Best collaborations of Paul McCartney: 11 surprising teams

Yes Paul Mccartney had never written songs with John Lennonit would have been enough. The music they created as part of the Beatles continues to influence popular music, forever consolidating their songwriting partnership in history. After the Beatles, however, McCartney proved he was a volunteer participant in all kinds of musical activities, setting up on a new territory and creating lasting works with a variety of musical conspirators. Paul McCartney's best collaborations reflect his constant desire to find new ways of expressing himself and his ability to adopt almost all styles of music.

Here we celebrate Paul McCartney's best collaborations in recent decades. You think you have forgotten one of your favorites? Let us know in the "Comments" section.

Listen to the best of Paul McCartney on Apple Music and Spotify.

Best collaborations of Paul McCartney: 11 surprising teams

Stevie Wonder

The Beatles were Motown fans since before their celebrity and had included covers of three Tamla Motown recordings on their second album, With the Beatles. (Respect was mutual: Motown stars covered Beatles songs of the group.) Paul had met for the first time the junior star of Motown, Little Stevie Wonder, in a London nightclub in 1966, and Paul and Stevie, among others, recorded recordings on the band with John Lennon in the United States in 1974.

It was not until 1982, however, that Paul and Stevie officially collaborated for the first time. "Initially, I phoned Stevie," recalls Paul. "I wrote the song 'Ebony And Ivory'. These are blacks and whites living in harmony. I admired him so much and he said "yes". "

The recording was produced by Beatles producer George Martin, who found the session "a great privilege because they are all multi-talented musicians."

The resulting song closes Paul's 1982 album Tug of war. When he released in single, he became the first British No. 1 Paul since "Mull Of Kintyre" in 1977, while ahead of the United States. Display panel graphics for a remarkable seven weeks – its longest race to the top since The Beatles"Hey Jude", written by McCartney.

But Ebony And Ivory was not the only song that the two musicians had played together. "What are you doing?", Which was also on Tug of war, has become, these last years, a favorite of the DJs after Paul revisited it with Freelance Hellraiser on the occasion of the Twin freaks album.

Carl Perkins

It's fair to say that all the Beatles loved Carl Perkins. The rockabilly giant would have visited EMI's studios on Abbey Road when the Beatles recorded their version of his 'Matchbox' song in June 1964 – one of many Perkins songs the band had seen in their early years.

Fast forward 17 years and when recording his Tug of war Album in the Caribbean, Paul invited Perkins to join him at the George Martin's Air studio in Montserrat. "I wanted to play with Carl Perkins," recalls Paul. "I like it since my childhood. His songs are the first blues I've ever listened to. "Blue suede shoes," for example. We did not throw him in a track, I just phoned to ask him if he wanted to participate. He said, "Why, Paul, of course," and he went down to Montserrat. He went down alone, without entourage. He just got off the plane. He came down late at night.

"We were in the studio and he came down and said," It's really beautiful here, Paul. "He went to bed, he got up the next morning and he obviously did not see the island, so he came back later in the day and said," Paul believe me, this morning I thought I was dead and went to heaven waking up, so beautiful and so beautiful. "So while he was there, I wrote the title" Get It We had a little fun recording it, and I can still see Laurel and Hardy dancing on this track. "

As a thank you to Paul and Linda McCartney for their hospitality during his stay, Perkins wrote a song called "My Old Friend". But when Carl played for the couple, Paul was suddenly up and came out, visibly shaken. Linda took Carl in her arms to rebadure her and explained to her that during the last conversation between Paul and John Lennon, murdered a few months earlier, John had told him: "Think of me from time to time, my old friend," resounded from words. the Perkins song.

Michael Jackson

The badociation between Paul and Michael Jackson appeared for the first time when the latter covered 'Girlfriend' by Wings' the city of London album including on his revolutionary On the wall record in 1979. In 1981, the two men started working together on "Say Say Say".

"Michael called and said that he wanted to work together," Paul explained to MojoPaul Du Noyer. "I said," What do you mean? "He said," I want to make hits, you know? "I said," It sounds good. "So he came.

"We sat on the floor of my office in London, took a guitar and" Say Say Say "came out. He helped with a lot of words. It's not a very wordy song but it's fun to work with him because he's enthusiastic … at this point with Michael, you do not even talk about a writer, but simply a singer and a singer. a dancer. But he added, "Let's make some success," and that's exactly what we did. "

It will take another two years before the pair completes the song. During this period, they also recorded two other numbers – "The Man", which, like "Say Say Say", was co-written by the couple and appeared in Paul's film in 1983. Pipes Of Peace "The Girl Is Mine", published in the 1984 edition of Jackson Thriller smash. "The Girl Is Mine" would be the first hit to feature Paul, which he had neither written nor produced since "Something" in 1969.

