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   BILL HARRY. THE PAUL MCCARTNEY ENCYCLOPEDIA

Gabriel, Peter

A former member of Genesis who enjoyed a successful solo career. In 1986 Gabriel announced that he was collaborating with Paul on a song for Amnesty International's 'International Day of Peace'. The two wrote and recorded a demo disc of 'The Politics Of Love', which was intended for a compilation in aid of Costa Rica's University of Peace.

Gambaccini, Paul

An American disc jockey domiciled in Britain.

Gambaccini has interviewed Paul on a number of occasions for both press and radio.

His series of interviews with Paul for Rolling Stone magazine were gathered together in book form for Paul McCartney: In His Own Words published by Omnibus Press.

On Sunday, Christmas Eve 1982 he broadcast a programme about Paul on Radio One at four o'clock in the afternoon, as part of his Appreciation series. This was previewed in the Radio Times with the comment: 'Paul McCartney is the greatest tunesmith of our time -almost superhumanly so - he is erratic, depending on the discipline he imposes on himself and the degree to which he is willing to work with people who will appreciate his talent.'

Garland For Linda, A

A classical music tribute to Linda. Stephen Connock, who is chairman of the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society, first suggested the idea. Connock himself had contracted liver cancer in December 1996. He says the concept was inspired by the 1953 tribute A Garland for the Queen in which ten British composers wrote a piece in honour of the Coronation.

The Linda tribute was formally announced on Monday 17 May 1999. Eight British composers had written an eight-song cycle for an unaccompanied choir. Each of the composers contributed one song, beginning with Paul's 'Nova', which he wrote between November 1998 and May 1999.

The other compositions, from which the composers donated their royalties to charity, were: 'A Good Night' by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, 'The Doorway Of The Dawn' by David Matthews, 'Farewell by Michael Berkeley, 'Water Lilies' by Judith Bingham, 'Musica Dei Donum' by John Rutter, 'I Dream'd' by Roxanna Panufnik, 'The Flight Of The Swan' by Giles Swayne and 'A Prayer For The Healing Of The Sick' by John Tavener, The Joyful Company of Singers premiered the production on Sunday 18 July at the chapel of Charterhouse School in Surrey. There were also new choral arrangements for five Beatles songs, written by Paul - 'Lady Madonna', 'Fixing A Hole', 'And I Love Her', 'Here, There and Everywhere' and 'Let It Be'.

The American premiere of A Garland for Linda took place at the Riverside Church, Riverside Drive, New York on 3 June 2000. The venue had been the scene of Linda's American memorial service.

It was performed at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on 28 May 2000, the Anvil, Basingstoke on 9 June, the Deal Festival, Deal on 6 August and St Bartholomew's Church, Brighton on 21 September 2000. The British performances were by the Joyful Company of Singers conducted by Peter Broadhurst.

The idea was also to hold 200 concerts worldwide for the work over a three-year period in choral societies, cathedrals, churches and universities.

The CD was issued on EMI Classics 7243 5 56961 2 0 and contained the added work of a tenth composer. It was recorded during August and September 1999 at the All Saints church in London.

A 24-page booklet came with the CD and a portion of the purchase price was donated by EMI to the 'Garland Appeal', a charity.

The British magazine Classic FM featured Paul and Linda on the cover of their March 2000 issue, which contained an article 'A Time to Heal', which was all about A Garland for Linda.

Genealogy

In the early 1960s the Beatles commissioned the Society of Genealogists in London to trace their family trees. In Paul's case the McCartneys were traced back to 1663 when his ancestors lived on the Isle of Man. His father had worked as a cotton salesman and previous generations of the family had been fishmongers, a tobacco cutter, boilermakers and plumbers. Paul's great-great-grandfather had been a coroner in Victorian England.

Paul's ancestors also sported Irish names such as Danher and Mohin, although the name McCartney has only been known in Northern Ireland for a few centuries. A branch of the Scottish clan Mackintosh, the McCartneys settled in Ulster in the early seventeenth century and became the principal family in Belfast.

Paul's younger brother Mike also researched and drew a family tree that he called 'Maclineage', which was featured in his book Thank U Very Much {known as The Macs in the US). The tree traces the family back to the 1840s, with James McCartney, upholsterer, on his father's side, and Michael McGergh on his mother's. A boilermaker, coroner, plumber, fishmonger, tobacco cutter, coal merchant and nursing sister represent other professions.

General Certificate of Education (GCE)

A British educational certificate awarded following the passing of examination in particular subjects. Now known as General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). The certificates are in two grades: ordinary (O level) and advanced (A level).

Paul took his GCE exams at Liverpool Institute and passed in six О level subjects, including French, German and Spanish. He had intended to study for a further two years for the A level in English Literature in order to pursue a career as a teacher, but his career with the Beatles intervened.

Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

The venue where Paul appeared on Saturday 1 May 1993. The performance of 'Lady Madonna' that evening is included on the album Paul Is Live.

Paul held a press conference at the Dome, opening it by saying, 'Thank you very much. Good afternoon everybody. I called you here today ... for the case of the flying fruit ... Hi there. I'm obviously starting off with a little silliness. OK, let's get serious.' The press conference continued after a question had been asked about Paul and John as songwriters:

Q: Regarding the songs you are going to play: what role do you feel is played in the song writing, the competitiveness?

Paul: It was very useful, as you said, if I wrote a good one and I'd play it to him and he'd go right, I'll write one better, whatever. Then I'll hear his and I'd think, whooo, I'll write one better. So it is very handy. In a nice way, we are never vicious. But we are always trying to go one better than each other. But when we came together on songs, then you got a different kind of song again. You got things like 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand', 'Help!' and stuff like that. So it was very good, it was very handy to have someone to compete with like that in a friendly way.

Q: It is good to have you back in Atlanta. What is it about touring that turns you on, that makes you come back time and time again? Whereas in Wings Over America in 1976, you took a break from touring for a while. What is it that excites you about touring?

Paul: It's the audience, really. Not that it... when I laid off for a little while ... not that I went off audiences. I was raising kids. I have four kids, the youngest is fifteen now. So he is kind of getting there now. He'd love me to say that. He is very mature, very grown-up. Raising them took a lot of time. When we got back a couple of years ago, it was just so good to see the audience. You are in isolation when you write your songs or record them. But when you come to play to this many people, it's great, it's instant feedback. So you don't have to be asking yourself if I wrote a good song. They are telling you it's good. Whereas if it is just a record, you have to go and read the critics and some of them tell you it's terrible and you failed the exam Paul. And I say I didn't enter an exam, did I? Yes. So that can be really dodgy. So it really is the people, the fans themselves. The best bit about it.

Q: Do you enjoy playing the large gigs or do you prefer the smaller ones?

Paul: I like all sizes of gigs actually. Some people don't like these big gigs because they are a bit too remote. I've been to see people in gigs this big and I've not enjoyed them. I went to Genesis in London. I couldn't see if Phil Collins was on stage or not! So it kind of defeats the purpose of it. We tried to learn lessons from things like that when we brought this show out. We are basically trying to satisfy the person in the 500th row right in the back there. That's why we got the big screens, we've got a few tricks. I try to take time out to sort of reach those people. Try and get some kind of intimate atmosphere. It's not easy in front of forty thousand people. We get a really good fire going in the show and the audience gives us a lot of feedback. Yeah, I really do enjoy these big things. They are an event. It's not so much an intimate show anymore. It's a big huge event. The circus came to town. I like that.

Q: Do you find yourself relying on a lot of outside influences?

