Songwriters who’ve gained commercial success can immortalize friends or loved ones in one of their songs. The best of them can take such a personal song and make it universally relevant to all listeners.
Paul McCartney included a song on a 1997 album that was directly inspired by the death of a friend who was part of The Beatles’ extended family. The song he created was dedicated to her children but worked as a powerful message of support and succor for anyone within earshot.
Videos by American Songwriter
A Beatle Wife’s Story
Maureen Cox first made a romantic connection with Ringo Starr during The Beatles’ Cavern days. That was a dangerous prospect, as other female fans held her in contempt and even got violent at times. But she stuck it out and married Ringo in 1965 (becoming Maureen Starkey in the process). The couple had three children.
Alas, the end of The Beatles partnership coincided with fraying between Ringo and Maureen. Infamously, George Harrison had a brief affair with her. Ringo and Maureen divorced in 1975, although they remained amicable after that for the sake of their children.
She remarried in 1989, becoming Maureen Starkey Tigrett. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with leukemia at a relatively young age. She passed away in 1994 at only 48 years old due to complications from the disease. Paul McCartney decided to pay tribute to her the next time he recorded an album, which was Flaming Pie in 1997.
Missing Mo
At the close of The Beatles’ Let It Be album, following the closing strains of “Get Back”, you can hear a female fan boisterously cheering. At that point, Paul McCartney says, “Thanks, Mo” before John Lennon’s famous one-liner about the band passing the audition. McCartney was speaking to Maureen Starkey.
Two decades later, McCartney decided to process his grief at the loss of his friend by writing a song. He realized that he could have easily made specific references to Starkey in the lyrics, perhaps even using her name. Instead, he decided that he’d keep the song more universal, writing lyrics that could apply to anyone grieving.
He titled the song “Little Willow”. Throughout the song, he warns the titular character that the world is going to get difficult and unforgiving. “No one’s out to break your heart,” he assures. “It only seems that way.”
Weeping “Willow”
McCartney shared production duties on the song with Jeff Lynne, with whom he had just worked on The Beatles Anthology project in 1995. Lynne casts a special glow over the song with the arrangement of the backing vocals. But considering the beauty of the melody and the touching nature of the lyrics, it would have been difficult to mess this one up.
With “Little Willow”, Paul McCartney managed to subtly reference the friendship between himself and Maureen Starkey. But he also managed to offer words of healing wisdom to countless listeners suffering through the pain of loss in their own lives.
(Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)