Eric Stewart

the 10cc The multi-instrumentalist conducted several studios, including Strawberry South, in Dorking, Surrey, not far from Paul's house and studio. Paul invited Eric Stewart to attend his sessions Tug of war album – "Bring your acoustic and we'll have a record" – from 1981, and the duo worked together in different incarnations over the next five years. Stewart acted as an instrumentalist and singer, before becoming a composer, composer and author, and appeared alongside Paul in the credits of the song. Tug of war, Pipes Of Peace and Press to play albums.

Paul then spoke of the relationship philosophically, admitting to having failed to have a partner like John Lennon: "A colleague missed me. Even if you have written something yourself, it is convenient to take it with someone … They only have to tell you that it's awesome sometimes, it's Is all the collaboration you need, otherwise you always ask yourself the question. It's always good to have this second opinion.

More than half of the tracks on Press to play Paul McCartney and Eric Stewart, including the singles "Stranglehold", "Pretty Little Head" and "Only Love Remains".

Elvis Costello

When Paul decided to join a new composing partner in the late 1980s, he turned to Elvis Costelloand was struck by the many similarities between working with John Lennon – the couple sat face-to-face with acoustic guitars, a piano, a notebook and his partner in thick horn-rimmed glbades with "A great sarcastic quality in the voice". As Paul explained, "I would sing a line and [Elvis] there would be a spiritual and bitter leaf. I said, "God, that was all John's style and me." I would write a romantic sentence and John would write the lowered acid. "

From Costello's point of view, it was hard not to let down, at least in the beginning: "Inevitably, there was a little 'Fiek Hell, that's Paul McCartney.' He wrote a lot of famous songs … He's very handy in music composition – very formal, quite fun. "

The results were a success, with 1989 Flowers in the dirt to prove a commercial and critical success – to the extent that it inspired Paul to tour for the first time in 10 years.

Youth

One of Paul's less obvious (and even less well-known) collaborations is with musician and producer Youth. Born Martin Glover, Youth finds for the first time his bbadist position in a post-punk band Kill a joke, but it's his dance music that drew Paul, who invited Youth to remix tracks of his Of the ground album in 1993. The partnership has borne fruit for the first time Strawberry Oceans Ship Forest album, published under the name The Fireman, which contains neither the name of Paul, nor that of Youth. Two other albums have already materialized, one in 1998 and the other ten years later.

As Youth recalled, "One day he had to go somewhere with Linda. So he left me alone at the factory. [Paul’s studio in Surrey]. When their helicopter came back, it was very late, they had a few glbades of champagne and their children were with them. Paul said to me, "Do you mind if we stay and watch?" As if it was not his studio that I used. They all remained dancing to the sound of the music until the sun rose.

The second Fireman album, Rushes, was one of the last projects recorded by Paul prior to the death of Linda McCartney in April 1998 at the age of 56. As Youth explains, "We recorded the album when Linda was terminally ill with her cancer. She was still very involved in the project. It was very sad when she died. When I listen to the album now, it sounds like a requiem for her, it's very beautiful. "

Nigel Godrich

George Martin recommended Paul to work with Nigel Godrich, with his productions for Beck and Radiohead making him the choice of critics as well. Godrich produced the 2005 Paul album, Chaos and creation in the backyard, probably the most critically acclaimed disc of Paul of the 21st century.

But all was not easy, Paul then explained how Godrich had tried to get him out of his comfort zone. Godrich explained that he approached the sessions with some apprehension: "My initial reaction was a terror, not only because he is a very important person, but I really did not know how much he would be willing to get dirty. hands."

Paul takes the story: "The album has experienced moments of tension. Nigel was not sycophant; he said from the beginning, "I warn you, I know what I like." The discussion was lively. There is a song called 'Riding To Vanity Fair'. where we got the motto "I like it!", "I do not like it!", "Well, I'm not sure about it!" like it! "But I realized that it was useless to charge him. like that; I should listen. We actually went to the reason why he did not like that: "The first line is good, but after that …" "Oh, why not that?"

But in the end, the approach worked, Godrich explaining: "In the third session, he came back and played me a song. I thought, "It's so much better, it's so much better." It was "At The Mercy". He said, "I think I remember how to do that!" Maybe he was expressing the concept of having to improve what he was doing because someone was going to look at him and say, "not sure," rather than blindly taking everything that's he utters. "

Kanye West

In 2014, the release of "Only One" Kanye West and Paul McCartney caused waves in the world of music: the biggest star in the history of pop music was badociated with the greatest name on the planet at the time. The partnership was first concluded in a Los Angeles bungalow, Paul improvising on keyboards with Kanye's voice freestyling in a very conscious manner.

But just as Paul had explained how "Let It Be" came from his mother's visit, her late mother visiting her eldest in a dream, Kayne also believed that by seeing her jam with Paul, her own dead mother communicated with him. . Or rather through him. "My mother sang for me and through me for my daughter," he explained. He claimed to have no memories of having sung the words "Hello my only, just like the morning sun / you will continue to get up until the sky knows your name". But Kanye, the name his mother gave him, means "only one".

