Paul McCartney has said his parents were “the original inspiration” for his songs with The Beatles and his solo career.
He said that although there had been “so many” influences on his songwriting, his parents had the largest impact.
Speaking at an exhibition of memorabilia from his own collection at the British Library in London via BBC News, in connection with his career-spanning biography, The Lyrics, he said: “Thinking about songs that I’ve written at every stage of my career, I came to realise that my parents, Jim and Mary McCartney, were the original inspiration for so much that I’ve written.
“My mum was very reassuring and, like so many women often are, she was also the one who kept our family going. She kept our spirits up.”
Paul McCartney: The Lyrics opens today! Our display of lyrics and photographs behind the most famous songs of all time is free for everyone to visit in our Entrance Hall, no need to book: https://t.co/6ybEI7Mv3P
(c) Mary McCartney [1/2] pic.twitter.com/odZgmv4xGA
— The British Library (@britishlibrary) November 5, 2021
His father in particular inspired his 1990 solo single ‘Put It There’, the original drawing for the single’s artwork of which is included in the exhibition, alongside a collection of photographs taken by his family, including one of him writing the song ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ with John Lennon at his home on Forthlin Road in Liverpool.
“He loved to play with words, juggle them in his head, and he had loads of little sayings that were sometimes nonsensical, sometimes functional, but always rather lyrical,” McCartney said.
“When he was shaking your hand, he would say, ‘Put it there if it weighs a ton’.”
The free exhibition, which was launched today (November 5) and runs until March 2022, includes 35 previously unseen items from the singer’s personal collection and his own quotes about them.
The Lyrics, which came out earlier this week, was recently shortlisted for this year’s Waterstones Book Of The Year award.
The winner will be announced on December 21.
Meanwhile, McCartney recently played The Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ with Foo Fighters at the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony earlier this week.
Dave Grohl and co. were among a number of acts being inducted into the legendary list of names in the Hall Of Fame this year at the Cleveland, Ohio ceremony.
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