McCartney cover art

  Studio Album · No. 1

McCartney Songwriting Credits by Paul McCartney

1970 Apple Records 13 tracks 34 min

Produced by Paul McCartney

Apple Records Lo-fiFolk rockPop
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Paul McCartney carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
13 trackswritten by Paul McCartney 0 tracksoutside writers
Paul McCartney's roles on this album

Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

13
Tracks
1
Lyricists
1
Producers
1970
Released
Data Insight

McCartney is Paul McCartney's debut solo album, with every song written by McCartney alone. He recorded it largely in secret at his home in St John's Wood, playing nearly all the instruments himself, while Linda McCartney contributed harmony vocals. The home-recorded, one-microphone approach produced the lo-fi sound that set it apart from The Beatles' polished studio work.

McCartney is the debut solo studio album by Paul McCartney, released in April 1970 on Apple Records, recorded entirely at McCartney's home in St. John's Wood and Scotland using a four-track tape machine, with McCartney performing all instruments himself and his wife Linda McCartney contributing backing vocals on several tracks. McCartney wrote all the original material and released the album alongside a self-conducted press interview, distributed with the record, in which he answered questions about the Beatles' future by declining to confirm they were still together, an oblique announcement that was interpreted as his departure from the group and effectively precipitated the band's public dissolution. The album's home-recording aesthetic, rough, unpolished, deliberately modest, was the aesthetic opposite of the Abbey Road production McCartney had completed the previous year, and it established the unmediated, domestic approach that would reappear on McCartney II in 1980. 'Maybe I'm Amazed,' one of McCartney's finest post-Beatles ballads, was included as an album track rather than a single on the original release; it has since been ranked among the greatest rock songs of the era by multiple critic polls. McCartney reached number one on the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart, its commercial performance driven by the Beatles-break narrative that surrounded its release as much as by its content.

Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
The Lovely Linda
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
2
That Would Be Something
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
3
Valentine Day
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
4
Every Night
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
5
Hot as Sun / Glasses
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
6
Junk
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
7
Man We Was Lonely
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
8
Oo You
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
9
Momma Miss America
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
10
Teddy Boy
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
11
Singalong Junk
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
12
Maybe I'm Amazed
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)
13
Kreen-Akrore
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Drums)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 1 contributor

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Frequently Asked Questions McCartney

Who wrote the songs on Paul McCartney's McCartney album?
Paul McCartney wrote every song on McCartney himself. The Wikipedia track listing credits all thirteen tracks solely to Paul McCartney. Linda McCartney contributed harmony vocals but did not receive songwriting credits on this album.
Did Paul McCartney play all the instruments on McCartney?
Paul McCartney played nearly all the instruments on the album, including vocals, guitar, bass, drums, piano, organ, and percussion. The only other performer credited is Linda McCartney on harmony vocals. He recorded much of it at his home using a single microphone.
Was Maybe I'm Amazed released as a single from McCartney?
No, Maybe I'm Amazed was not released as a single from the McCartney album. Despite being the album's most acclaimed track, a piano ballad dedicated to Linda, McCartney chose not to issue it as a single. The album had no singles released from it.
What is the song Junk on Paul McCartney's McCartney album?
Junk is a short McCartney-written track on side one of the album, running under two minutes. The album also includes an instrumental version titled Singalong Junk on side two. Both were written by Paul McCartney.
When was Paul McCartney's McCartney album released?
McCartney was released on 17 April 1970 on Apple Records. It was McCartney's debut solo album, recorded between December 1969 and February 1970. Its release coincided with a press statement that reported on The Beatles' breakup.
How did Paul McCartney's McCartney album perform on the charts?
McCartney reached number 1 on the US Billboard 200 and number 1 in Canada. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. It was later certified 2x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Why is the McCartney album considered lo-fi?
The album is described as lo-fi because Paul McCartney recorded much of it at his home using minimal equipment, including a single microphone. This stripped-back, informal approach contrasted with the polished productions of The Beatles.

Sources