McCartney English page

McCartney　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by Kazunori ISHII M.D.

1) Paul McCartney, vocalist and bassist of the Beatles, was born in 1942 in Liverpool, UK as the first child of James Paul McCartney (same name) who was a cotton salesman and Mary, a nurse. Later his younger brother Michael was born.
Around the age 6, Paul auditioned for the Liverpool Cathedral choir but unfortunately failed. The reason was said to be his poor ear for music, but neither Paul nor his mother were at all discouraged.
His father James was a pianist, but made his living as a salesman in the daytime and played the piano in clubs on weekends.
In his later years, Paul McCartney released “Yesterday” and “Let It Be” among many other great songs. The legendary composer still continues his work.

His mother Mary died of breast cancer when Paul was 14. To get over the loss of his dear mother, Paul devoted himself to playing the guitar.
A few years later, he met John Lennon and formed the Beatles. Playing mainly up-tempo rock’n’roll, the fabulous four gained overwhelming popularity among the young generation and became a social phenomenon around the world.
As their debut coincided with the American President Kennedy’s assassination, the world was eager for new heroes.
It was around this time that Paul wrote the classic “Yesterday” although the credits say Lennon and McCartney. John and Paul seem to have agreed to credit both their names even when one of them wrote a song and the songwriter sang it.

When I first listened to “Yesterday,” I thought it was a song for a broken heart. But the lyric goes:

Why she had to go
I don’t know she wouldn’t say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday

For many years I didn’t quite understand this verse. Paul himself said 20 years after the release that he wrote it in memory of his mother Mary.

It was said that “Let It Be” was his mother Mary’s words in Paul’s dream when he was troubled over the Beatles’ breakup.
The Japanese translation on the record says:

When I find myself in times of trouble
Blessed Virgin Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom

It seems to me more natural to think that it was Paul’s dear mother Mary who passed away when he was 14 rather than the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Paul seemed to carry ceaseless love for his mother even at the height of his busy eight years as a Beatle attaining wealth and fame.

The classic “Yesterday” illustrates Paul’s profound feelings for his mother, whereas “Let It Be” was perhaps his mother Mary’s words whispering to Paul when he was emotionally upset over the Beatles’ breakup.


2) In 1964, the Beatles arrived at New York airport to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, and 16 years later John Lennon was shot in the same New York City. How could anybody have imagined this, especially John!
The Beatles staked their fate on the Ed Sullivan Show’s success. The first song they played was “All My Loving.”

After the Beatles’ breakup, Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman, a Russian-American photographer.
Linda was a divorcee with a child before marrying Paul.
After the Beatles’ breakup, Linda joined Paul to form Wings.
Linda was often criticized and bashed by fans and media, but seemed to be the one Paul protected throughout life.
Yet Linda also died of breast cancer in 1998.
Paul was depressed and suspended his live performances for a while.
It was “All My Loving” that started Paul’s first show after a few years of silence.


3) In 2002, Paul remarried Heather Mills, a former model, after losing Linda to breast cancer in 1998.
Heather Mills has a prosthetic limb due to an amputation after a motorcycle accident. Thus she is a charity campaigner and both Paul and she supported the banning of land mines.

They had a baby girl, but their divorce settlement, which cost Paul \4.7 billion, started in 2002,.
Mentally strained Paul suffered from angina and underwent a cardiac catheterization procedure at a London hospital in 2007.
Paul is a vegetarian and assumed to have low cholesterol.
The biggest risk factor to cardiac illness is psychological stress, isn’t it?


4) At age 66 in 2008, Paul (born in 1942) met a new girlfriend Nancy Shevell (age 45?) and took her to his show in Jerusalem.

Life is sometimes faced with hardship, but the wonderful thing is that beautiful music helps us bear the suffering and brings peace of mind.
Many composers and musicians including Paul McCartney must be continuing their artistic work, overcoming their own hardships in life.