Paul McCartney recently appeared on The Howard Stern Show and discussed the making of his legendary song ‘Yesterday‘. When Stern questioned if McCartney considered leaving the band after the success of ‘Yesterday,’ McCartney said he was better off having three renowned musicians on his team.
The Beatles are arguably the most well-known rock & roll band in the world. Their music has reached all across the world. Unfortunately, their successful career did not last very long. Their band career lasted only ten years, and they became the most accomplished band in the rock and roll industry, making it tough for other bands to compete with them.
The song ‘Yesterday,’ released in 1965, is one of the band’s most well-known songs and had a significant impact on their popularity. McCartney wrote it, and it marked a little departure from their usual style because it was not a rock song. McCartney told The Howard Stern Show that he wrote this song while on vacation after having a dream about it.
When he introduced ‘Yesterday‘ to the other Beatles, they said there was nothing they could add to it. McCartney ended up performing it alone on stage and was so embarrassed by the event that he decided not to release it as a single in the United Kingdom.
Here is what he said about the embarrassment that ‘Yesterday‘ caused him.
“We were really open with each other, and that was it. The problem was, it was a little awkward for me because I didn’t want to be the person standing alone in there. Being among a group of friends provides a sense of comfort, however after performing this song… Because, you know, it occurred to me in a dream, and I composed the lyrics while I wasn’t with the band, on holiday. So, when I brought it in, it was just me and the guitar.
The guys basically said, ‘Well, we can’t put drums on that; it doesn’t need them, and the one guitar is enough. But it was a touch embarrassing, so we decided not to release it as a single in Britain. We responded, ‘No, we can’t release that; we’re like a rock band. However, they insisted on America, so I believe it was a single in America. We didn’t really want to do it. We enjoyed it and all, but it wasn’t a major part of our stage performance.”
Despite his embarrassment, the song became an international success and one of the band’s most well-known tunes. Howard Stern asked Paul McCartney whether he ever thought he was a superior musician. He pondered pursuing a solo career at the time because it was developed without the band’s involvement. The artist stated that John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were essential musicians, and it did not make sense to split ways with them.
Here’s what he said about his then-bandmates.
“If I’d only had three ropey musicians with me, perhaps the notion would have occurred, ‘Hey. I am better than these guys. But with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, you don’t tamper with that.”
You may view the interview below.
