Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Suddenly,
I’m not half the man I used to be,
There’s a shadow hanging over me,
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.
Why she
Had to go I don’t know, she wouldn’t say.
I said,
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.
This month’s Legend is by far the biggest musical act of this or any generation. Sir Paul McCartney is by far the most recognizable artist in the world. How did he get to be so big? Well, being a member of rock’s greatest band helps! Paul has worked his way into the hearts of music fans all over the world, and last week, Apple announced that the Beatles catalog was available in digital format.
Paul grew up in England, where he met John Lennon at an early age. The two quickly became friends and later formed the Beatles. The two also formed the most powerful writing duo in music history. Together they wrote some of the most influential songs in rock music. Paul and Lennon combined to write over 180 songs over their time together. Although the song “Yesterday” was written by Paul, the song gives credit to Lennon/McCartney. This was a sore spot for Paul for many years. Paul once asked Yoko Ono to switch the writing credits for “Yesterday” to McCartney/Lennon, but Ono refused. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, “Yesterday” is the most covered song in the history of music.
For me, The Beatles music is one of the most powerful things I have experienced and is one of the reasons why I write about music. Most of the songs written by Paul have such deep meanings for me. What makes Paul’s songs so great?  Some songs are written very simplistic, while others feel like they have layers.
Aside from his lyrical influence, Paul was also very instrumental in the sound of the Beatles. Their music was very revolutionary for the time in which it was released. When you play a record (CD) from The Beatles, it doesn’t sound very revolutionary, but then play another song from that same year, and you can immediately tell the difference. The Beatles only made music for about 11 years, and like most good things, they sadly came to an end.
Once The Beatles split, Paul released several solo albums before he formed the group Wings. Although Paul is most famous for his involvement in The Beatles, Wings was also a great band. If Paul had just played with Wings, he may not have been as famous as he is now, but there is no doubt that Wings would be one of those bands whose names stand out in rock music. Wings lasted about as long as The Beatles. They had some major hit songs like: “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Band on the Run,” “Live & Let Die.”
Paul has received every imaginable award you can think of; heck, he’s even been knighted by the queen of England. Paul was also the first musician to be worth $1 billion. Not too shabby! For being such a huge mega-star, Paul has remained fairly out of the spot light.
The only blimp on his personal life was when Paul divorced his ex-wife Heather Mills, who accused Paul of physical abuse. It has been said that Paul’s only true love was his wife Linda. She passed away in 1998 from breast cancer. The two had three children, one of which, Stella, is a famous fashion designer.
Sir Paul is currently touring to support his second band Wings. Living or dead, can you think of musician more influential than Paul? You can argue Elvis Presley, John Lennon or Milli Vanilli, but regardless of who is best, Paul is in the argument. So go out and celebrate this month and blast a McCartney song, and if you don’t have a Beatles album, SHAME ON YOU! You are no longer aloud to read my blogs until your check yourself!
Top 5 Songs by Paul McCartney
1. Yesterday
4.
5. Hey Jude
Useful Links
1 thought on “Artist of the Week (Legend Series)- Paul McCartney”
Comments are closed.