Ex Beatle
Paul McCartney turns 80 – you should know these five songs
Paul McCartney turns 80 on June 18.
© Ian West/PA Wire / DPA
He became a legend with the Beatles, but Paul McCartney stayed creative even after the group broke up. On the occasion of his 80th birthday we play five of his best songs.
He is one of the greatest pop musicians of all time. Together with the Beatles he created countless Beatles masterpieces, such as “Yesterday”, “Hey Jude” or “Let it Be”. Even after the Fab Four disbanded in 1970, Paul McCartney remained productive. He still releases new music to this day. The Liverpool native turns 80 this Saturday, and on this occasion we remember his best songs:
1. “Maybe I’m Amazed”
This song marks the beginning of his solo career: On April 10, Paul McCartney announced the end of the Beatles in press releases about his first solo album. The included “Maybe I’m Amazed” became an instant fixture in his concert repertoire and was released in this version from the 1976 tour on the live album “Wings over America”. It was a triumph: The album reached number 1 in the US charts, “Maybe I’m Amazed” made it into the top ten.
2. “Silly Love Songs”
Despite his success and the obvious quality of his music, critics like his former friend John Lennon had something to complain about: the lyrics weren’t deep enough, he wrote too many love songs. Paul McCartney used this criticism as a through ball and simply turned the tables:
You’d think that people would’ve had enough of silly love songs
I look around me, and I see it is not so
Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs
And what’s wrong with that?
I’d like to know, ’cause here I go again
The former Beatle did everything right with that: “Silly Love Songs” climbed to the top of the charts in the USA and is the most successful single he released with the Wings to date. Incidentally, the recording shows that McCartney is not only a brilliant songwriter, but also an outstanding bassist.
3. “Live and Let Die”
To this day, being able to produce a Bond song is an accolade for every artist. When the producers of the film series were looking for a musician for the 1973 film “James Bond 007 – Live and Let Die”, it was not John Lennon, George Harrison or Ringo Starr who asked themselves – but Paul McCartney. He delivered in the usual quality: his song begins as a Beatle-esque piano ballad, accelerates in the middle section with an orchestral part, then transitions into a reggae part before returning to the beginning. “Live and Let Die” is still considered one of the best songs in the film series – and according to some critics contains more drama than the accompanying film.
4. “Band on the Run”
Despite the qualities of “Live and Let Die” and other songs, critics in the early ’70s questioned whether Paul McCartney would ever get back to the form of his Beatles days. “Band on the Run” ended that speculation: It climbed to number 1 in the US and UK. Actually, you could have taken any song from this album: whether it’s the rocking “Jet”, the ballad “Bluebird”, the sing-along “Mrs Vanderbilt” or the irresistibly groovy “Let Me Roll It”. We decided on the single of the same name: “Band on the Run” builds up tension with a two-minute intro, which it then releases with the onset of the actual song. If you missed old Paul, here he is.
5. “Find My Way”
The fact that four of the five songs listed here come from the 70s shouldn’t lead you to a wrong judgement: Paul McCartney has written great songs and landed hits in all decades. Two years ago, he proved that he hasn’t forgotten how to do it with his album “McCartney III”, which topped the charts in Germany and Great Britain and reached number 2 in the USA. It includes the song “Find My Way”, in which the musician sounds as fresh as in his prime. A year later, Beck revised the piece and presented a digitally rejuvenated McCartney in the accompanying video, who looks like he did in the Beatles’ time. That says it all: Paul McCartney is still vital and creative, almost like he was 60 years ago. A nice compliment for a now 80-year-old. Happy Birthday Paul!