Paul McCartney is known for his amazing songwriting skills, and to a lesser extent, his bass-playing talents in The Beatles. However, McCartney also has quite the stunning voice. Obviously, his singing ability and voice were appreciated, considering he sang lead on many Beatles tracks. And that voice shines on the following career hits that feature Paul McCartney’s vocals beautifully.
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“You Never Give Me Your Money” from ‘Abbey Road’
Who knew that a song that was originally just a fragment among other fragments would end up becoming one of the best parts of Abbey Road? There are many elements to love in “You Never Give Me Your Money”, but Paul McCartney’s vocals really steal the show. This song is actually a great example of how well McCartney could change up his vocal style to suit specific tunes. At first, it doesn’t sound quite like him. What a performance!
‘Oh Darling’ from ‘Abbey Road’
McCartney knew how to croon softly, deliver poetic lines, and even hoot and holler. He definitely managed to do the latter quite well on “Oh Darling”. John Lennon’s bluesy croon also sounds fantastic, but McCartney steals the show on “Oh Darling” with his pop-blues delivery and belting lines. It’s a favorite among Beatles fans for a reason.
“Calico Skies” from ‘Flaming Pie’
Paul McCartney’s forte has always been sweet love songs. Few are more innocent and sweet than “Calico Skies”. It’s such a full and lovely song that’s quite akin to earlier songs like “Blackbird”. McCartney’s voice and his acoustic guitar work in tandem, a delicate balance between gentle folk strings and a falsetto vocal delivery. And despite taking on some higher notes, McCartney sounds older and wiser, and it makes the song sound even better. An absolute stunner from start to finish.
“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” from ‘Ram’
Here’s a personal favorite from Paul McCartney’s solo career. While I, personally, am the biggest fan of “Temporary Secretary”, I think the single “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey’ from Ram does a better job of showing off how much power and energy McCartney’s voice had back in the day. It’s a classic. The way McCartney belts “hands across the water” is absolutely addicting.
Photo by Peter Timmullstein bild via Getty Images
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