26 episodes

McCartney: A Life in Lyrics offers listeners the opportunity to sit in on conversations between Paul McCartney and poet Paul Muldoon dissecting the people, experiences, and art that inspired McCartney’s songwriting. These conversations were held during the past several years as the two collaborated on the award winning book, “The Lyrics: 1965 to Present.” Over two seasons and 24 episodes of “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics”,you’ll hear a combination master class, memoir, and improvised journey with one of the most beloved figures in popular music. Each episode focuses on one song from McCartney’s iconic catalog – spanning early Beatles through his solo work. Season 2 premieres on February 7th.

“McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

Cover Portrait © 1967 Paul McCartney / Photographer: Linda McCartney

McCartney: A Life in Lyrics Pushkin

    • Arts
    • 4.5 • 529 Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

McCartney: A Life in Lyrics offers listeners the opportunity to sit in on conversations between Paul McCartney and poet Paul Muldoon dissecting the people, experiences, and art that inspired McCartney’s songwriting. These conversations were held during the past several years as the two collaborated on the award winning book, “The Lyrics: 1965 to Present.” Over two seasons and 24 episodes of “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics”,you’ll hear a combination master class, memoir, and improvised journey with one of the most beloved figures in popular music. Each episode focuses on one song from McCartney’s iconic catalog – spanning early Beatles through his solo work. Season 2 premieres on February 7th.

“McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

Cover Portrait © 1967 Paul McCartney / Photographer: Linda McCartney

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Love Me Do

    Love Me Do

    Countless decisions, large and small, aided The Beatles’ ascent to the top of popular culture. The release of their debut single, “Love Me Do,” in the UK in the fall of 1962 was one of those decisions. Their debut on American television was another. In this first episode of season two, Paul McCartney and Paul Muldoon discuss the early evolution of The Beatles.

    “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

    The series was produced by Pejk Malinovski and Sara McCrea; written by Sara McCrea; edited by Dan O’Donnell and Sophie Crane; mastered by Jason Gambrell with assistance from Jake Gorski and sound design by Pejk Malinovski. The series is executive produced by Leital Molad, Justin Richmond, Lee Eastman and Scott Rodger.

    Thanks to Lee Eastman, Richard Ewbank, Scott Rodger, Aoife Corbett and Steve Ithell.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 25 min
    Band on the Run

    Band on the Run

    Paul McCartney found himself in a tricky place after The Beatles’ break up. What did his musical future look like without the three musicians he’d spent half of his life building a musical rapport with? McCartney’s other band, Wings, and an impromptu tour of UK colleges helped him find his footing.

    “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

    The series was produced by Pejk Malinovski and Sara McCrea; written by Sara McCrea; edited by Dan O’Donnell and Sophie Crane; mastered by Jason Gambrell with assistance from Jake Gorski and sound design by Pejk Malinovski. The series is executive produced by Leital Molad, Justin Richmond, Lee Eastman and Scott Rodger.

    Thanks to Lee Eastman, Richard Ewbank, Scott Rodger, Aoife Corbett and Steve Ithell.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 29 min
    Maxwell’s Silver Hammer

    Maxwell’s Silver Hammer

    One day in the car, Paul McCartney heard a BBC production of the absurdist play “Ubu Cocu” by french writer Alfred Jarry.  Taken by the rebelliousness of the radio play, McCartney wrote a sweet-sounding tune about a murderous medical student that seemingly lives in the same universe as Ubu: “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”

    “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

    The series was produced by Pejk Malinovski and Sara McCrea; written by Sara McCrea; edited by Dan O’Donnell and Sophie Crane; mastered by Jason Gambrell with assistance from Jake Gorski and sound design by Pejk Malinovski. The series is executive produced by Leital Molad, Justin Richmond, Lee Eastman and Scott Rodger.

