no time
for fussing and fighting, my friend
I have always thought that it's a crime
So I will ask you once again
Try to see it my way
Only time will tell of I am right or I am wrong
While you see it your
There's a chance we might fall apart before too long
We can work it out
We can work it out
Life is very short and there's no time
for fussing and fighting, my friend
I have always thought that it's a crime
So I will ask you once again
Think of what you're saying
You can get it wrong and still you think that it's all right
Think of what I'm saying
We can work it out and get it straight or say good night
We can work it out
We can work it out
The song "We Can Work It Out" by Paul McCartney is a plea for understanding and compromise in a relationship. McCartney suggests that each person in the relationship needs to try to see things from the other's perspective, and work together to find a solution that works for both of them. He acknowledges that this can be difficult, as each person may feel strongly that their way is the right way. However, he reminds the other person that they are risking losing their love if they don't try to work things out.
McCartney emphasizes the importance of effective communication in a relationship. He points out that misunderstandings can happen, and it's important to really listen to one another and try to understand where the other person is coming from. He also emphasizes that life is short, and there's no time to waste on arguing or fighting. He encourages the other person to work things out with him, rather than letting the relationship fall apart.
Overall, "We Can Work It Out" is a hopeful and optimistic song about the possibility of overcoming challenges in a relationship. McCartney's message is one of cooperation, communication, and mutual understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Try to see it my way
Consider my perspective and the way I see things
Do I have to keep on talking 'til I can't go on
Must I continue explaining myself to exhaustion.
While you see it your way
You have your own viewpoint.
Run the risk of knowing that our love may soon be gone
Risk losing our love and connection if we can't resolve our differences.
We can work it out
We have the capability to resolve our differences.
Think of what you're saying
Consider the words you use and how they may be perceived by others.
You can get it wrong and still you think that it's all right
You may be mistaken but still believe that you're correct.
Think of what I'm saying
Consider my words and how they add to the conversation.
We can work it out and get it straight or say good night
We can make amends and settle our disputes or end our relationship.
Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend
Life is too brief to waste on unnecessary arguments and disagreements.
I have always thought that it's a crime
I believe it's a shame or misuse of time.
So I will ask you once again
I will repeat my request.
There's a chance we might fall apart before too long
Our relationship may disintegrate if we can't resolve our differences.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patrickmartens404
Even when making a mistake Paul makes it so infinitely watchable. Legend!
@nelsonsdvoskin
Perfect!
@66impala71
He worked it out, as we knew he would. Long live Sir Paul
@OCTOBERBABY7901
He made mistakes singing JPM's songs with this Unplugged Special, bc this guy singing in this video isn't McCartney. This is Billy Shears, or whatever the name of his replacement is.
@danteespinosa5670
@@OCTOBERBABY7901you can't be dumber
@olliedylan1381
He didn’t know the lyrics but eventually... he worked it out
@MikeTRX8
Bravo.
@dgpaintandremodel1810
Haha
Good one!!
@Claudio-ud3rp
At last he didn't playback...great Paul
@miguelosagie388
He knew the lyrics all the time and was trying to be modest which is something he has always struggled to be