Paul McCartney
Biography
Out of all the former Beatles, Paul McCartney by far had the most successful solo career, maintaining a constant presence in the British and American charts during the '70s and '80s. In America alone, he had nine number one singles and seven number one albums during the first 12 years of his solo career. Although he sold records, McCartney never attained much critical respect, especially when compared to his former partner John Lennon. Then again, he pursued a different path than Lennon, deciding early on that he wanted to be in a rock band. Little more than a year after the Beatles' breakup, McCartney had formed Wings with his wife, Linda, and the group remained active for the next ten years, racking up a string of hit albums, singles, and tours in the meantime. By the late '70s, many critics were taking potshots at McCartney's effortlessly melodic songcraft, but that didn't stop the public from buying his records. His sales didn't slow considerably until the late '80s, and he retaliated with his first full-scale tour since the '70s, which was a considerable success. During the '90s, McCartney recorded less frequently, concentrating on projects like his first classical recording, a techno album, and the Beatles' Anthology.
Like Lennon and George Harrison, Paul McCartney began exploring creative avenues outside the Beatles during the late '60s, but where his bandmates released their own experimental records, McCartney confined himself to writing and production for other artists, with the exception of his 1966 soundtrack to The Family Way. Following his marriage to Linda Eastman on March 12, 1969, McCartney began working at his home studio on his first solo album. He released the record, McCartney, in April 1970, two weeks before the Beatles' Let It Be was scheduled to hit the stores. Prior to the album's release, he announced that the Beatles were breaking up, which was against the wishes of the other members. As a result, the tensions between him and the other three members, particularly Harrison and Lennon, increased and he earned the ill will of many critics. Nevertheless, McCartney became a hit, spending three weeks at the top of the American charts. Early in 1971, he returned with "Another Day," which became his first hit single as a solo artist. It was followed several months later by Ram, another homemade collection, this time featuring the contributions of his wife, Linda.
By the end of 1971, the McCartneys had formed Wings, which was intended to be a full-fledged recording and touring band. Former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine and drummer Denny Seiwell became the group's other members, and Wings released their first album, Wild Life, in December 1971. Wild Life was greeted with poor reviews and was a relative flop. McCartney and Wings, which now featured former Grease Band guitarist Henry McCullough, spent 1972 as a working band, releasing three singles -- the protest "Give Ireland Back to the Irish," the reggae-fied "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and the rocking "Hi Hi Hi." Red Rose Speedway followed in the spring of 1973, and while it received weak reviews, it became his second American number one album. Later in 1973, Wings embarked on their first British tour, at the conclusion of which McCullough and Seiwell left the band. Prior to their departure, McCartney's theme to the James Bond movie Live and Let Die became a Top Ten hit in the U.S. and U.K. That summer, the remaining Wings proceeded to record a new album in Nigeria. Released late in 1973, Band on the Run was simultaneously McCartney's best-reviewed album and his most successful, spending four weeks at the top of the U.S. charts and eventually going triple platinum.
Following the success of Band on the Run, McCartney formed a new version of Wings with guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton. The new lineup was showcased on the 1974 British single "Junior's Farm" and the 1975 hit album Venus and Mars. At the Speed of Sound followed in 1976, and it was the first Wings record to feature songwriting contributions by the other bandmembers. Nevertheless, the album became a monster success on the basis of two McCartney songs, "Silly Love Songs" and "Let 'Em In." Wings supported the album with their first international tour, which broke many attendance records and was captured on the live triple album Wings Over America (1976). After the tour was completed, Wings rested a bit during 1977, as McCartney released an instrumental version of Ram under the name Thrillington and produced Denny Laine's solo album Holly Days. Later that year, Wings released "Mull of Kintyre," which became the biggest-selling British single of all time, selling over two million copies. Wings followed "Mull of Kintyre" with London Town in 1978, which became another platinum record. After its release, McCulloch left the band to join the re-formed Small Faces and Wings released Back to the Egg in 1979. Though the record went platinum, it failed to produce any big hits. Early in 1980, McCartney was arrested for marijuana possession at the beginning of a Japanese tour; he was imprisoned for ten days and then released, without any charges being pressed.
