The words and music of Paul McCartney

This examination of the solo music of Paul McCartney, from 1970-2007, offers an analysis of his songs, recordings, and his impact on popular music. Sir Paul McCartney is considered by many to be the most successful singer and songwriter in popular music history. Much has been written on McCartney's music as a Beatle, but relatively little has been written on his music since he left the group, notwithstanding the fact that he has collaborated with some of the top musicians in pop music and, unlike any other pop musician, composed classical music as well. This work examines the large and varied oeuvre of this deeply personal artist, showing how McCartney's stint as a Beatle continues to inform his solo music, as well as how he has transcended his days as a member of the Fab Four (The Beatles). After a biographical introduction, chronologically arranged chapters explore McCartney's music in the immediate aftermath of the breakup of the Beatles, his work with Wings during the 1970s, his collaborations with other artists during the 1980s, and his compositions of the 1990s, including his first forays into classical music. The examination also covers McCartney's critically acclaimed work in the first decade of the 21st century, including Memory Almost Full and Ecce Cor Meum, a composition written in the style of sacred English choral music. Throughout, the book supplies analytical insights and historical background to the artist's repertoire that has not previously been covered in detail.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.