Paul: I get a lot of outside influences, because you just can't help it. You'll be driving along in your car and somebody's got the radio on and that stuff comes in. I absorb that and take what I like out of it. Basically, I rely on instincts. Never having been trained, I really don't know how to do this stuff. I wrote my first song when I was fourteen and I still approach it the same way each time. It's like magic to me. It's like WOW, I wonder if I'll be able to do it today. I sit down with a little guitar and I'm still amazed when something comes out that looks like a song. And if you are very lucky you get a special song. Those don't happen all the time, but every so often something comes out that is a little more special. If you keep at it as long as I have, you end up with a few special ones.

Q: I know you are very enthusiastic about promoting environmental concerns. Are there any things that make you feel better about it?

Paul: I'll tell you what makes me feel more optimistic, is that the present administration in America, with Clinton and Gore. Because there has been a change and because we know Gore has written a book on it. I think that's far better for my tastes than the outgoing President who, I really think he blew it in the last campaign when he called Gore 'Mr Ozone'. I mean, what a mean-spirited statement. I suppose that was really stupid. I don't think that it helped him a lot in the election. I mean like, I don't agree with it, fine - but don't make fun of it. That's not a joke. I'm not an optimist. I think the kids are the hope. That's why we do this on the show. We give out the free booklet and in it we promote people like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the American PETA, Organisation for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. I think that's the way it should be done. I really think man as hunter has been played out. We'll get to the end of the twentieth century and that's kind of interesting - we had to blast off all the animals to be top dog. I think we won that. I think we can't keep blasting them. We have to look at other ways now. I think those ways are there. People have just got to realise that we have to change from that stuff now.

Q: Do you think hemp might help?

Paul: Get out of here! Who is this guy? I think he is a plant from the narcotics bureau.

Q: In the early seventies you wrote a song called 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish'. With all the things going on in London now, with the bombings, do you ever think they are going to give Ireland back?

Paul: It's just the most difficult subject. It's like the Middle East. If we had three hours to discuss it in depth, I think we should do it, but to just give it a quick answer is too difficult. Why I wrote that song, it was the first time our army, our paratroopers, had actually killed someone in our name, in the British people's name, in Ireland. It was a sort of accident. It is known as 'Bloody Sunday'. I wrote the song about that. So many things have changed, and it is just such a difficult subject, that you couldn't begin to get into it unless you have hours.

Q: What is the age range of fans that are coming to your concerts?

Paul: I don't really know. Since the last tour, we had people out more my age who were grown-ups with families who were coming largely, I think, for the nostalgic things. But it changed near the end of the tour and we started to get a lot of college kids. This time it's really mixed. We have a lot of really young kids. People bring babies. I like that, I have no problem about age. In fact we did a show, one of our first try-out shows and we got an old lady. I mean a really old lady; she must have been seventy to eighty years old. Not a spring chicken. She is sitting there and I'm playing the piano and I just started into 'Live And Let Die' and there is a big bang in there and I thought, 'Oh, no!' I'm trying to think, 'Can I stop the song, no, it's too late now.' It happened and I looked at her and she was grinning from ear to ear. I mean young - old, I don't really know why they come, I'm just glad they do.

Q: Looking back on the spectrum of your career, can you pick out any one project that you are most proud of, that satisfied you the most?

Paul: That is very difficult. To give you an answer - Sgt Pepper, There are a lot of others. That was very complete. I am very happy with the song 'Yesterday' because I dreamed it. That is my argument of, like, not really knowing where it comes from. I just woke up one morning and had this tune in my head. How lucky can you get? Those are two instances that I am really proud of. There are a lot of others. It is like talking about your babies. You don't want to favour one over the others. They are all good.

Q: About a year and a half ago you wrote the Oratorio. How did that come about?

Paul: I was asked to do that by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate their 150th anniversary. So that was a big sort of party thing. That was a big celebration and three hundred people were involved in the production of that. So that was a big deal. At the moment I am working on piano pieces. Just for a single pianist. So it is right at the other end of the scale. They are just little instrumental pieces that I am enjoying working on. Maybe towards the end of the year after the tour we might get into something like the Oratorio. I would like to do that again. It was good fun.

Q: You are one of the few major artists who have never put out a promo video compilation. Have you ever thought about doing that?

Paul: Yeah, we have never done it. It's one of those things that people ask us, when are you going to do that. I suppose we will soon. There are enough of them. They go back quite a while. Do you want the job?

Q: It is very unusual to be left-handed and I would like to know how you got started playing left-handed.

Paul: My Dad gave me a trumpet when I was fourteen and I figured out that I couldn't sing with this in my mouth. I asked him if he minded if I traded it in and he said he didn't mind. So I went and traded it in for a guitar. I started to play it the normal, correct way around until I saw a picture of Slim Whitman, who is an old Country star.

He had his guitar the left-handed way. So I thought there is a hint there. So I turned all the strings around and I could play it better because of that. Then when I went on to play the bass in Hamburg, because our bass player left, I spotted a violin-shaped bass ... very similar to the one you have there, can you hold that up! It looks like we are working together! I spotted something like that. Because it was so symmetrical it looked like a violin, that helped me get over the left-handed right-handed thing. So that was really it. It hasn't really bothered me. The only time it bothered me was when I was in school and they encouraged me to write with my right hand and I wrote my name starting with the Y. I wrote it backwards. It had never bothered me, actually. There are quite a lot of people who are left-handed. Leonardo Da Vinci.

Q: Have your children's musical tastes gone one way or the other?

Paul: I have always expected my children's musical taste to go directly against mine and for the generation gap to show up in a big way. You figure it can't go on forever. But it hasn't happened. As you were saying before, I think the young kids now are looking at the sixties, re-examining it. My son, for instance, is a big fan of Jimi Hendrix, people like James Brown, and he is heavily into all that stuff. Which is great by me because I'm into all that stuff. I love it, I can relate to it all. We don't live in America so he's not into rap. I think he's great. My kids are very supportive. I'm just lucky they actually like coming to shows. They seem to enjoy the music. It's Dad's music. They support me. The generation gap's never happened in my family yet.

Q: I hear your son plays guitar.

Paul: Yes, he plays a little guitar. I never really pushed him into it. It's not easy being a famous guy's kid. If any of them are really desperate to get into music, then of course I'll help them, but I'm not going to push them into it. If they just can't stop, then of course I'll help them.

Q: Atlanta's invited some constructive criticisms. What are your impressions of this town, strengths and weaknesses?

Paul: Well I haven't really been here long enough to tell you. I usually come from the airport to the Dome.

Q: Have you never come here before?

Paul: Yes I have, but only to tour, realty, but you don't really get an impression. What I do know is that you have the Braves and that it's one of the fastest growing towns in the South. Other than that, I really don't know a whole lot about it. I'll tell you what, I'll stay here for a few days and work it all out and tell you.

Q: Will we be lucky enough to hear 'Big Boys Bickering' tonight?

Paul: It's not in the set tonight. No. Thanks for the interest.

Q: What do you think about the return to live music recently?

Paul: Yeah, I think it's a natural thing like when synthesisers came out. People get interested in them for a few years and then someone eventually says, 'Wait a minute, a piano sounds as good as that.' Or what about an accordion, which we used to use? I think there is a return to live music. The other stuff was interesting for a little while, but it was a little shallow. A little bit thin. I think people are returning to warmer acoustic instruments. We certainly are. I've noticed a lot of other bands, a lot of the current young bands are into, it's the real thing.

We've got to go. Thank you. Goodbye.

Get Back (film)

The feature film of Paul's 1989/90 World Tour was premiered in London on Friday 20 September 1991. The US premiere took place on Thursday 24 October 1991 at the Baronet Theatre, at 3rd Avenue and 60th Street in New York. Paul and Linda attended. They also flew to Canada for the premiere at the Varsity 11 Cinema in Toronto on Friday 25 October. The film was screened twice in November in the US on the Disney cable channel and released on home video there on Wednesday 18 December 1991.

