Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

20 quotes

Since 1942, English musician Paul McCartney has given the world some of its most quotable lines. Known for his melodic approach to bass-playing, versatile tenor vocal range and musical eclecticism, exploring genres ranging from pre-rock and roll pop to classical, ballads and electronica, their words carry the weight of lived experience. Browse 25 quotes by Paul McCartney that cover ground from Dad, Music, Money, Work, and Death. One quote that captures their voice: "Looking back, I think I was always musical. My dad was very musical, and I think my mom was musical."

“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

— Paul McCartney

Death

All Quotes by Paul McCartney

“George wrote Taxman, and I played guitar on it. He wrote it in anger at finding out what the taxman did. He had never known before then what could happen to your money.”

— Paul McCartney

Anger

“We were pretty good mates until the Beatles started to split up and Yoko came into it. It was more like old army buddies splitting up on account of wedding bells.”

— Paul McCartney

Wedding

“I'm a pretty hands-on dad and make the most of my custody. I take care of my little one whenever I can, and she determines what I can do and where I can do it.”

— Paul McCartney

Dad

“My dad was a particularly polite kind of guy, very courteous.”

— Paul McCartney

Dad

“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

— Paul McCartney

Death

“When you first get money, you buy all these things so no one thinks you're mean, and you spread it around. You get a chauffeur and you find yourself thrown around the back of this car and you think, I was happier when I had my own little car! I could drive myself!”

— Paul McCartney

Car

“It was Elvis who really got me hooked on beat music. When I heard 'Heartbreak Hotel' I thought, this is it.”

— Paul McCartney

Music

“I never really got on that well with Yoko anyway. Strangely enough, I only started to get to know her after John's death.”

— Paul McCartney

Death

“I hate the idea of success robbing you of your private life.”

— Paul McCartney

Success

“Nothing pleases me more than to go into a room and come out with a piece of music.”

— Paul McCartney

Music

“I don't work at being ordinary.”

— Paul McCartney

Work

“Why would I retire? Sit at home and watch TV? No thanks. I'd rather be out playing.”

— Paul McCartney

Home

“Looking back, I think I was always musical. My dad was very musical, and I think my mom was musical.”

— Paul McCartney

Dad

“My dad, bless him, was a musician. And his dad had thought that his music was rubbish.”

— Paul McCartney

Dad

“In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

— Paul McCartney

Love

“To keep the record straight, it wasn't always John and Yoko. We've all accused one another of various business things we tend to be pretty paranoid by now, as you can imagine. There's a lot of money involved.”

— Paul McCartney

Business

“Where I come from, you don't really talk about how much you're earning. Those things are private. My dad never told my mum how much he was earning. I'm certainly not going to tell the world. I'm doing well.”

— Paul McCartney

Dad

“You see, my mother was a district nurse until she died when I was 14, and we used to move from time to time because of her work.”

— Paul McCartney

Work

“And I loved Fats Waller. I love his instrumental abilities, his vocal abilities and his sense of humor.”

— Paul McCartney

Humor

“It's time to end the cruel slaughter of whales and leave these magnificent creatures alone.”

— Paul McCartney

Alone