Paul McCartney’s short holidays in Liverpool

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Shortly after returning from Greece with the Beatles, Paul McCartney spent a couple of days with his family in Liverpool. According to one fan story, Paul left because a dome was being constructed in the backyard of his Cavendish home in London. Another related story explains that he left London with some family members for Liverpool.

Our theory is the following:

• Paul returned from Greece on July 31.
• In his biographies “Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now” and “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present“, Paul mentioned that his Aunt Jin and some other relatives visited him in London because she was concerned about news of his drug use, likely in reference to the LIFE Magazine article published on June 16, 1967. During this visit, he wrote the song “Your Mother Should Know.”
• They likely visit him between August 1 and August 7.
• Paul then traveled to Liverpool with Aunt Jin and his relatives on August 7 and returned to London on August 8.

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In August during the building of the famous Dome in Paul’s backyard, he said that the original concept was that it be a place where no words were to be spoken; a place to be a peace. It didn’t really work out exactly like that, unfortunately. He left to visit Liverpool for two weeks [sic], and to get away from the noise of the builders. Afterward, he mentioned that he had hit 140 mph going up.

Tia Cash – From the “Beatles Rule” fan club newsletter January 1971 – From Meet the Beatles for Real: Paul at Cavendish 1967

6th August: Paul came out of the house carrying two suitcases bound for a short break in Liverpool, two taxis were waiting as some of his family from Liverpool were accompanying him. In the hustle and bustle someone pushed Jane and Paul wasn’t too happy about it.

From “Paul McCartney – London, NW8 – 1967” by Paul Wane

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Paul’s Liverpool family were concerned by the news of their Paul taking drugs. Aunt Ginny called a family conference to discuss what to do, with the result that Ginny came down south to have it out with Paul. ‘So she goes to London to stay with Paul,’ says family member Mike Robbins. ‘About five days later she comes back and we all meet– I’ll always remember– in her little cottage, in Mersey View, [my wife,] me, Milly.’ The family asked if Ginny had been able to see Paul, whereupon the 57-year-old took a spliff out of her handbag and asked dreamily: ‘Have you ever tried one of these?’ The ‘relies’ sparked up and had a smoke of Paul’s weed. ‘We laffed like bloody drains,’ says Mike.

From “Fab:  An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney” by Howard Sounes, 2010

One of the reasons auntie Jin came down to visit me in London when I was about twenty-four or twenty-five was to talk to me about the sin of smoking pot. Her nickname was ‘Control’, and she had been sent down by the family as an emissary. I suppose the word had got back that ‘our Paul’ was going a bit wild in London, so someone needed to go and check in on him. Anyway, she came down to visit me in Cavendish Avenue, where I’d been living for a while. When your auntie comes to visit, you do some of the old things you did when you were younger. So I was sitting around, playing a bit of piano, having a drink, playing cards, and having a good old chat. It was a very warm atmosphere, and the song arose out of that sense of family.

Paul McCartney – From “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present“, 2021

I dreamed up “Your Mother Should Know” as a production number. I thought, Well, okay, at least we’ll sing one or two songs for real. I wrote it in Cavendish Avenue on the harmonium I have in the dining room there. My Aunty Jin and Uncle Harry and a couple of relatives were staying and they were in the living room just across the hall, so I just went to the dining room and spent a few hours with the door open with them listening. And I suppose because of the family atmosphere “Your Mother Should Know” came in. It’s a very music-hall kind of thing, probably influenced by the fact that my Aunty Jin was in the house.

Paul McCartney – From “Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now” by Barry Miles, 1997

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Last updated on April 13, 2024