It was an Allied Filmmakers/MPL/Front Page Films presentation, produced by Henry Thomas and Philip Knatchbull. The executive producer was Jake Eberts, who originally founded Goldcrest Films.

Director Dick Lester introduced diverse newsreel footage as a background to some of the numbers and the various songs were taken from different concerts during the mammoth 102-show tour, attended by 3 million fans in 13 countries, with a particular number including shots from various concerts, resulting in Paul and band appearing in different clothes while performing the same song.

The 89-rninute film included footage from concerts in the UK, the US, Holland, Japan, Italy, Canada and Brazil, with a great deal of footage concentrating on the Rio de Janeiro show with its audience of 184,000.

The film featured twenty songs performed live during the 1989/90 World Tour, opening with 'Band On The Run', followed by 'Got To Get You Into My Life', 'Rough Ride', 'The Long And Winding Road', 'Fool On The Hill', 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', 'Good Day Sunshine', 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'Put It There', 'Hello Goodbye', 'Eleanor Rigby', 'Back In The USSR', 'This One', 'Can't Buy Me Love', 'Coming Up', 'Let It Be', 'Live And Let Die', 'Hey Jude', 'Yesterday', 'Get Back', 'Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight' and 'The End'.

Newsreel footage included shots from the Vietnam War, the Apollo moonwalk and the Beatles receiving their MBEs during 'The Long And Winding Road', scenes of Liverpool in 'Eleanor Rigby', soldiers marching in Red Square, Moscow during 'Back In The USSR', Tiananmen Square in China, Middle East turmoil and conflict in Northern Ireland in 'Live And Let Die' and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 'Put It There'.

The film did garner some bad reviews, mainly of Lester's direction. The Toronto Star critic wrote, 'The film is an embarrassment that ranks right up there with some of the worst of McCartney's misfires. Whatever value there may be in a straight concert documentary is ruined by director Richard Lester, who intersperses ludicrous stock library footage of 1960s newsreels within the songs - it's puerile social commentary.' The Hollywood Reporter said that Lester's newsreel 'intrusions feel slapdash, with the footage seldom matching the music'.

Get Back (song)

A number that Paul wrote in Apple Studios during the recording of Let It Be. 'We were sitting in the studio and we made it up out of thin air,' he said, as the number was recorded shortly after he finished writing it.

He was also to comment, 'I originally wrote it as a political song: "Don't dig no Pakistanis taking all the people's jobs, Wilson said to the immigrants, You'd better get back to your commonwealth homes, Yeah, yeah, yeah, you'd better get back home, Now Enoch said to the folks, Meanwhile back at home, too many Pakistanis, Living in a council flat."'

The point Paul was trying to make was an anti-racist one. At this time there was a huge public debate about immigration into Britain and politician Enoch Powell was saying that it would lead to 'rivers of blood'.

However, the words were misinterpreted in some quarters as racist.

Paul was to comment, 'When we were doing Let It Be there were a couple of verses of "Get Back" which were actually not racist at all -they were anti-racist. There were a lot of stories in the newspapers then about Pakistanis crowding out flats - you know, living sixteen to a room or whatever. So in one of the verses of "Get Back", which we were making up on the set of Let It Be, one of the outtakes has something about "too many Pakistanis living in a council flat" - that's the line. Which to me was actually talking out against overcrowding for Pakistanis.'

The single was issued in Britain on 11 April 1969 on Apple R5777 with 'Don't Let Me Down' as the flipside and in America on 5 May.

It topped the charts in Britain and America and several other countries throughout the world, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Holland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain and West Germany. It was re-released on 6 March 1970 when EMI issued 23 Beatles singles at the same time. It reached the No. 55 position. The track has also been included on a number of album compilations, including the 1982 20 Greatest Hits. There was another version of the song that featured on the Let It Be album and which has also been used on a number of compilation LPs. At the end of the number on the album, Paul can be heard saying, 'Thanks, Mo.' He is referring to Maureen, Ringo's wife, who was clapping.

Another version of this number, lasting 4 minutes and 11 seconds was included on the Tripping The Live Fantastic album. It was recorded live at the Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan on 13 March 1990 during the 1989/90 World Tour.

Get On The Right Thing

A track on the Red Rose Speedway album lasting 4 minutes and 19 seconds. Paul sang lead vocal and played bass, piano and acoustic guitar. Linda provided background vocals and David Spinozza was on electric guitar and Denny Seiwell on drums. The number was actually recorded during the Ram sessions.

Get Out Of My Way

A track from the Off The Ground album, penned by Paul and lasting 3 minutes and 29 seconds.

Getting Better

A track on Sgt Pepper that was penned by Paul with some aid from John on the lyrics of the middle eight.

Paul had driven to Primrose Hill in the spring of 1967 to take his dog Martha for a walk. It was a sunny day and Paul recalled a phrase often used by Jimmy Nicol, the drummer who stood in for Ringo during part of their world tour in 1964. Jimmy's phrase was a bit of positive homespun philosophy: 'It's getting better.' Paul mentioned to John at their next meeting that 'It's Getting Better' sounded like a good title for a song.

Paul was to say, I wrote that at my house in St John's Wood. All I remember is that I said, "It's getting better all the time", and John contributed the legendary line, 'It couldn't get much worse", which I thought was very good. Against the spirit of that song, which was all super-optimistic - then there's that lovely little sardonic line. Typical John.'

The number was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on 9 March 1967. During the overdubbing of the song on 21 March, John couldn't continue recording. George Martin realised something was wrong and took him onto the roof above No. 2 studio. He said, 'I remember it was a lovely night, with very bright stars. Then I suddenly realised that the only protection around the edge of the roof was a parapet about six inches high, with a sheer drop of some ninety feet to the ground below, and I had to tell him, "Don't go too near the edge. There's no rail there, John.'"

John couldn't go on with the recording. He said, 'It dawned on me I must have taken acid.' So Paul offered to take him home and when they arrived there he took some LSD to keep John company. It was the first time Paul had ever taken the hallucinogenic.

Getting Closer

The last British single to be credited to Wings. It was issued as a double A-side with 'Baby's Request' on Parlophone R6027 on Thursday 16 August 1979. Both tracks were taken from the Back To The Egg album. The number only managed to reach No. 60 in the UK charts. In America 'Getting Closer' was issued on Columbia 3-11020 on Tuesday 5 June with 'Spin It On' as the flip and reached No. 20 in the US charts. Wings included the number as part of their repertoire on their British tour in 1979.

The 'Getting Closer'/'Spin It On' version was also issued in Germany on Odeon 1C006-62945 and in France on Parlophone 2C006-62945.

Paul had penned 'Getting Closer' several years earlier, although he'd recently written 'Spin It On' in Scotland.

Ghosts Of The Past

A 1991 BBC/MTV/MPL documentary on the making of the Liverpool Oratorio, which was filmed over a three-month period. It included various rehearsals at the Mill with artists such as Kiri Те Kanawa and Sally Burgess, Jerry Hadley rehearsing with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the initial 18 March 1991 rehearsal with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, clips of Paul and Carl Davis composing the work, a rehearsal with the concert master Malcolm Stewart and various other highlights during the run up to the premiere of the work. The documentary was broadcast in Britain by the BBC on Tuesday 8 October 1991 and received its American premiere on the Great Performance series on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) on Wednesday 30 October 1991, shortly after the American CD was issued.