Wings effectively broke up in the wake of McCartney's Japanese bust, although its official dissolution was not announced until April 27, 1981, when Denny Laine left the band. Back in England, McCartney recorded McCartney II, which was a one-man band effort like his solo debut. Ironically, the hit single associated with the album was a live take of the song "Coming Up" that had been recorded in Glasgow with Wings in December 1979 and was intended to be the B-side of the 45, with the solo studio recording as the A-side. DJs preferred the live version, however, and it went on to hit number one. Later in 1980, McCartney entered the studio with Beatles producer George Martin to make Tug of War.
Released in the spring of 1982, Tug of War received the best reviews of any McCartney record since Band on the Run and spawned the number one single "Ebony and Ivory," a duet with Stevie Wonder that became McCartney's biggest American hit. In 1983, McCartney sang on "The Girl Is Mine," the first single from Michael Jackson's blockbuster album Thriller. In return, Jackson dueted with McCartney on "Say Say Say," the first single from Paul's 1983 album Pipes of Peace and the last number one single of his career. The relationship between Jackson and McCartney soured considerably when Jackson bought the publishing rights to the Beatles songs from underneath McCartney in 1985.
McCartney directed his first feature film in 1984 with Give My Regards to Broad Street. While the soundtrack, which featured new songs and re-recorded Beatles tunes, was a hit, generating the hit single "No More Lonely Nights," the film was a flop, earning terrible reviews. The following year he had his last American Top Ten with the theme to the Chevy Chase/Dan Aykroyd comedy Spies Like Us. Press to Play (1986) received some strong reviews but the album was a flop. In 1988, he recorded a collection of rock & roll oldies called Choba B CCCP for release in the U.S.S.R.; it was given official release in the U.S. and U.K. in 1991. For 1989's Flowers in the Dirt, McCartney co-wrote several songs with Elvis Costello; the pair also wrote songs for Costello's Spike, including the hit "Veronica." Flowers in the Dirt received the strongest reviews of any McCartney release since Tug of War and was supported by an extensive international tour, which was captured on the live double album Tripping the Live Fantastic (1990). For the tour, McCartney hired guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Hamish Stuart, who would form the core of his band through the remainder of the '90s.
Early in 1991, McCartney released another live album in the form of Unplugged, which was taken from his appearance on MTV's acoustic concert program of the same name; it was the first Unplugged album to be released. Later that year, he unveiled Liverpool Oratorio, his first classical work. Another pop album, Off the Ground, followed in 1993, but the album failed to generate any big hits, despite McCartney's successful supporting tour. Following the completion of the New World tour, he released another live album, Paul Is Live, in December 1993. In 1994, he released an ambient techno album under the pseudonym the Fireman. McCartney premiered his second classical piece, "The Leaf," early in 1995 and then began hosting a Westwood One radio series called Oobu Joobu. But his primary activity in 1995, as well as 1996, was the Beatles' Anthology, which encompassed a lengthy video documentary of the band and the multi-volume release of Beatles outtakes and rarities. After Anthology was completed, he released Flaming Pie in summer 1997. A low-key, largely acoustic affair that had the some of the same charm of his debut, Flaming Pie was given the strongest reviews McCartney had received in years and was a modest commercial success, debuting at number two on the U.S. and U.K. charts; it was his highest American chart placing since he left the Beatles. Flaming Pie certainly benefited from the success of Anthology, as did McCartney himself -- only a few months before the release of the album in 1997, he received a Knightship.
On April 17, 1998, Linda McCartney died after a three-year struggle with breast cancer. A grieving Paul kept a low profile in the months to follow, but finally returned in fall 1999 with Run Devil Run, a collection primarily including cover songs. The electronica-based Liverpool Sound Collage followed a year later, and the pop album Driving Rain -- a successor, of sorts, to Flaming Pie -- came a year after that. The live album Back in the U.S. appeared in America in 2002 with the slightly different international edition, Back in the World, following soon after. McCartney's next studio project included sessions with super-producer Nigel Godrich, the results of which appeared on the mellow Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard, released in late 2005. McCartney performed every instrument (not including the strings) on 2007's David Kahne-produced Memory Almost Full, a bold but whimsical collection of new songs, some of which were recorded before the Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard sessions. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