    Thanks to Lee Eastman, Richard Ewbank, Scott Rodger, Aoife Corbett and Steve Ithell.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 20 min
    Yesterday

    Yesterday

    The Beatles’ songbook became standard repertoire for artists to perform almost as quickly as they kicked off “the British invasion.” But one was covered more than all the rest: Yesterday.

    “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

    The series was produced by Pejk Malinovski and Sara McCrea; written by Sara McCrea; edited by Dan O’Donnell and Sophie Crane; mastered by Jason Gambrell with assistance from Jake Gorski and sound design by Pejk Malinovski. The series is executive produced by Leital Molad, Justin Richmond, Lee Eastman and Scott Rodger.

    Thanks to Lee Eastman, Richard Ewbank, Scott Rodger, Aoife Corbett and Steve Ithell.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 30 min
    Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)

    Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)

    “Drink to me, drink to my health” were among the last words spoken by the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. On somewhat of a lark, Dustin Hoffman challenged Paul McCartney to use those words to write a song – on the spot. McCartney indulged Hoffman and, without hesitation, an early version of “Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)” poured out of him.

    “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

    The series was produced by Pejk Malinovski and Sara McCrea; written by Sara McCrea; edited by Dan O’Donnell and Sophie Crane; mastered by Jason Gambrell with assistance from Jake Gorski and sound design by Pejk Malinovski. The series is executive produced by Leital Molad, Justin Richmond, Lee Eastman and Scott Rodger.

    Thanks to Lee Eastman, Richard Ewbank, Scott Rodger, Aoife Corbett and Steve Ithell.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 23 min
    Silly Love Songs

    Silly Love Songs

    From his earliest days as a songwriter, Paul McCartney was interested in love songs. But by the time of Wing’s 1976 album “At the Speed of Sound” McCartney had become tired of critics suggesting that was all he wrote. And so he wrote the album’s lead single, a defiant anthem about the importance of love in our lives, and named it “Silly Love Songs.” Through discussing this song with Paul Muldoon, McCartney also touches on some of the other love songs in his catalogue: “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “All My Loving,” “I Will” and one he wrote for his wife, Nancy —”My Valentine.”

    “McCartney: A Life in Lyrics” is a co-production between iHeart Media, MPL and Pushkin Industries.

    The series was produced by Pejk Malinovski and Sara McCrea; written by Sara McCrea; edited by Dan O’Donnell and Sophie Crane; mastered by Jason Gambrell with assistance from Jake Gorski and sound design by Pejk Malinovski. The series is executive produced by Leital Molad, Justin Richmond, Lee Eastman and Scott Rodger.

    Thanks to Lee Eastman, Richard Ewbank, Scott Rodger, Aoife Corbett and Steve Ithell.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 31 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
529 Ratings

529 Ratings

cpbusch ,

Brilliant

Paul Muldoon is simply brilliant. The conversations generated from his prompts is a gift to us all. I could listen to Paul and Paul analyze and theorize and parse through these songs for another 100 hours.

HockeyMomInMass ,

Wonderful Ride….But

I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I hope there’s another season but the final episode does not give me much hope.

It’s too late now but I would have loved to hear the entire song being discussed in full at the end of the episode. I found myself craving the opportunity to hear the full song after learning about its origin.

T-Formation ,

Check, Please!

This is like “My Dinner with Paul”. Or maybe he’s just eating pistachios the entire time?

Top Podcasts In Arts

Add to Cart with Kulap Vilaysack & SuChin Pak
Lemonada Media
Fresh Air
NPR
The Moth
The Moth
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
Minnie Questions with Minnie Driver
iHeartPodcasts
Fashion People
Audacy | Puck

You Might Also Like

Nothing Is Real - A Beatles Podcast
Beatles Pod
Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
Pushkin Industries
Something About the Beatles
Evergreen Podcasts
I am the EggPod
I am the EggPod
Rolling Stone Music Now
Rolling Stone | Cumulus Podcast Network
Here's The Thing with Alec Baldwin
iHeartPodcasts