Paul McCartney has many love songs under his belt. Though we haven’t taken an official tally, it feels safe to say that a swift majority of his catalog is made up of swooning, love-centric tracks. He has many to choose from but we selected five of his best below.
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[RELATED: 5 Hidden Gems in Paul McCartney’s Solo Discography]
1. “Silly Love Songs”
“Silly Love Songs” was McCartney’s pushback at critics who mocked his sentimental songwriting style. “People have been doing love songs forever,” McCartney once explained. “I like ’em. Other people like ’em, and there’s a lot of people I love. I’m lucky enough to have that in my life. So the idea was that ‘you’ may call them silly, but what’s wrong with that?” It’s the perfect response to any negative nellies who deem love songs passé or trite.
2. “My Love”
McCartney plays into his dramatic side with “My Love.” The sweeping, at-times schmaltzy tune is one of the singer/songwriter’s most recognizable solo efforts–and for good reason. His vocals are powerful. They cut straight to the heart, which is exactly the location you want to affect with a truly potent love song.
3. “Till There Was You”
Though McCartney didn’t write “Till There Was You,” it remains one of the sweetest songs in his love ode catalog. Released on the Beatles’ 1963 album With the Beatles, “Till There Was You” combines a Latin flare with McCartney’s blues-influenced sound.
4. “And I Love Her”
Another Beatles love song that deserves some recognition is “And I Love Her.” One of the many stellar songs on A Hard Day’s Night, this track has been covered countless times by a myriad of artists. Namely, Esther Phillips, Kurt Cobain, Cliff Richard, and more. The many covers speak to the timeless nature of the ballad.
5. “Maybe I’m Amazed”
“Maybe I’m Amazed” is one of McCartney’s most dynamic songs. The key change alone is melodrama at its most stunning. McCartney’s vocals are more than impressive as he wails out the chorus, Maybe I’m a man / Maybe I’m a lonely man who’s in the middle of something / That he doesn’t really understand.
(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame )
