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Sir Paul McCartney 'Struggles to Remember Songs'

He may look great for his age, but the advancing years are playing havoc with Sir Paul McCartney's memory as he struggles to remember his own songs. Speaking at a news conference in Washington D.C., ahead of picking up the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the former Beatles bassist told reporters that other than songs he's rehearsed for tours, he'd be hard pressed to perform one of his songs at the drop of a hat.

"To tell you the truth, I don't really know my songs," Sir Paul told reporters. "So if I'm at a party I'll tend to do something like 'Babyface' or something silly like the old songs."

He continued, "I know my songs when I go on tour because I learn them to go on tour but actually, I think there's just too many of them for me to retain them so I don't know them all."

Sir Paul explained that his repertoire of his own material remained fairly limited.

"There's just a few that I'd do if I'm at a party. I'd do 'The Long and Winding Road' because I remember that, 'Lady Madonna' and things like that and 'Blackbird.'

"There are certain ones that I can conjure up but really, the truth is people say, 'Go on, do that one!' and I say, 'Sorry, I have no idea how it goes.'"

Sir Paul is the third recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Previous winners were Paul Simon in 2007 and Stevie Wonder in 2009. The award honours the work of an artist whose work and career are judged to have promoted song as a "vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding."

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phlannger

Horrible bloody headline and that post about him only being able to sing "half the songs" he has written, well, it's "info" like this which starts up really stupid rumors and turns them into "factoids."

Hell, as for remembering songs, I can't even remember the handful of songs I've written- and many will thank for this- and I am half Sir Paul's age and not even worthy of the toenail on his toe on this left foot.

June 20 2010 at 1:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
beatles fan

fuck! he can still remember SOME songs he wrote 40 or more years ago. i wouldn't blame him if he can't remember them all cuz they were written long ago. i have enogh trouble memorizing a speech

June 11 2010 at 11:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Howie R

I have seen Paul 5 times without the Beatles and once
With the Beatles
He has never forgotten the words of any song when he has been performing and each concert has been superb, so what ever these people think is the problem is not a problem
KEEP IT UP PAUL, see you at the ACC on Aug 8

June 04 2010 at 9:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
SteveP

I think Grandad McCartney's lying here, in understatement. Perhaps akin to the "Haven't you got enough photographs of me yet?" quip he likes to feed the paparrazi.

Can't remember 'my love', 'maybe I'm amazed', 'eight days a week'?? I don't think so.

June 03 2010 at 10:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve Erb

Paul is a churlish oaf. A beatle but still an oaf.

June 03 2010 at 7:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Donna

All I can say, is Paul...thanks for many happy memories and melodies that will last an eternity. Love his frankness and life goes on, priorities change...so critics move on and get a life.

June 03 2010 at 12:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rockfan



...what i an see here is that there is too much of comments about What?? nothing . Basicaly , he was clear of mind anought to say really what actually everyone would say in this case. So, for all he had create and broutgh to this world culturaly wise, please, be ourself objective and compationate to this man and not be to jugemental . We basicaly know what is going on in this declaration and dont really mind about all of this. he is one of the greatest composer and song writer of all the f..k..g world. And still alive as well .. lets cherrish all of his songs and have fun listening to it with comtamplation. thanks for this opportunity of leaving my comment. And most of all i m to be sorry about my english..(not so great i know)

I salut sir Paul...have fun..

June 03 2010 at 9:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
anthony

hey Marszaleck,
at least Paul sing live .... no pre recorded stuff and lipssing like those other " so called " artist !!!
how many song do you remember ???

June 03 2010 at 8:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wolflandhospital

I'm a songwriter and I can't remember any of my songs. That's why they are written down. It's very common. Joni Mitchell said, "I can't remember anything I ever wrote." As for Michael Jackson "owning" the Beatles' songs, he only owns the copyright, not everything regarding the songs. Paul McCartney still receives a fortune every year for his performances on the recordings, and so on.

June 03 2010 at 3:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Don

John Lennon did an interview in '71, '72 where he reviewed all of the Beatles songs and said who wrote what. There were at least three or four where he said, "I don't know that one". He must have been senile at 32.

June 02 2010 at 11:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply