3 Songs Paul McCartney Wrote That Changed Other Artists’ Careers

Paul McCartney wrote some of the greatest songs of all time, both as a member of The Beatles and as a solo artist. But outside of that scope, he also penned a handful of songs that became career-changing hits for other musicians. Let’s look at just a few examples, shall we?

Videos by American Songwriter

“A World Without Love” by Peter And Gordon (1964)

Before Beatlemania was even a thought, Paul McCartney wrote the tune “A World Without Love” when he was just a teenager. When he was older, around 1963, shortly before The Beatles exploded, he lived with his girlfriend at the time, Jane Asher. There, he shared a room with her brother, Peter, who asked McCartney for a song to record. Asher and his musical partner, Gordon Waller, had just signed a recording contract. McCartney, who didn’t think “A World Without Love” was suitable for his own band, gave it away to Asher. 

Peter And Gordon recorded it. It was a smash hit in the UK, peaking at No. 1 on the Record Retailer and New Musical Express charts. “A World Without Love” quickly became a chart-topper in the US too, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remains one of Peter And Gordon’s most famous songs to this day.

“Come And Get It” by Badfinger (1969)

This power pop jam was written by Paul McCartney and recorded in 1969 by the band Badfinger. It would be the group’s first release under their new name (they were previously “The Iveys”), and it ended up becoming their breakthrough hit. “Come And Get It” hit the Top 10 in both the US and the UK. Honestly, if you were around in 1969 or early 1970, you probably got sick of this song because of how much radio play it got. It was a total smash.

The story goes that McCartney recorded a demo of the song solo. However, that version wouldn’t get an official release until the 1996 compilation album Anthology 3. McCartney also produced Badfinger’s version of the tune.

“Goodbye” by Mary Hopkin (1969)

The Beatles formed Apple Records in 1968, and singer Mary Hopkin was one of their very first signees. Her most-remembered song has to be the Paul McCartney-penned “Goodbye”, released in 1969. The folk song was a big hit, reaching No. 2 on the UK Singles chart. It was kept from the top by, ironically, The Beatles’ song “Get Back”. “Goodbye” was also a No. 13 hit in the US. Hopkin’s time in the spotlight would be short-lived, but “Goodbye” (and several follow-ups) helped keep her at the top of the charts for a few years.

Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage