“The greatest”: the vocalist who inspired Paul McCartney’s singing style
How would you describe the vocal style of Paul McCartney? Tender? Gritty? Introspective? All of these labels apply, but maybe not at the same time.
This is the ultimate case in point that Macca has absolutely gone on a vocal evolution over time. Where some rock stars started out squeaky clean and hitting all the high notes, before descending into a crutch of lowering keys and wavering tones later down the line – not looking at anyone in particular, ahem, Elton John – the former Beatle has used the decades to his advantage.
Indeed, if you compared his latest album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, to the height of his solo genius on 1971’s RAM, you’d see such a stark contrast between the experimental madman and the nostalgic elderly gentleman that you would be forgiven for thinking it wasn’t the same artist, if McCartney’s brand wasn’t so unmistakable.
Yet in this context, you could argue that the ‘70s period in which the musician was in his lonesome prime was the catalyst for what was probably his most eclectic and creative stint of records ever, even if the results that it yielded weren’t always as prolific as before. The whole idea was that he was just free, and everyone else was swept up in coming along for the ride.
Given the time period, which also obviously included the rest of the ranks of Wings, but even despite the outfit being a new vehicle and lease of life beyond the immediate parameters of The Beatles, some influences ultimately never changed. That included his love for the so-called ‘granny music’ style.
It was something derided by John Lennon but incessantly loved by the man himself, never waning in his devotion to classic crooners and all the quintessential quirks they brought to the canon. As much as McCartney looked back and laughed at his often indiscernible lyrics of the ‘70s, that could all be blamed on a trio of icons in their skittish prime.
“There’s a great old tradition of scatting, and I always liked hearing it on Fats Waller or Louis Armstrong records,” McCartney explained.
“The greatest scatter of all was Ella Fitzgerald. The way scatters were able to find rhythms in nonsense words was so inspiring, you could tell they were having fun.”
Paul McCartney
As much as he may have caused his fans a headache trying to figure out what the hell he was saying, the influence of the likes of Fitzgerald, Waller, and Armstrong in all their scatting glory was undeniable. It may have been a branch of vocal inspiration that not many would have expected, but given McCartney’s penchant for the classics, it made perfect sense in his mind.
And although Wings may not live and die on the cornerstone legacy of scat, it was clear that Macca, in his self-proclaimed “mad professor” era, revelled in all that this new path of musical ventures had to offer him. The products had always been there, but it was his job as a sonic scientist to devise the greatest concoction.