Giants Stadium

An arena in East Rutherford New Jersey where Paul appeared on Monday 9 and Wednesday 11 July 1990 during his world tour. There were combined audiences of 105,082 at the shows.

Paul introduced the Lennon medley saying that it was something he had 'worked up for Liverpool and is also quite special to this area'. He was referring to the fact that the Dakota building was less than ten miles distance from the stadium. Scott Muni of WNEW-FM interviewed Paul before the 11 July concert and when Paul addressed the audience, welcoming everyone to New York, Linda corrected him that it was New Jersey. Paul then got the New Yorkers to boo New Jersey and also asked if there was anyone from Liverpool in the audience.

Gibbs, Russ

A disc jockey and programme controller with the Detroit radio station WKNR who, on 12 December 1969, reported that Paul had been dead since 1966 when he was killed in a road accident and had been replaced by a lookalike.

He'd received information from a listener who had told him that the Beatles had been hinting to the world what had happened via clues on their album covers and in the lyrics of their songs.

Gibbs became inundated with thousands of calls and the 'Paul is Dead' rumours swept America like an epidemic.

Gibbs pointed out that one of the clues had been on the Magical Mystery Tour album sleeve. The stars, which composed the word 'Beatles', became a telephone number when studied upside down, he said. Gibbs presumed that the number, 537 1438, was in London and called up. A journalist who didn't know what Gibbs was talking about answered the phone. When Gibbs tried the number the following week, it had been disconnected.

Giddy

A number penned by Paul for Roger Daltrey's album One Of The Boys, which was released in Britain on Friday 13 May and in America on Thursday 16 June 1977. Part of the song came from the refrain of a number 'Rode All Night', recording during the Ram sessions.

Gilmour, Dave

Born David Jon Gilmour in Grantchester Meadows, Cambridge on 6 March 1946, he was in a group with Syd Barrett called Jokers Wild and then took Barrett's place in Pink Floyd in 1968.

He worked extensively with Paul in 1999 as part of Paul McCartney And Friends, recording Run Devil Run and making various live appearances with the band.

Giraldi, Bob

The director of the 'Say Say Say' promotional video that starred Paul and Michael Jackson. Giraldi commented, 'Michael could upstage anybody else but Paul McCartney. There was only one star on that set.'

Girl Is Mine, The

The single on which Paul sang a duet with Michael Jackson.

Paul was in Los Angeles in May and June 1982 when Jackson was recording his Thriller album and joined him on this track, which was produced by Quincy Jones.

It was the first collaboration between Paul and Michael.

The number was penned by Michael Jackson and included as the third track on his Thriller album, produced by Quincy Jones.

The flipside was the Jackson/Quincy Jones number 'Can't Get Outta The Rain'.

The single was issued in America as a 7" on Monday 25 October 1982 on Epic EPC A2729 where it reached No. 2 in the charts. There was also a 7" picture sleeve version issued the same day on Epic EPCA 11-279 with a photograph of Paul and Michael taken by Linda McCartney. A 12" maxi single was also issued the same month on Epic EPCA 12-2729. The British release was issued on Friday 29 October on Epic EPC A2729 where it reached No. 4 in the charts.

Girlfriend

It was not by accident that this track sounded like a Jackson Five number because Paul actually wrote it with Michael Jackson in mind.

The number was featured on Wings' London Town album and was recorded by Michael Jackson the following year for inclusion on his album Off the Wall. Jackson then issued it as a single in 1980 when it reached No. 30 in the charts.

Girlfriends

Paul was only fifteen when he lost his virginity. The girl was older than he was and the occasion occurred when he was baby-sitting at her house when her mother was out. He wasn't able to repeat the experience with her because he had eagerly told his schoolmates all about it the next day and she was furious that he'd tarnished her reputation.

Val (surname not known) was, according to Mike McCartney, the first girl that Paul ever liked. He was at a tender age at the time and began to notice Val on the school bus, staring at her long hair. 'Then one night word came along the grapevine that Val liked him,' said Mike. 'You should have seen the way he went on! He was completely knocked out! He took Val out once or twice - to the cinema, visiting friends, that sort of thing. Then the whole affair suddenly fizzled out.'

Another early Liverpool girlfriend was called Sheila. One day he accidentally broke her nose by throwing a ball into her face. Sheila was later to become a member of the Vernons Girls and married singer Tommy Bruce.

Paul also dated Julie Arthur, the niece of Liverpool comedian Ted Ray and he also recalls a girl called Layla, who he went out with soon after joining the Quarry Men.

When Paul was sixteen he had a girlfriend called Celia who was attending Liverpool College of Art. One night when he went on a date with her, to Paul's embarrassment, John Lennon turned up and tailed along with them. Later, the girl told Paul that she didn't like John.

Paul was also to date one of John's former girlfriends from the art college, Thelma Pickles, who later married Mersey poet Roger McGough.

A serious romance had been going on for some time between Paul and Dorothy Rhone, an attractive young blonde. Paul seemed to have a penchant for blondes in Liverpool. Prior to going out with Jane Asher he was dating Iris Caldwell.

Liane (surname not known) was a blonde-haired German barmaid who Paul dated during the Beatles' season at the Kaiserkeller. Iain Hines, member of the Jets, recalls, 'I personally struck up quite a friendship with Paul McCartney. He was at the time going out with a barmaid called Liane, whilst I was going out with her friend Gerda. Every morning at two Paul would arrive from the Kaiserkeller, which was closed at that hour, and would listen to our last session. The four of us would go in Gerda's VW to Liane's flat where we would cook hamburgers and listen to Everly Brothers records that Paul had got hold of from seamen who had been to the States.'

Cattia (surname not known) was a German girl who was one of Paul's girlfriends from the early Hamburg days. When the group returned to Hamburg for a concert at the Merck Halle in June 1966, Cattia turned up backstage to visit them, along with several other friends, including Astrid and Gibson Kemp, Bert Kaempfert and Bettina Derlin, former barmaid at the Star Club.

Paul obviously had several girlfriends in Germany, but a question mark hovers over Erik a Heubers.

She worked in a Hamburg club and said that as a result of an affair with Paul she became pregnant. She also claimed that Paul encouraged her to have an abortion. Paul said that he didn't remember her or any affair they were reputed to have had in 1961.

Heubers sued Paul in 1966 and although Paul didn't admit paternity, he paid up, commenting at a later date: 'It was 1966 and we were due to do a European tour. I was told that if the maintenance question wasn't settled we couldn't go to Germany. I wasn't going to sign a crazy document like this, so I didn't. Then we were actually on the plane leaving for the tour when they put the paper under my face and said if I didn't sign, the whole tour was off. They said the agreement would deny I was the father and it was a small amount anyway. I've actually seen a letter from Brian Epstein saying it would be cheaper to sign than not to go to Germany where we would make a lot of money.'

Paul paid up £2,700, which would be the equivalent of £10,000 today, and claimed that he was virtually tricked into paying for Erika's support until her daughter Bettina was 18. When Bettina came of age her mother instigated an action.

From 1981 the publicity began to plague Paul because everyone acted as if the case against him had been proven - regular newspaper coverage about Bettina kept referring to her as 'Beatle Girl' and similar phrases. Paul commented: 'What I object to most is the effect on my children. It's not fair to them. Why should they suffer? She (Bettina) was on the cover of Time magazine in 1983 and there was a picture of her holding one of my record covers with the comment, "Dad says ..." Not even alleged father. My kids had to read that. You have to put it down to life being tough at the top.'

The case was first heard at the District Court, Schoeneberg, Berlin on 22 February 1983, and Paul appointed a German lawyer, Dr Klaus Wachs, to represent him. The Heubers were asking for maintenance of 1,500 Deutschmarks per month (approximately £375) and an official declaration from Paul that he was the father. Under German law, if it were proven that Bettina was Paul's daughter, she would be entitled to inherit ten per cent of any money he might leave. This would only be enforceable in Germany - but all German royalties could be frozen.

Paul had agreed to have blood and tissue samples taken and his first blood test was in February 1983. A blood test proves paternity with ninety per cent certainty. It identifies proteins and enzymes in the child that must be present in the mother or father's blood. In March 1983, he was ordered to pay the £180 per month interim maintenance by the German court who rejected the evidence of the blood test, which had indicated that Paul was not the father.

Paul said: 'It seems the girl's blood contains something that is not in mine or the mother's, so it must have come from the third person and he is the real father.'

In April 1983 the German court finally awarded full maintenance. Paul commented: 'One thing I think is very unfair is that the judge is a woman and is pregnant herself. But I'm not going to ask for a different judge. I just want to get the whole thing settled.'

In June 1983, stories began to appear in the press with headlines such as 'Beatle Girl Strips To Raise Cash'.

Bettina was then twenty and had posed naked for the sex magazine High Society. There were eight pages of her wearing only leather gloves and carrying a glass guitar. It was disclosed that she received £600 for the session and said she was forced to do it because Paul refused to pay the maintenance that had been awarded by the court in April. She'd worked as a kindergarten teacher until then and had hoped to start a new job in September. Her mother, now 39, commented: 'The pictures are very tasteful ... she did the session because she is broke and Paul hasn't paid her any maintenance money yet.' In fact it seemed rather naive of her to accept only £600 when the pictures were syndicated throughout the world and must have generated tens of thousands of pounds in reproduction fees.

By the time Bettina was 22 and settled in Berlin as a hairdresser, she had lost two cases concerning her claim and Paul had had a further blood test which once again indicated that he was not her father. As Bettina had lost the case, she was liable to pay Paul's legal costs of £60,000. Dr Wachs advised Paul that he pay the money, commenting: 'I advised Paul, and he agreed, for psychological reasons he should by no means enforce his right for costs. It was my opinion that if he did this, it would give Miss Heubers another cause to make bad publicity for him.'

However, after Paul had made the generous gesture, Bettina announced that she would bring another paternity case against him, saying: 'I think it is very odd that Paul paid these costs for us and this will be prominently brought forward in our new case.'

Paul had had similar problems with another ex-girlfriend. Anita Howarth was a Liverpool girl who, in 1964, claimed that her son Philip was the result of her affair with Paul. Her mother told the press: 'They would go out together regularly, although it was not really serious. Then one day she confessed she was pregnant by Paul. It was a bombshell to the family.'

When the Beatles returned to Liverpool for their Civic Reception, her uncle began to put notices in Liverpool telephone boxes and fliers around the city announcing that Paul was the father of his niece's child.

In 1997 she asked Paul to take a DNA test.

Her son Philip, 37 years old in 2001, revealed that his mother had admitted to him that she had another lover at the time she went out with Paul and he could have been the father. Philip tracked the man down and asked him to take a DNA test, which he did - and it proved positive, proving that Paul was not his father.

Philip announced, 'I never wanted Paul McCartney to be my father and I am happy that he isn't. I rang him to tell him the news.'

Another paternity claim was made in 1993 when Paul was touring America on his New World Tour. A 33-year-old American woman, Michelle Le Vallier (who had changed her name to Michelle McCartney) claimed to be Paul's daughter, saying that Paul had had an affair with her mother in London in the late 1950s. She produced a birth certificate that stated she was born in Paris on 5 April 1959 and her parents were Monique Le Vallier and a man named James Paul McCartney. At that time, however, that would mean her mother was only fourteen years old when she was born and Paul would have been seventeen.

The ridiculous claim was dismissed.

When Paul was in America during February 1964 he had a relationship with actress Jill Haworth, who he first met at a press conference at the Plaza Hotel. He then began to visit her at her apartment. 'He wanted a good cup of tea and he couldn't get it at the Plaza and he came to my apartment,' she said.

He next called her up and invited her to stay in Miami while the Beatles were there. Paul arranged for payment of her trip, although she was booked into another hotel while they stayed at the Beauville. 'A car would be sent for me to take me over there,' she said. Paul wanted to keep the relationship out of the press, as Jane Asher was still his girlfriend.

When Paul's long romance with Jane Asher came to an end in 1968, Paul often frequented the Revolution Club in Bruton Place, London. He took a shine to one of the waitresses there, Maggie McGivern, and the two of them went off for a holiday in Sardinia together. News of the couple on holiday appeared in the Sunday newspaper, the People.

Many years later, in the Daily Mail newspaper dated Saturday 12 April 1997 there was a four-page interview with her in which she described a clandestine affair with Paul which lasted between 1966 and 1969.

See also: Asher, Jane; Caldwell, Iris; McGough, Thelma; Rhone, Dorothy; Schwartz, Francie.

Girls' School

A number mainly recorded in London in March 1977 with Paul, Linda, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English. The song was said to have been inspired by the famous St Trinians, the girls' school created by Ronald Searle and subject of several British comedy films. Paul also claimed to have received added inspiration from adverts in American newspapers for soft-porn films with such titles as School Mistress, Curly Haired and The Woman Trainer. The original title was 'Love School'.

The number was issued as a double A-side with 'Mull of Kintyre' in Britain on Capitol R6018 on Friday 11 November 1977, although it was 'Mull of Kintyre' which got the credit for making the record the biggest-selling British single of all time up to that date. With home sales surpassing the two million mark, the record lasted until the release of the Band Aid charity single seven years later.

In America it was 'Girls' School' which received the major promotion, although the single only managed to reach the No. 33 position. It was issued in America on Capitol 4504 on Friday 4 November 1977.

Paul discussed his decision to make the record a double A-side. He said, 'The idea of it was that if someone had bought the single and decided they wanted to have a dance, all they had to do was flip it over and there they had something to dance to, rather than put two songs that were the same sort of thing on the record.

'The idea of having a double A-side was so that if someone thought we were only into ballads, there was the opposite to prove we do all kinds of songs. I think there may be some people who prefer the more rocking side, which is the 'Girls' School' one. So, for those people, we made it a double A, because B-sides get swallowed. B-sides never get played on the radio or anything like that, so you have to say it's a double A even if you really think it's an A and a B.

'The song came about when we'd finished our tour of Australia and were coming back via Hawaii for a sort of holiday after the tour. We were supposed to go to Japan, but the Japanese Minister of Justice decided we couldn't get in, because we'd been naughty. So we went to Hawaii instead, on the way back to England. Anyway, I was looking through one of these American newspapers and the back page, at the end of the entertainments section, is always the porno films.

'I rather liked the titles, so basically I took all the titles and made a song out of them. For example, there was a film called School Mistress, another called Curly Haired, one called Kid Sister and another called The Woman Trainer and I liked those titles so much I just wove them into a song. It's kind of like a pornographic St Trinians.'

Give Ireland Back To The Irish

A single by Wings issued in Britain on Friday 25 February 1972. The number had been recorded at Island Studios, London on Tuesday 1 February 1972. Paul had written the song in protest at the British army's involvement in Northern Ireland. It followed what was referred to as 'Bloody Sunday', the tragic events which took place on Sunday 30 January 1972 when thirteen Catholic protestors were shot dead during a civil rights demonstration in Londonderry. The paratroopers involved said that they had come under sniper fire. As a result Paul wrote this song. Paul had roots in Northern Ireland and his mother had been baptised a Catholic, so his sympathies were with the Catholics in this instance. It was also Paul's first major political statement in songs and was the first single on which new guitarist Henry McCullough, who was Irish, performed.

