Three Songs You Didn’t Know Paul McCartney Wrote for Other Artists

If you were to take out a pad and pen and jot down the great songwriters of all time, likely the name Paul McCartney would be on that list. Whether he’s No. 1 or somewhere between there and No. 10, Sir Paul is there, to be sure.

But while he wrote so many hit songs for the Beatles and with his former pal, the late John Lennon, McCartney also wrote songs for other artists. He enjoyed collaboration and even writing instrumental pieces for orchestras to play. His mind always moving.

For evidence of this, look no further than the songs and compositions below. Indeed, these are three songs you likely didn’t know Paul McCartney wrote for other artists.

1. “Love in the Open Air,” The Tudor Minstrels

Written by Paul McCartney

Written by Paul McCartney as part of the soundtrack for the 1966 movie, The Family Way. The song was produced and arranged by George Martin. Some Beatles historians consider this music the first Beatle solo album, though the majority believes that to be George Harrison’s 1968 Wonderwall Music, which is also a film soundtrack because Harrison had more of a hand in the songs and played on them.

In 1966, “Love in the Open Air” was released as a single for the film, performed by the Tudor Minstrels. Later in 2011, a remastered version of the soundtrack was released, which included the previously unheard stereo mix of “A Theme from The Family Way,” which had been the B-side for “Love in the Open Air.” And in 1968, McCartney’s “Love in the Open Air” won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Instrumental Theme.

2. “Penina,” Jotta Herre

Written by Paul McCartney

“Penina” was written by Paul McCartney at the titular hotel in December 1968. While vacationing in the Portuguese area of the Algarve and staying at the Hotel Penina, McCartney seemed to take the name and turn it into a person’s. Either way, the song was first cut by the hotel’s own band, Jotta Herre. But only a month later, the song was also cut by singer Carlos Mendes, who released about a dozen albums from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s. Until 1967, Mendes was also a former member of the group, the Sheiks.

Penina, penina
Penina, one night
I’ve been to aldebaran
I had a good time there
Then i came to penina
And found good friends
Penina, penina
Penina, one night
Penina, penina
Penina, one night

3. “So Like Candy,” Elvis Costello

Written by Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney

This song appears on Elvis Costello’s 13th studio album, Mighty Like a Rose, which was released in 1991. The record, which hit No. 5 on the U.K. Albums Chart, includes a few songs that Costello wrote with Sir Paul, including this track, “So Like Candy.” The song boasts some signature McCartney rhythmic punches and melodic flurries. Even the chorus, So like candy, drips with his sentiment. Sings Costello on the amorous number,

Here lies the powder and perfume
The pretty clothes are scattered ’round the room
And it’s so like Candy

Here lies the lipstick and the face
The colored tablets keep it all in place
And it’s so like Candy
So like Candy

What did I do to make her go
Why must she be the one
That I have to love
So like Candy

Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns