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.
Wonderful Christmastime
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The spirits up
We're here tonight
And that's enough
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The feeling's here
That only comes
This time of year
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The choir of children sing their song
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding ooh ooh
Do-do, do-do, do-do, do
We're simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The word is out
About the town
So lift a glass
Oh and don't look down
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The choir of children sing their song
They practiced all year long
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding dong (dong)
Ding dong, ding dong (dong)
Ding dong, dong dong
The party's on
The spirits up
We're here tonight
And that's enough (ohh)
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
We're simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The mood is right
The spirits up
We're here tonight
Oh and that's enough (yeah)
We're simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Wonderful Christmastime (Christmas)
Paul McCartney's song "Wonderful Christmastime" is an upbeat and joyful anthem that captures the festive spirit of the holiday season. The lyrics express the sense of excitement and happiness that come with Christmas celebrations, with simple yet catchy phrases that celebrate the spirit of the season.
The opening verse sets the mood of the song, with the "mood" and "spirits" being up as everyone gathers together for the party or event. The repetition of the line, "Simply having a wonderful Christmastime," reinforces the idea that the simple joys of the season are all that is needed to make the occasion special. The chorus establishes this sentiment as the central message of the song, with the lyrics emphasizing that the joy and wonder of Christmas can be found in the most basic elements of the holiday.
The song continues with a description of the classic Christmas scene, with a choir of children singing festive carols and the town buzzing with excitement. These images evoke the traditional elements of the holiday and add to the sense of community and shared joy. The final verses of the song urge listeners to join in the celebrations and raise a glass to the festive season, bringing the song to a triumphant conclusion.
Overall, "Wonderful Christmastime" is a catchy and feel-good song that encapsulates the spirit of Christmas. The repetitive nature of the lyrics and the upbeat melody make it a holiday classic that is sure to lift the spirits of anyone feeling down during the festive season.
Line by Line Meaning
The mood is right
The atmosphere is perfect
The spirits up
Everyone is in high spirits
We're here tonight
We are all gathered here tonight
And that's enough
It's just enough to be together
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
We don't need anything else but to enjoy Christmas together
The party's on
The celebration has started
The feeling's here
There is a special feeling in the air
That only comes
That appears just once a year
This time of year
During the Christmas season
The choir of children sing their song
Children's choir sings their Christmas song
Ding dong, ding dong
The sound of the bells ringing
Ding dong, ding ooh ooh
The sound of the bells ringing and echoing
Do-do, do-do, do-do, do
The children are humming their melody
We're simply having a wonderful Christmastime
We are enjoying ourselves during Christmas
The word is out
Everyone knows about it
About the town
All around the town
So lift a glass
Let's raise our glasses
Oh and don't look down
Don't worry about anything else, just enjoy the moment
They practiced all year long
The children had been rehearsing their song for a long time
Ding dong, ding dong (dong)
The sound of the bells ringing again
Ding dong, ding dong (dong)
And again
Ding dong, dong dong
The bells continue to ring
The party's on
The celebration continues
We're here tonight
We are all together tonight
And that's enough (ohh)
Being together is all we need
Oh, oh, oh, oh
A joyful sound
Oh, oh, oh
More joyful sounds
Wonderful Christmastime (Christmas)
The magical and joyful experience of Christmas
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind