Music · Vocal work
Belted vocals
McCartney sings in his full-power upper-chest register - raw, intense, and physically demanding
18
songs
For nearly the whole run, 1963 to 1970, eighteen recordings have it. 'Twist and Shout' came first, on the Please Please Me album, and 'I've Got a Feeling' last, on the Let It Be album. It goes quiet after 1965 and comes back in 1968 for 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da'. McCartney wrote fourteen of the eighteen, among them 'She's a Woman' and 'Hey Jude', 16% of his songs against 3% of Lennon's. On 'Kansas City / Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!' it is Little Richard-style screaming vocal. On 'Back in the U.S.S.R.': full-throated rock-and-roll delivery. Of those, 'Can't Buy Me Love' is at a very fast tempo, and only six of their recordings are.
See alsoVocal work:Vocal harmoniesVocal work:Ooh vocalsVocal work:Two-part harmonyInfluence:Little Richard influenceRecurring words:owRecurring words:don't let meChord shape:C → C7 → F → B♭Lead singer:Paul McCartney
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17 of the 18 songs carrying the 'Belted vocals' vocal element are sung by Paul McCartney, more than any other Beatle (John Lennon sings 4).
Analysis
By Year
Song count per year
By Songwriter
% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)
By Era
Early3 · 20%
Mid-period1 · 7%
Late11 · 73%
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Songs(15 of 18)
Year
Album
Writer
Lead vocal(s)
| # | Title | Year | Album | Lead Vocal(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Saw Her Standing There | 1963 | Please Please Me | Paul | - |
| 2 | Can't Buy Me Love | 1964 | A Hard Day's Night | Paul | - |
| 3 | She's a Woman | 1964 | Past Masters | Paul | Sung at top of his register |
| 4 | I'm Down | 1965 | Past Masters | Paul | Full Little Richard scream |
| 5 | Hey Jude | 1968 | Past Masters | Paul | - |
| 6 | Helter Skelter | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | - |
| 7 | Why Don't We Do It in the Road? | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | - |
| 8 | Back in the U.S.S.R. | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | Full-throated rock-and-roll delivery |
| 9 | Birthday | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul, John | - |
| 10 | Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | Full-voiced singalong delivery |
| 11 | Get Back | 1969 | Let It Be | Paul | - |
| 12 | Don't Let Me Down | 1969 | Past Masters | John, Paul | Paul shouts harmony on chorus |
| 13 | Golden Slumbers | 1969 | Abbey Road | Paul | Strong vocal on refrain |
| 14 | Oh! Darling | 1969 | Abbey Road | Paul | - |
| 15 | I've Got a Feeling | 1970 | Let It Be | Paul, John | - |
I Saw Her Standing There
1963·Please Please Me·Paul
Can't Buy Me Love
1964·A Hard Day's Night·Paul
She's a Woman
1964·Past Masters·Paul
Sung at top of his register
I'm Down
1965·Past Masters·Paul
Full Little Richard scream
Hey Jude
1968·Past Masters·Paul
Helter Skelter
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul
Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul
Back in the U.S.S.R.
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul
Full-throated rock-and-roll delivery
Birthday
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul
Full-voiced singalong delivery
Get Back
1969·Let It Be·Paul
Don't Let Me Down
1969·Past Masters·John
Paul shouts harmony on chorus
Golden Slumbers
1969·Abbey Road·Paul
Strong vocal on refrain
Oh! Darling
1969·Abbey Road·Paul
I've Got a Feeling
1970·Let It Be·Paul
Updated