“Paul McCartney, Composer / Artist” book published

About

From paulmccartney.com / oocities.org:

This 272-Page Songbook contains some of the McCartney repertoire (48 songs). Both Beatles and solo matierial is included. It is especially unique because of the McCartney drawn pictures included. The guitar tabs are magnificent and it truly shows McCartney’s musical diversity. This book was publicised as being “an extra-special glimse into McCartney’s creative mind…Revealed through songs and never before published drawings”. We can see a brief introduction by Paul, his drawings and four photographs by Linda.

All lovers of Paul’s music will be delighted to discover another fascinating side of his personality, revealed for the first time through a recent book, PaulMcCartney – Composer/Artist. Although Paul has been interested in the visual arts since childhood and has especially enjoyed drawing, this is the first presentation of his artistic talents. No particular artist has given Paul direct inspiration, but he lists Picasso, Matisse, Cezanne, Magritte and Tiepolo among those he particularly admires.

This unique book features Paul’s personal selection of 48 of his favourite songs, combined with 50 of his own pen and ink drawings. They are charming and highly original, and although figurative, are not based on real people and do not relate specifically to the songs. But they reflect the spontaneity and charm of their creator, elements which are components of his music also. The drawings reproduced here are part of the portfolio from which the selection for the book was made.

Paul says of the drawings, “Ever since I was a kid I have enjoyed drawing on any piece of paper that was lying around. When I was asked to choose the favourite songs that I had written and make some drawings to go alongside them, I jumped at the opportunity. I did these particular drawings over a period of three days, never spending very much time on each one. They are not intended to illustrate songs, rather to decorate.”

The lyrics are arranged both separately and with music, scored for voice, piano and guitar, which makes it an invaluable collection of excellent scores for experienced musicians and beginners alike. All McCartney addicts will treasure it as a personal selection of Paul’s own music complimented by his fresh, often humorous, artistic eye.

From Club Sandwich N°25, 1981

Ever since I was a kid I have enjoyed drawing on any piece of paper that was lying around. When I was asked to choose the favourite songs that I had written and make some drawings to go alongside them, I jumped at the opportunity.

The problem for me about drawing was always that I assumed that the people with training were the only ones who could do it and yet, at the same time, that didn’t make sense because I had never been trained to write songs.

So, here we are, a book of untrained songs and drawings. I hope it brings you a bit of fun.

Paul McCartney

Content:

• All my Loving
• And I Love Her
• Another Day
• Arrow Through Me
• Band On The Run
• Bluebird
• Daytime Nightime Suffering
• Eleanor Rigby
• Fixing A Hole
• Fool On The Hill
• For No One
• Get Back
• Get On The Right Thing
• Getting Closer
• Goodnight Tonight
• Got To Get You Into My Life
• Heart Of The Country
• Helen Wheels
• Here, There And Everywhere
• Hey Jude
• Honey Pye
• I will
• Jet
• Junior’s Farm
• Let ’em In
• Let It Be
• Letting Go
• Listen To What The Man Said
• London Town
• The Long And Winding Road
• Magneto And Titanium Man
• Martha My Dear
• Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
• Michelle
• Mull of Kintyre
• My Love
• Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
• Penny Lane
• Rock Show
• Silly Love Songs
• Spin It On
• Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey
• Venus And Mars
• When I’m Sixty-Four
• With A Little Luck
• Yellow Submarine
• Yesterday
• You Won’t See Me

Last updated on November 8, 2023