You Say It’s Your Birthday: Celebrating Paul McCartney’s Accomplishments Since The Beatles

By JC Villamere. 18 Jun 2019 5:29 PM

As the legend prepares to turn 77 on June 18, we look at “The Cute One”‘s post-Beatles legacy.

@J_corden

Getty

Roc Nation

Capitol

National Trust

Sire

Capitol

Arista

Linda McCartney/McCartney.com

@paulmccartney

Capitol

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He's more than a karaoke star
@J_corden
Everyone's looking forward to Sir Paul McCartney's sure-to-be-epic turn on James Corden's smash hit 'Carpool Karaoke.' It's a great chance to introduce young music lovers to the Macca ('the Macca' is his nickname in England — we know, so weird, right?!).
Who is Paul McCartney?

When little ones ask who Paul is, remember to tell them a whole lot more than just "He used to be in the Beatles." For example, you could tell them any of these things:
He's worked with Kanye
Getty
Kids these days: they know their Kanye West. McCartney first collabed with Ye in 2014 with the single "Only One." Their better-known collaboration is 2015's "FourFiveSeconds" with Rihanna.
That RiRi bump
Roc Nation
It's just proof that Rihanna makes everything better: even a Paul/Kanye combo. McCartney plays "FourFiveSeconds" live on tour these days, BTW, and it's awesome.
He's still on tour

McCartney seems to tour constantly. He's been on 14 solo tours since 1989.
He's a Juno winner
Capitol
Paul McCartney and his post-Beatles band Wings won the Juno for International Album of the Year in 1975. He's been nominated for four Junos in international categories because, in case this wasn't clear from the outset, McCartney is British.
'Back to the Egg'
National Trust
'Back to the Egg' is the name of Wings' final 1979 album and it's also a handy metaphor for McCartney returning to his childhood home in Liverpool as part of his 'Carpool Karaoke' appearance. It was his first time returning to his childhood address since the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest made it into a museum.
He has a history with Michael Jackson
Sire
Trying to think of that MJ/Macca duet? "The Girl Is Mine" from 'Thriller' is probably top of mind because, man, you really cannot overstate how popular Jackson's '83 album was, on which the track appeared. Jackson's satin jacket here is #fashiongoals.
More with MJ
Capitol
"The Girl Is Mine" comes first to mind but our fave is their other collab, "Say, Say, Say," which, in addition to providing a raison d'être for this fascinating single cover art, features a video that is so cray that it will have you saying 'cray-cray' again.
Say ...
Arista
Don't worry — we got some screengrabs for you. The video features McCartney and Jackson as vaudeville-era snake oil salesman. McCartney's late wife and Wings bandmate Linda McCartney also stars. Who plays Jackson's love interest in the video? His sister La Toya because this video has layers of cuckoo.
... Say ...
Arista
But Mac and Jack are not 'bad guy' snake oil salesmen; you can tell because they take their earnings to an orphanage where McCartney performs corny magic tricks and MJ falls off a log trying to tightrope walk. Tough break: first, you're orphaned and now, Paul McCartney's here to do a silent and definitely non-singing amateur magic show. Those orphans deserved a musical performance, you guys. Anyway, after the orphanage, they shave together (pictured) because ...
... Say
Arista
... They are also a vaudeville act. The video was directed by Bob Giraldi, who also directed Jackson's video for "Beat It." In 2013, Billboard magazine listed the song as the 41st biggest hit of all time on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
Most successful ... ever.
Linda McCartney/McCartney.com
In 1979, the Guinness Book of Records determined that McCartney was the most successful and honoured composer and musician in popular music history. And look at the way this guy can wear a hat.
He's an activist
@paulmccartney
McCartney is famously vegetarian and a vocal animal rights activist. Most recently, his tweet helped save "Penka" who wandered away from her herd and accidentally crossed the EU border into Serbia. Don't worry — the red tape was cleared and even though Penka accidentally exported herself, she was awarded a reprieve.
He's a composer
Capitol
Released in 1991, 'Liverpool Oratorio' was McCartney's first major foray into classical music.
He can write a heck of a waltz, too. At the height of punk in Britain in 1977, Wings scored the biggest hit of their career, and the first single to sell over two million copies in the U.K., with "Mull of Kintyre," a measured, lilting, traditional ode to the picturesque Scottish peninsula.

You Say It’s Your Birthday: Celebrating Paul McCartney’s Accomplishments Since The Beatles

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