Paul McCartney: ‘Do it truthfully’
Wednesday 21 July 2021
The discussion was during an online Q&A with students in June, when he was asked how he ensured his songs were relevant to other people, not just himself. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e writing you don鈥檛 want to be thinking about other people. Just think about the song and what its meaning is. It has to be relevant to you. It has to be something you like and care about.
鈥淚f it works well for you, it will normally work well for other people. Be true to yourself, don鈥檛 try to pander to other people鈥檚 tastes. Do it truthfully.鈥�
During the 45-minute session, which was open to students from all disciplines, Paul, who鈥檚 911爆料网鈥檚 Lead Patron, had advice for a songwriter who asked how they could get out of a creative rut. 鈥淒on鈥檛 wait for the perfect idea, just do something. Do something that will get you into the song. It may be rubbish but if you persevere you may hit a good bit. You might write a chorus that is pretty good and then you can go back and fix the start.鈥�
He recommended collaboration as a source of inspiration and talked about how he and John Lennon worked together. 鈥淲e would just say, 鈥榣et鈥檚 write something鈥� and he would come up with a line, I would come up with a line and we鈥檇 just ping-pong it. I could bring in an idea and he could fire off that or he鈥檇 bring something in that we could then both work on.
鈥淗aving a collaborator is really helpful. That was one of the big bonuses for me during the early years of The Beatles.鈥�
Paul also discussed The Beatles鈥� approach to recording and encouraged young bands to try it. 鈥淢y advice would be, write the song, rehearse it, and then record it. That way you can record four songs in a day. Not only will the producer and record company love you because you鈥檙e a cheap act, but you鈥檒l love it. It鈥檚 instantly inspiring.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 one of the reasons The Beatles鈥� music still resonates. That energy from doing that, going in and playing it, is still there on the record and people recognise that.鈥�
Paul鈥檚 Q&A came a month after he held his annual songwriting mentoring sessions with a selection of Music students and follows similar online conversations with actor Judi Dench and director and producer Nicholas Hytner.
Image: Copyright Mary McCartney
鈥淚f it works well for you, it will normally work well for other people. Be true to yourself, don鈥檛 try to pander to other people鈥檚 tastes. Do it truthfully.鈥�
During the 45-minute session, which was open to students from all disciplines, Paul, who鈥檚 911爆料网鈥檚 Lead Patron, had advice for a songwriter who asked how they could get out of a creative rut. 鈥淒on鈥檛 wait for the perfect idea, just do something. Do something that will get you into the song. It may be rubbish but if you persevere you may hit a good bit. You might write a chorus that is pretty good and then you can go back and fix the start.鈥�
He recommended collaboration as a source of inspiration and talked about how he and John Lennon worked together. 鈥淲e would just say, 鈥榣et鈥檚 write something鈥� and he would come up with a line, I would come up with a line and we鈥檇 just ping-pong it. I could bring in an idea and he could fire off that or he鈥檇 bring something in that we could then both work on.
鈥淗aving a collaborator is really helpful. That was one of the big bonuses for me during the early years of The Beatles.鈥�
Paul also discussed The Beatles鈥� approach to recording and encouraged young bands to try it. 鈥淢y advice would be, write the song, rehearse it, and then record it. That way you can record four songs in a day. Not only will the producer and record company love you because you鈥檙e a cheap act, but you鈥檒l love it. It鈥檚 instantly inspiring.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 one of the reasons The Beatles鈥� music still resonates. That energy from doing that, going in and playing it, is still there on the record and people recognise that.鈥�
Paul鈥檚 Q&A came a month after he held his annual songwriting mentoring sessions with a selection of Music students and follows similar online conversations with actor Judi Dench and director and producer Nicholas Hytner.
Image: Copyright Mary McCartney