On Thursday 10 February Paul's assistant Shelley Turner announced, 'EMI are one hundred per cent behind it and are very keen to put it out. As soon as they have got the final lacquer, they will put it out. It will probably be in the shops by next week. Paul has strong feelings about the Irish situation.'

Apple had prepared a 30-second TV commercial for the single in which Paul was featured, but the Independent Television Authority banned it from the ITV Network as they said it contravened the ITV Act. ATV also banned the disc, together with the BBC, Radio One, Radio Luxembourg and even the GPO.

When he heard that the BBC had banned the record, Paul said, 'Up them! I think the BBC should be highly praised ... preventing the youth from hearing my opinions.'

BBC press officer Rodney Collins explained that it wasn't played on Radio One because it made a political point.

The single was issued in Britain on Apple R5936 on Friday 25 February 1972; it entered the Top 20 despite the lack of plays, but only reached No. 15 in the charts. In America, where it was released on Apple 1847 on Monday 28 February it fared even worse, only reaching No. 21 in the charts.

Both the British and American releases had an instrumental version of the number on the flipside.

The single was also issued in Germany on EMI Electrola/Apple 1C006-05007 and in France on Apple 2C006-05007M.

Posters were to proclaim that BBC radio and television, Radio Luxembourg and the GPO had banned the record.

The single topped the charts in Ireland and Spain.

When George Watson, a reporter for ABC TV, asked Paul if he were worried about making a political point, he answered, 'No. You can't stay out of it, you know, if you think at all these days. We're still humans, you know, and you wake up and read your newspaper, it affects you. So I don't mind too much, it doesn't worry me, like I say. I don't now plan to do everything I do as a political thing, you know, but just on this one occasion. I think the British Government overstepped their mark and showed themselves to be more of a sort of repressive regime than I ever believed them to be.'

'Give Ireland Back To The Irish' was taken off Paul's two-disc set in 2001 due to a terrorist bomb, which killed a number of people in London earlier in the year. Paul said, 'I support the idea of Ireland being free and being handed back. I feel, like a lot of people, but I don't support their methods. I certainly don't want to support when a bomb goes off in London and people are killed. I would have a hard time supporting that. So when EMI rang me up and said, "Look, you know, we're pretty nervous and you don't have much time on the album. We should pull that one," that was really why it got pulled.'

Give My Regards To Broad Street (album)

The vinyl version of the film soundtrack was issued on EL2602781 and the compact disc on CP 2702782. They were released simultaneously in Britain on 22 October 1984 by EMI records. The album reached No. 1 in the British charts and No. 21 in the US.

The tracks were: 'No More Lonely Nights', 'Good Day Sunshine', 'Yesterday', 'Here, There and Everywhere', 'Wanderlust', 'Ballroom Dancing', 'Silly Love Songs', 'Not Such A Bad Boy', 'No Values', 'For No One', 'Eleanor RigbyV'Eleanor's Dream' and 'The Long And Winding Road'.

Paul had originally chosen a shortlist of thirty songs. He commented: 'A lot of them were put in for reasons of the plot; we wanted a long one like "Yesterday", the director wanted that more than me, because I'd sung it a lot of times!'

He also said: 'We did a special orchestral arrangement that takes new themes based on the mood of "Eleanor Rigby", and we extended it for something like nine minutes without a vocal, which for me is quite a departure ... The bit we needed the images for was after "Eleanor Rigby", which was conjured up by the song's mood. So it went to altars and churches, Dickensian characters, carriages, Victorian picnics. I just threw out a lot of images, the director picked them up and made them into this big anxiety dream.'

'Good Day Sunshine', 'Here, There and Everywhere', 'For No One' and 'Eleanor Rigby' all originally appeared on the Beatles' Revolver album and 'Eleanor Rigby' was also a double A-sided single with 'Yellow Submarine'. 'Yesterday' originally appeared on Help! and gave the Beatles their eleventh No. 1 in the States when issued as a single. 'The Long And Winding Road' first appeared on the Let It Be album, and Paul also included a new version of the number on his Wings Over America album. 'Silly Love Songs' was Wings' first British No. 1 single and also appeared on the album Wings At The Speed Of Sound. 'Wanderlust' and 'Ballroom Dancing' originally appeared on Paul's fourth album Tug Of War; the film version of 'Ballroom Dancing' includes an extra verse which Paul added at the director's request. Wanderlust was also the name of one of the yachts that Wings chartered when they were recording the London Town album. 'No More Lonely Nights' was the first single to be released from the film project and there were several versions of it. 'Not Such A Bad Boy' and 'No Values' were brand new and appeared on the Give My Regards To Broad Street album for the first time anywhere.

Give My Regards To Broad Street (film)

Paul's ambition to produce a feature film came to fruition with Give My Regards To Broad Street, an original idea of his.

He'd initially commissioned playwright Willy Russell to write a script.

'It was a nice idea and one it may be possible to resurrect at some point,' he has said, 'but I felt it wasn't quite right for me at the time.'

Paul also had discussions with another playwright, Trevor Nunn, before finally deciding to write the script himself.

The idea for the plot came to him when his chauffeured car was held up in a traffic jam and he jotted down the idea on the spot. He'd remembered a story record producer Chris Thomas had told him about how an assistant had left the master tapes of the Sex Pistols Never Mind The Bollocks on a station platform. He'd been due to take them to the factory and rushed back to the station to find that although the case had been soaked in the rainfall, the tapes were still intact and undamaged.

Paul said, 'I thought just over three million dollars would see us through. In the first week alone, we'd spent nearly all that and I was ordering new cheque books.' He then realised he didn't have to spend his own money and did a deal with 20th Century Fox who provided funds of between $6 and $8 million.

Paul originally didn't write a part for Linda in Give My Regards To Broad Street, but added one for her after she'd protested to him about it.

The film was two years in the planning and pre-production. Shooting eventually began in August 1982, and lasted for 28 weeks. When it opened in 1984, the film was given a number of premieres. The American one was held at the Egyptian Theater, Los Angeles, on 22 October with a special party at the Bistro Club. The New York premiere at the Gotham Theater was followed with a party at Club A. The Liverpool premiere took place at the Odeon cinema on 28 November and Paul was presented with the Freedom of the City at a special ceremony earlier in the day. The London premiere took place at the Empire Leicester Square, on 29 November, with a pre-premiere party at the Hippodrome.

Paul became involved in major promotion for the film in both America and Britain and travelled to the US early in October 1984 for three weeks to promote it, appearing on shows such as Good Morning America and The johnny Carson Show.

In Britain he appeared for one hour on a South Bank Show special, on the chart show Harty and on Film '84.

Paul had originally intended using the finances of his MPL company, but 20th Century Fox stepped in with funding in exchange for worldwide distribution rights.

When it opened in 311 cinemas across America, it was savagely panned by the critics and was an initial box-office disappointment. The show business magazine Variety described it as: 'Characterless, bloodless and pointless'.

Paul commented, 'I wanted to make the sort of movie that I like to see. It's an old-fashioned musical, a good night out, nothing heavy. Like most people, I go to the cinema to be entertained, not to see my own problems on the screen.'

On the film's release, Paul held several press conferences to promote it. Here is the transcript of one of the conferences, although he didn't seem to take the opportunity of plugging the film, since most of the queries related to topics apart from the movie:

Question: Did you have a hard time picking the old songs to re-record?

