Remembering the Time Paul McCartney Accidentally Punched Eddie Vedder in the Face: “He Hit Me!”

Paul McCartney seemingly wouldn’t hurt a fly, and to our knowledge, that is true. After all, The Beatles’ thematic mission promoted the antithesis of violence. AMcCartney has carried over that thematic mission into his solo career and continues to promote it to this day at the age of 83. However, one one rare and accidental instance, Paul McCartney landed a lick on Pearl Jam’s lead singer, Eddie Vedder.

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The story itself starts like many brawl stories, as McCartney and Vedder were sitting in a bar when a blow was accidentally landed on Vedder. Although, as we mentioned, this was not intentional. Rather, it seems McCartney was in the middle of telling a story involving an actual time he hit someone, and while in the physical description, he hit Vedder. Evidently, Vedder held no ill will towards Paul for the accident. As a matter of fact, Vedder looks back at that moment with great fondness.

“He Didn’t Quite Pull Back the Punch, You See,” Said Eddie Vedder

Recalling the story during a guest DJ set on SiriusXM, Vedder stated, “I was fortunate enough to be with Paul McCartney in the corner of a Seattle hotel bar and talking story. [Paul] kind of was illustrating how he hit this guy, and when he did that, he kind of shot out his left arm as if he was hitting this guy, and I was standing there, and I got hit. He hit me! He didn’t quite pull back the punch, you see.”

“So, the story kept on, and it was a great, incredible personal story,” Vedder added. “I caught the end of it, but as I was listening, I was thinking, ‘Paul McCartney just hit me in the face,’ and it hurt. I think I remember tasting a bit of blood; he got me right on the side of [the face]. And he apologized quickly so it wouldn’t get in the way of the story.”

Vedder continued, “A great time in my life, actually, to be hit by Paul McCartney. I remember it hurt for a few days, and I remember when it went away, and the pain subsided, and the swelling went down, I kinda missed it.”

One thing that Vedder failed to entirely clarify was what kind of punch McCartney through. From the sound of it, it seemed like a jab. Regardless, it seems McCartney has a good southpaw on him.

Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage