For some reason, there is a convention that a wildly successful song is somehow at odds with artistic integrity–That earning a hit robs a musician of their reputation in the artistic community. It’s silly really. Many revered songwriters have made the “Top 40.” However, that hasn’t stopped the idea of “hit versus art” from enduring. Even the Beatles struggled with it. Find out why Paul McCartney thought one of his biggest hits, “Yesterday”, was too successful for its own good, below.
Videos by American Songwriter
The Beatles Song Paul McCartney Thought Was Too Successful For Its Own Good
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Suddenly
I’m not half the man I used to be
There’s a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
How can a song be too successful? Isn’t that the whole goal? Well it is until it’s earned, and then it can seem like more of a curse than a blessing. At least, that’s how many songwriters see it. In McCartney’s mind, artists “shy away from” the “big one”. They want the hit until they get the hit and then it warps the entire idea of it in their mind.
According to McCartney, “Yesterday” suffered that fate. Though he loves the track, he found it too successful for its own good.
“I think ‘Yesterday’—if it wasn’t so successful—might be my favorite,” McCartney once said. “You get that thing when something is just so successful…people often don’t want to do ‘the big one’ that everyone wants them to do. They kind of shy away from it.”
[RELATED: 5 of the Most Joyous Beatles Songs]
While it might not be McCartney’s favorite track, it is a favorite of many Beatles fans. The simple, guitar led melody has mystified rock listeners for decades. It is certainly successful, but that isn’t a damning thing to many like it is to McCartney.
Paul McCartney’s Favorite Beatles Song
So what is McCartney’s favorite Beatles song? While discussing his “desert island” Beatles songs, he mentioned a cut from Revolver.
“You know, I get asked that question quite a lot,” McCartney added elsewhere. “I should just have a pat answer. But each day it kind of varies. I like ‘Here, There, and Everywhere.’”
It’s also a strong contender for the best McCartney-penned Beatles song. It, like “Yesterday”, is similarly beloved among Beatles fans and is a showcase of his lyricism to boot.
Why she had to go
I don’t know, she wouldn’t say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
(Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.