Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine once famously said, “I have a high self-opinion—I don’t need to hide that. I don’t need to be self-deprecating.” That extraordinary confidence has served Levine well in his career both as a musician and as a coach on NBC’s popular reality singing competition show The Voice.
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Still, most of us could use a little humbling now and again. And Adam Levine recently recalled when Sir Paul McCartney gave him exactly that after Maroon 5 paid tribute to the Beatles on live television.
What Paul McCartney Told Adam Levine After Beatles Tribute
More than a decade ago, back in February 2014, Maroon 5 was part of a star-studded lineup that honored the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. Broadcast by CBS, The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles featured performances from Katy Perry, John Legend, Alicia Keys, and more.
Maroon 5 opened the ceremony with “All My Loving” and “Ticket to Ride.” During a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Adam Levine and Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine reminisced about covering The Beatles in front of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
“Listen, man, I told you I’ve been scared a handful of f—ing times in my life. That was definitely one of them,” Levine said, adding, “I mean, I’m sorry, man, but it’s just like, you can be too cool, but not always, right? It’s Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. F– off if you’re going to try and be cool about that.”
Next, the normally unruffled pop star, 46, recalled running into the legend himself post-performance. “Paul kind of took me in close, and he goes, ‘You know, we did it better,’” Levine recounted in his best British accent. “And I thought it was so funny… I cracked up, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, no s—. You know, you’re Paul McCartney. You’re the Beatles.”
Paul McCartney’s Subsequent Apology
That wasn’t the end of it, however. When Paul McCartney and Adam Levine crossed paths at a party several months later, the “Hey Jude” crooner, 82, emphasized that he hadn’t intended any ill will with his comment.
[RELATED: Recalling John Lennon’s Biggest Fear Still Gets Paul McCartney “Choked Up”]
“He’s like, ‘Hey man, I just wanted to let you know, if that bothered you, I’ve been thinking about this, I didn’t want to insult you or anything,’” Levine said. “And I’m like, ‘Oh my God. Like, you’re good. Dude, you’re Paul F—ing McCartney.”
Featured image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella
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