News Paul McCartney Calls This Beatles’ Tune A ‘Children’s Nursery Rhyme’
Paul McCartney seems to be enjoying sharing the backstories of some of his most popular, critically-acclaimed, and beloved songs he’s released. The singer and songwriter is in the middle of publishing episodes of season two from his Paul McCartney: A Life in Lyrics podcast, which sees him looking to the past to mine great tales from the making of his hits.
In the most recent episode, McCartney talked about the Beatles tune “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” During the chat with co-host and friend Paul Muldoon, the rocker revealed that he and his former bandmates were at odds over the making of the cut, and that he was to blame for the squabble.
McCartney stated that he was something of a perfectionist when it came to recording “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” and that didn’t please the other Beatles. “I remember the guys getting pissed with me,” the Grammy winner revealed. He added that while it “took a little bit long to record,” McCartney himself was “very keen on it.”
All four of the Beatles were known as great musicians in their own right, but McCartney remembers that he “in particular would take too long.” The amount of time and care he poured into each track wasn’t for no reason, though. The legendary musician shared that he had to do so because he was “trying to get what was in my head.”
McCartney also dove deep into “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” commenting on the lyrics, which many perceive to be morbid. While that description might be a good fit, the Beatle made sure that everyone listening understood that “it’s not a real story. This is not Dateline; this is made up.” He even referred to the song, which describes a murder, as “like a children’s nursery rhyme,” which surely surprised some listeners.
Paul McCartney: A Life in Lyrics is co-produced by iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin, and it quickly became a huge hit on podcast platforms when it first launched a few months ago. Only a few weeks separated the first and second seasons of the series, which is described in a press release as “a combination master class, memoir, and improvised journey with one of the most beloved figures in popular music.” Each episode focuses on just one tune from his back catalog, allowing McCartney to share plenty of stories and tidbits that many haven’t heard before.
