Paul McCartney’s favourite songs by his favourite songwriters
Everyone has their own list of favourite songwriters, and if you were to ask 100 people theirs, you would get 100 different variations. That being said, a name that would come near the top of many would, without question, be Paul McCartney.
Throughout his career, McCartney has continued to wrack up acclaim from people all over the world as his discography expands and astonishes. The way that he and The Beatles shaped popular music is nothing to be sniffed at, as every modern band, whether they intend to or not, will draw from their influence, which has been passed down through generations.
A few different aspects contribute towards The Beatles’ success, but McCartney’s ability as a songwriter is one pillar that continues to hold up the band’s legacy. That was further highlighted this year with the release of the newest (and last) Beatles song ‘Now and Then’, a track which has been played in households all around the globe, showing that despite first putting pen to paper over six decades ago, McCartney has still got it.
So, who does one of the greatest songwriters of all time look to for inspiration? Well, McCartney has never been withholding when it comes to talking about those who inspire him, so this list will look at his top five songs by his top five writers in more detail.
Paul McCartney’s favourite songs by his favourite songwriters:
Paul Simon – ‘Homeward Bound’
A mutual respect is shared between Paul McCartney and Paul Simon, one so strong that McCartney confesses he struggles to pick a stand-out song by him. “I think Paul Simon has written some amazing songs,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to just say one of them but he’s certainly written some great stuff.”
The mass of quality in Simon’s back catalogue doesn’t stop McCartney from picking out a few standouts though. “Really,” he said, “Some of his things have been very good. ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, ‘Sound of Silence’, ‘Mrs Robinson’, ‘The 59th Street Bridge Song’ and ‘Homeward Bound’…. to name a few personal faves.”
Bob Dylan – ‘She Belongs To Me’
There is no doubt that Bob Dylan was a significant influence on The Beatles. Their two careers seemed to mirror one another in popularity but veered off in opposite directions when it came to their accessibility. The Beatles were handsome, blue-eyed boys, the kind who would answer questions with quirky responses and always greet the public. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan went the opposite way, becoming a much more mysterious figure, one which was hard for fans to truly pin down.
That being said, his songwriting did inspire The Beatles to write more folk-inspired music and add more sincerity to their lyricism. “Bob Dylan has written some great stuff,” McCartney said. When asked what songwriter most inspired him in a ‘My Inspiration’ campaign run by HMV, he confirmed it was Dylan, adding that his favourite song was ‘She Belongs To Me’.
Neil Young – ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’
“I think Neil Young has come up with some classics,” McCartney said. The two have worked together frequently throughout their careers, but one of their true defining moments was in 2004 when they performed Young’s first-ever commercial hit, ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’.
Young has always flown the flag for The Beatles, so having that recognition by McCartney is no mean feat. The two would continue to perform together on different occasions, like when Young covered ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ but with the original lyrics, “she’d never been a beauty queen,” rather than the now well-known, “You know what I mean”.
The Beach Boys – ‘God Only Knows’
The Beach Boys and The Beatles butted heads every now and then as the two were often pitted against one another, but that tension didn’t stop McCartney from recognising the band as some of the best songwriters ever to put pen to paper. Despite there being a number of tracks he could choose from, ‘God Only Knows’ continues to be one of his favourites.
“’God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it,” he said, “It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian. I’ve actually performed it with him, and I’m afraid to say that during the soundcheck, I broke down.”
John Lennon – ‘Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)’
It’s hardly a surprise to see McCartney’s friend and long-time writing partner on this list. Lennon was someone whom McCartney was comfortable working with but who he also claims spurred him on to produce some of his best work. “We had a big rivalry with The Beach Boys,” he said, “I suppose I had a little one with Paul Simon, that is good. I had a rivalry with John, – if he’s wrote a good one, I’d go, ‘Oh god, I better write something better.’”
Despite the amount the two of them wrote together, one of McCartney’s favourite offerings by Lennon comes from his solo career. “I’m often asked for my favourite tunes kind of thing, and I always include ‘Beautiful Boy’,” he said.
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