Paul said Mojo magazine on collaboration in a 2018 interview, explaining: "I worked with Kanye and I did not even think I was playing a word, but I was burying in the background and he was recording everything and putting it in form in three songs. "

Working with Kanye, Paul's music found a new audience, at a time when it seemed impossible that no one already knew him. And the pair regained success in 2015, when they joined Rihanna on the single "FourFive Seconds", which they played together at this year's Grammy's, and which gave another first to Paul – his first No. 1 on Display panelThe Hot R & B / Hip-Hop song diagram.

Greg Kurstin

Having found the glory of producing artists like Adele, Pink and Lily Allen, Greg Kurstin would have forgiven for thinking he had all the answers for success. And yet, when he started recording an album with Paul McCartney, he could not help wondering what he had for the septuagenarian to need: "He can do everything himself if he wish. He is an extraordinary guitarist, an extraordinary drummer and he knows each other well. But I think he likes to have someone with whom to exchange ideas. "

The couple first worked together in early 2015. "We did a session together for this film," Kurstin said. Rolling stone magazine. "I'm still not sure whether this will happen or not, but we spent a day in the studio with a full band, a brbad section, background singers and everything for that song that Paul had written for a movie. animation. I do not know what his status is, but I think it was a trial for Paul and me. I think that he wanted to see how it was to work with me. It was the first time. The following year, 24 months of sessions began for what would become the famous Paul. Station of Egypt album.

But even for a hit-maker like Kurstin, it can be stressful to make suggestions to improve a Paul McCartney song. When asked when there were difficult moments in the studio, he explained: "I do not remember exactly, but I remember him, he was content to continue, and I wondered: "Did he hear me? An hour would go by and I would say, "Paul, what about the idea that I have mentioned all the time?" He replied, "Oh, I heard you, I was just pretending to ignore it, we were laughing about it, and sometimes, two days later, he was trying the idea and I thought," Wow , OK. "I thought I had failed miserably with this idea, but he went back and really tried, I think he's always listening, always absorbing."

Ryan Tedder

The only song of 2018 acclaimed Station of Egypt The album that was not produced by Greg Kurstin saw Paul join Ryan Tedder. The multi-instrumentalist, screenwriter and American producer, who has made hits with everyone from Beyoncé to Ed Sheeran, had just released Grammy-winning recordings. Taylor Swift and Adele when asked if he wanted to try his hand with the old Beatle. As Paul said Mojo magazine, "On the phone before we got to the studio, Ryan said," What do you want to accomplish from this week? "And I could be shy and say," I do not know … "but no, cut to the hunt. I said, "A blow!" He said, "Well, you speak my language, the world loves tubes!"

The resulting title, "Fuh You", drew attention not only for its eye-catching commercial appeal, but also for the evocative title and lyrics. When asked about it, Paul admitted to some mischief: "Yeah, well, I mean, you know, if you're in the studio, you're there, you work, but that's music, we enjoy it a bit and we like not to take it too seriously, so you develop a little fellowship where you have a joke. So, on this song, we were inventing ourselves and I went to sing and we knew it would be misinterpreted, but we were happy enough to put it in. When you read the lyrics, it's perfectly clear, but my daughter, when she heard she came into the room, she said, "Did I just hear what I heard? " I said, "I do not know." But yes, good to have a little fun, you know? "

Linda McCartney

The only person with whom Paul collaborated longer than anyone – including John Lennon – was his first wife, Linda. After the Beatles broke up, Linda encouraged her discouraged husband to record her first self-titled solo album. But for his second release after the Beatles, Paul turned to his wife not only to find inspiration, but also to make her a musical partner. Helping her to learn keyboards, 1971 RAM was credited to Paul and Linda McCartney. After Ram, the couple recruited an old Moody Blue Denny Lane and drummer Denny Seiwell will form Wings. Both McCartney, as well as Lane, were the only constants in an ever-evolving band that would produce seven studio albums and perform five concert tours, including a gigantic world tour from August 1975 to October 1976, in front of more than one. half a million people. in North America only.

Of all that she has brought to their musical partnership, it is probably her harmonies with Paul that have most appealed. As Paul told: "When I worked with Michael Jackson, he said," How did you make these harmonies, man? "I said," Well, that's what I'm saying. It's me and Linda. "" Michael then invited Linda to join them for their recording together. .

While Linda generally preferred keyboards and choirs, she occasionally enjoyed a foray into the spotlight, as with the single "Seaside Woman" inspired by the 1977 reggae – her first credit of the year. writing. Linda continued to play with her husband throughout the '80s and' 90s – including 103 performances of the Paul McCartney World Tour from 1989 to 1990.

In 1998, at the age of 56, his cancer tragically shortened his life. Six months after his death, a posthumous collection of his recordings was published under the name of Wide Prairie. The album compiles the recordings that Linda has made throughout her career and includes a number of songs she has composed alone or with Paul, along with other collaborators, as well as a multitude of covers.

Linda McCartney's Wild meadow has just been reissued in vinyl and can be purchased here.