Amoeba's Secret
2009

Memory Almost Full
2007

Chaos And Creation In The Backyard
2005

Back In The U.S. Live 2002
2002

Driving Rain
2001

Liverpool Sound Collage
2000

Flaming Pie
1997

Paul Is Live
1993

Flowers In The Dirt
1989

McCartney II
1988
I LOVE PAUL MCCARTNEY I am his biggest fan in the world! I Love him and he is my favorite Beatle! Paul McCartney Rocks and
Give peace a chance! |
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You guys do know Paul is dead right? It was Wednesday, the 9 November 1966 at around 5 A.M. and i was walking around the streets of London. I saw the whole thing and was subsequently paid off by the rest of the Beatles along with some of the other people that were there. But now, I'm finally letting it out. There's the truth.
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did you enjoy doing a music video with michael jackson?caus e , i saw the video.
p.s.michael jackson is handsom,not you. |
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I was just imagining that if I were to know how long I had left to live...I would feel complete by meeting Paul in person. How could you leave this earth without a smile on your face after that? I grew up with him and it feels as if he's my brother who moved away to make a living and just stays away all the time.
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...Just IMAGINE what music John would be making right now (not to mention how great a reunion b4 George's untimely death would have been...)
RIP John and George!! |
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I saw him twice in concert and both days are the BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE!!! The discussion, whether he was better or worse than John does not make sense in my opinion. During the Beatles years they clearly needed each other in order to perfect their divine music. As far as solo careers go, it is a pretty unfair comparison since PAUL IS STILL AROUND TO THIS DAY whereas John fell victim to one of the most senseless crimes of the 20th century....
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Why is Paul McCartney's artist bio written in past tense? The guy's still alive, touring, and recording some gems.
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Your all off the, beatles have a message watch across the universe and see if you can see what all this is really about.
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so because john had political veiws and was working for WORLD PEACE he had a bully pulpit. john was the only beatle that can b taken seriously after they split
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Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs. What's wrong with that?
I think Paul has always been quite aware of his position as an artist and musician. He's an entertainer, and a top notch one at that. Few even come close. I will never speak ill of John. But, John wanted to use his celebrity as a bully pulpit. Paul just wanted to give people a break from the monotony of the daily grind. That's a musician's calling. |
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A group of us saw him in Dallas in August 2009 and it ranks among the best concerts I have ever attended. His personality, his energy, his flirting and working the audience. He didn't even stop to take a drink of water and he played for almost 3 hours!!
And most amazingly, he sang the songs in the same key he originally recorded them. Can you name one other artist who has not lowered the key they sing in due to aging vocal chords? |
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wtf is temporary secretary lol. possibly the weirdest song i've ever heard
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Whatever the critics might have said in the past, Paul McCartney is a great song writer, with a formidable creativity and love for music and his public. Critics can't always be trusted. Today on BBC we heard how the two main critics who released reviews for Abbey Road, when it appeared, were talking about their youthful opinions, clearly stating that either they had hot heads, being in their 20's, or they plain and simple "had to write something". Ha! And those are the critics you believe!
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I would KILL to see him in concert!! Along with George John and Ringo they are all LEGENDS!
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National Lampoon was a hilarious magazine in the 1970's, leading to movies like Animal House, Caddy Shack, the Chevy Chase Vacation series. Animal House started as a series of short stories in the magazine. I think National Lampoon was started by Harard Lampoon alumni and their friends.
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National Lampoon is a very old magazine, kind of like Mad Magazine today in a way
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Don....I'm a dude.....ur startin to creep me out. please delete ur last comment.
ps what is national lampoon?? |
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Actually the joke goes "When did Paul write "Silly Love Songs" A. 1963-present
and it was funny 35 YEARS AGO when National Lampoon Magazine printed it! Women can't tell jokes and are (rarely) funny. A much better joke is "What do Yoko Ono and Ethiopians have in common?" A. Both live off dead beetles. Now THATS funny! |
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Q: What Year did Paul McCartney write "Silly Little Love Songs"
A: 1964....1965 . . . . 1 9 6 6 . . . . 1 9 6 7 . . . . . a n d so on and so on |
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Paul is was and always will be AWESOME! One wonders what John would have done with what should have been the rest of his life. So Sad the terrible things some people will do. Thank God we still have Paul. Poor George gone as well. Sure would love to see Paul, Ringo at BeatleFest some day!
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My favorite musician by far, seen him 3 times live and trekking to Nova Scotia for the show!
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Paul said it best. something like: 'yeah there was an edge in John's music that i envied. But to get that same edge, I'd have had to endure the same kind of pain in my life. Given the choice, I think I'd still rather be me.' Amen
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Very talented musician. Paul and John had incredible muscial abilities - not matched by many artists at any time. But we all miss John. How stupid was his death. Very stupid. - JDR
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PAUL,GEORGE, J O H N AND RINGO WERE LEGENDS IN THEIR TIME AND I BELIEVE STILL ARE WITH THE GREAT MUSIC THEY PERFORM. THE FAB 4 ARE GREAT. FOUR DECADES HAVE PAST AND THEIR MUSIC STILL STANDS OUT.
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Paul had a better solo career than alot of other musicians. Look at those albums! My sister saw him a few years ago when he came thru Detroit and that's her era. She said he was just awesome in concert.
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"paperback writer" is a good song, just a little loony. but most other songs are really good.
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Paul McCartney is one of the greatest talents of our time. Critics always seem to think they need to assault greatness instead of recognizing it. Lennon was a great musician, but if the truth be told, he gave Paul McCartney an edge. They were better together, but when they separated it was Paul's music which has stood the test of time.
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I get to see this cool cat headline the 1st day of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. Last year I got to see Roger Waters headline Coachella; F*cking phoenominal.
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i think that Paul McCartney had the best time of his life performing with so many talented artists. i wished i can see his career in his eyes.
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i think that paul should come to michgain and do a concert hear because if he did i will be their for sure.
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