Paul: I pulled out about fifty songs that I fancied singing and I gave a list of these to the director and said, 'Let's just choose.' So some of them got chosen for pure story reasons. Like 'Yesterday' was included on the director's request because he wanted to set up the thing that happens toward the end of the movie where I become a busker. But something like 'For No One', that was just because I love that song and I realised I hadn't sung it since that twenty years ago we're talking about. I never ever did it in public. I did it only once on the record. And I thought, 'Well, it's a pity that songs can just come and go that quickly.' I wanted that one in just for my own pleasure. And then 'Ballroom Dancing', for instance, was put in because it's a very visual number. So it was a mish-mash of reasons.

Why shouldn't I sing 'em? Just because I once recorded them with the Beatles? They're not sacred, not to me, anyway. I wouldn't say I do a better version of those. Maybe those are the definitive versions, maybe not. You know, I think 'Long And Winding Road' in this is better than the original version. Just that particular song. So that was it really, I fancied singing them and didn't see why not.

John and I once tried to write a play when we were just starting out, even before we wrote any songs. We got two pages and just couldn't go any further, we just dried up. It would have been great, actually, because it was like a precursor to Jesus Christ Superstar. It was about this guy called Pilchard who you never actually saw. He was always upstairs in a room, praying. And the whole play was about the family saying, 'Oh God, is he prayin' again?' It was quite a nice idea, but we could never get him out of that room and downstairs.

Question: There are so many books out on the Beatles. Do you have any plans to write an autobiography?

Paul: The only thing that would make me do it is that round about this age, you do start to forget, you know. After twenty years, you don't remember it so well. And that would be the motivating factor, to actually get it down. But I haven't actually thought of doing it, really. But it's beginning to sneak into my mind that maybe I ought to get it down even if it isn't going to be like Mick's. It's more a publicity stunt rather than a book.

Question: In the early press accounts, you were the good guy. But in later biographies, you're cast as the bad guy. Do you feel a need to give your side?

Paul: Well, like anyone, I wouldn't mind being understood rather than misunderstood. It's very tempting when someone like John was slagging me off in the press. There was a period there when he was really going for me. It's very tempting to answer back, but I'm glad I didn't, I just thought, 'The hell with it, he's going over the top like he does.' He was a great feller, but he had that about him. He'd suddenly throw the table over and on to a new thing. And I was the table. But, I mean. A lot of it was talk and I think John loved the group. I think, though, he had to clear the decks for his new life. That was my feeling at the time. And there's nothing really you could say. But I don't think I was the bad guy or the good guy. I think what originally happened is that I'm from a very close, warm family in Liverpool, and I was very lucky to come from that kind of family. John wasn't. John was an only child. His father left home at three. His mother was killed when he was sixteen. My mum died when I was fourteen, so we had that in common. But when it came to meet the press and I saw a guy in the outer office shaking, I'd go in and say, 'Want a cup of tea?' because I just didn't like to be around that tension, that nervousness. So it fell to me to go and chat to the guy and put him at ease. Which then looked like PR. So I became known as the sort of PR man in the group. I probably was. The others would say, 'I'm not bloody doing that interview, you do it.' So I tended to look a bit the good guy in the media's eyes, because that's who I was being nice to. And I suppose the others may have resented that a little. But eventually, I've got this wild, ruthless ambition kind of image. If you do well, you get a bit of that. I don't really think it's that true. I think everyone was just as ruthless and ambitious as I was.

Question: What do you think of the exploitation of Lennon's death?

Paul: I think it's inevitable. You're talking about the West and capitalism. Exploitation's part of the game, really. I prefer to remember him how I knew him. I was in Nashville and saw a John Lennon whiskey decanter. AARGH! He didn't even drink it. So, yeah, it's a bit yucky. But you can't do anything about it. This is America, folks.

Question: There have been reports you might bid upwards of $60 million for Northern Songs. How important is it for you to regain control of your old material?

Paul: I'd really like to do it. Just because it seems natural that I should be allowed to own my own songs eventually. And I figure whoever's been publishing them has made a lot of money on me. But if you sign them away, you sign them away. That's the law of the land. And I signed them away, so I can't really blame the feller who bought them. But I'd like to get them back just because they're my babies, John's and my babies.

Like 'Yesterday'. I think if you tell the man in the street that Paul doesn't own 'Yesterday', it would surprise him. And the trouble is having to ask permission to sing it in the movie. That gets you. But actually, the publishers were quite fair. I think they only charged me a pound. I think they saw the irony too.

Question: Your current work will always be compared to your past work with the tendency to devalue the current. Is that difficult to live with? Do you ever just want to get rid of the Beatles?

Paul: Not really. I know what you mean, though. I have to admit, looking at all the songs I've written that probably there's a little period in there that was my hottest period. 'Yesterday', 'Here, There And Everywhere', a little bunch of stuff that just came all in a few years. I suppose it was because we were at our height and the novelty became a very important factor. What's happened with me over the past ten years is I've tended to assume that the critics were right. 'Yeah, you're right. I'm not as good as I used to be.' But in actual fact, recently I've started to think, 'Wait a minute, let's check this out. Is this really true?' And I don't think it actually is. For instance, a song called 'Mull Of Kintyre', which sold more records than any other record in England, is from my 'bad period'. The song 'Band On The Run', that's also from my bad period. I think what happens is after such a success as the Beatles, everyone, including me, thinks there's no way we can follow that, so you just tend to assume it's not as good. I think, as a body of work, my ten years with the Beatles, I would say, is probably better than this stuff. I do tend to be a bit gullible and go along with whoever's criticising me and say, 'Yeah, you're right, I'm a jerk.'

Question: Do you feel as if you're competing with your past work?

Paul: Yeah, a little bit. I think this new song, 'No More Lonely Nights', I felt good about that. There are, I think, some decent things in there. It's not all rubbish. But I think it's a natural thing after the Beatles to assume he must be on a losing streak now. And I tend to go along with it. But I don't think it's really true.

Question: Do you just sit and wait for the songs to come to you?

Paul: No, I just tend to sit down and try and write a song, I think the best ones come of their own volition. 'Yesterday', I just fell out of bed and that was there. I had a piano by the side of my bed. I mean, that particular song I woke up and there was a tune in my head. And I thought, 'Well, I must have heard it last night or something.' And I spent about three weeks asking all the music people I knew, 'What is this song? Where have you heard this song before?' I just couldn't believe I'd written it.

George Martin was drafted in to work on the arrangements for the film and also to appear as himself. The musicians who were featured included Dave Edmunds, Chris Spedding, John Paul Jones, Eric Stewart, Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro, Jody Linscott, Louis Johnson, Dave Gilmour, Dave Mattocks and Herbie Flowers.

Songs featured were: 'Good Day Sunshine', 'Here, There And Everywhere', 'Wanderlust', 'No More Lonely Nights', 'Ballroom Dancing', 'Silly Love Songs', 'Not Such A Bad Boy', 'So Bad', 'No Values', 'For No One', 'Eleanor Rigby', 'Band On The Run', Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah', Bless 'Em All', 'Give My Regards To Broad Street' and 'Sleepy Lagoon'.

Prominent among the cast were Sir Ralph Richardson, Tracey Ullman, Bryan Brown and the wrestler 'Giant Haystacks'. Peter Webb was the director.

The plot was basically a simple one with Paul sitting in the back of a black limousine on his way to meet his manager Steve (Bryan Brown) for an important meeting. The car is stuck in a long traffic jam and Paul dozes off. He finds himself driving along a country road in his customised Ford, which has its own computer. He receives a call on the car phone from Steve who tells him that the master tapes of his new album have vanished. Harry (Ian Hastings), an assistant, hasn't turned up with them. Paul arrives in the boardroom where the sinister banker Rath (John Bennett) makes an appearance. He is seeking to make a takeover bid for Paul's company and will be successful if the tapes are not recovered.

Steve estimates that the missing tapes are worth five or six million pounds and Paul sets off with him to a recording studio, dismissing Steve's fears that Harry may have absconded with the tapes to bootleg them.

At the studio Paul tells Ringo Starr and George Martin about the missing tapes and then goes to Elstree Studios where he joins Linda and the band to record the 'Ballroom Dancing' sequence. After a short break in the studio canteen it's off to the make-up room to apply a futuristic look for the 'Silly Love Songs' scene, and then the search for Harry and the missing tapes continues. Paul later fits in some rehearsals in a warehouse before setting off to the BBC for an interview.

During a rendition of 'Eleanor Rigby' we are taken back to Victorian times as Paul, Linda, Ringo and Barbara Bach picnic on a riverbank. Another scene is Dickensian as Harry is pursued by a giant figure with a bull terrier (shades of Bill Sikes!) and is eventually stabbed by Rath.

The visions fade and Paul makes his way to visit the Old Justice, an East End pub where Harry had been spotted the previous evening. He chats to Jim, the landlord, and then drives into central London as the deadline for the takeover nears. Paul comes to Broad Street station and remembers that Harry had mentioned the station when he left with the tapes. Paul wanders along the deserted platform and discovers Harry, who had been accidentally locked inside a hut. Paul is able to return to his office with the tapes in time to beat the deadline of the Rath takeover.

Commenting on the 'Ballroom Dancing' sequence, Paul said: 'I wanted to do it in either Hammersmith Palais or the Lyceum, but the director said that the reason they don't like doing that in films is that if the lighting man suddenly says "Take that wall out", it's all right on a set, but you could imagine the manager of the Hammersmith Palais being a bit upset!

'It was great that, we had the band on stage - John Paul Jones on bass, Ringo on drums, Dave Edmunds and Chris Spedding on guitars, Linda and me on piano, so we had that element, which was nice enough anyway. We had the back-up guys, who were like the Palais band, then we had the dancers. All the formation dancers, three specialist dancers, then we had another back-up of young dancers, who were like the rock-'n'-roll kids. One of the couples were the people who won our Buddy Holly competition, the guy who had been on the dole in Liverpool until then. So all of these elements, pulling them together, and still trying to have a laugh, I think that works really well in the film.'

The video was originally released in America in May 1985 and in Britain on 25 July. The home video was issued in Britain on CBS/Fox 1448-50 (VHS) and 1448-40 (Beta).

Givin' Grease A Ride

A number which Paul co-wrote with his brother Mike for the 1974 McGear album, which Paul also produced. Paul also plays on this track.

Glasses

A track on Paul's 1970 debut album McCartney. Lasting only 48 seconds, it features the sounds of multi-tracked wine glasses.

GMTV

GMTV - Good Morning Television - a British morning TV show. The programme screened an interview with Paul on Monday 26 November 2001. Paul was originally to have been interviewed on Wednesday 21 November, but he felt that 33-year-old Kate Garraway was too old and he requested a younger interviewer. Penny Smith - who was a few years' older than Paul's fiancee Heather Mills - finally interviewed him.

Go Cat Go

A HBO (Home Box Office) programme on Carl Perkins. Paul participated in it during his American tour. Following his concert in Memphis on Tuesday 27 April 1993, he jammed backstage at the Liberty Bowl performing with Carl on the numbers 'Blue Suede Shoes', 'Maybelline', 'Matchbox' and 'My Old Friend'. 'My Old Friend' was an unreleased number at the time, which had been penned by Carl and recorded during the Tug of War album sessions in 1981.

An album of the same name was issued by Dinosaur Records in America on 15 October 1996. It included 'My Old Friend' and also tracks with participation by John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Other artists on the album were Paul Simon, Bono, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Jimi Hendrix and Willie Nelson.

God Bless America

A single by Thornton, Fradkin and Unger and the Big Band, issued in America in June 1974. The track was originally recorded in January 1971 and issued in America on Monday 17 June 1974 on ESP-DISK ESP 45-63019. Wings' drummer Denny Seiwell had introduced Paul and Linda to Paul Thornton, Leslie Fradkin and Bob Unger and Paul agreed to make a guest appearance on this track. He played bass guitar and also provided backing vocals.

The track was also included on the group's album Pass On This Side, issued in America on Monday 8 July 1974 on ESP-Disk ESP 63019.

Going Home

An MPL documentary, screened in Britain as 'From Rio To Liverpool'. It was named 'Best Music Special' in the annual ACE awards for US cable television programmes. (See 'From Rio To Liverpool'.)

Going Live

A BBC children's programme on which Paul appeared for fifteen minutes on Saturday 12 December 1987. The programme went out live and during his interview he revealed that he and George Martin were going to record a new song for Paul's planned feature-length film about Rupert Bear. Paul was also accompanied by his son James when he took some phone calls live from viewers. Paul also mimed to 'Once Upon A Long Ago' to the studio audience, backed by his band, which included Stan Salzman and Nigel Kennedy.

Goldcrest Film Studios

On Thursday 21 September 1989, prior to his world tour, Paul held a special pre-tour concert in Studio 6 at the Goldcrest Film Studios in Elstree, Hertfordshire, before an invited audience of 750 people, mainly members of the Wings Fun Club and the winners of a Radio One contest. Prior to the concert the 11-minute pre-concert film, directed by Richard Lester, was screened and Paul and the band then performed the thirty songs they would be performing on the forthcoming tour.

Golden Earth Girl

A track from the 1993 album Off The Ground, penned by Paul and lasting 3 minutes and 43 seconds. The number was also featured on the 1999 classical CD Working Classical.

Golden Slumbers

Paul used to work on songs at 'Rembrandt', the house he'd bought for his dad as a retirement present, using a piano in the lounge.

Paul's stepsister Ruth was nine years old at the time and taking her music lessons at school seriously. One day she brought home the music of 'Golden Slumbers' to practise on the piano. She was playing it quite badly, so Paul sat down and spent the rest of the evening trying to teach her the left-hand bass notes.

This resulted in Paul deciding to make his own 'Golden Slumbers', taking the verse lyrics from the traditional ballad and creating a new melody, which ended up on Abbey Road the next year.

Paul said, 'I can't read music and I couldn't remember the old tune, so I started playing my tune to it, and I liked the words so I just kept that.'

The original 'Golden Slumbers' was an English hymn based on a 400-year-old poem by Thomas Dekker. Some of Dekker's original lines were:

Golden slumbers kiss your eyes Smiles awake you when you rise Sleep pretty wantons do not cry And I will sing a lullaby Rock them rock them, lullaby.

The Beatles recorded the number at Abbey Road on 2 July 1969 and it was included on the Abbey Road album.

Another version by Paul of this medley was included on the Tripping The Live Fantastic album. At 6 minutes and 41 seconds in length, it was recorded live at the Skydome in Toronto, Canada on 7 December 1989 during the 1989/90 World Tour.

Good Causes

On Friday 10 October 1980, Paul and Linda donated £500 to an appeal for the Liverpool boxer Johnny Owen, who had been injured in a bout.

In 1986 Paul became a patron of the 'Million Minutes Of Peace' campaign, which aimed to promote racial, religious and international harmony throughout the world.

During 1988 Paul and Linda became patrons of the Cinnamon Trust, a charity which helps the elderly cope with problem pets. Paul and Linda also contributed to a collection of charity Christmas cards organised by Yves St Laurent in aid of the Save The Children fund. Paul contributed a drawing of a snowman and Linda one of her photographs. Paul also contributed a drawing of Santa Claus for a charity book 'The Childline Christmas Book'.

In 1989 Paul and Linda allied themselves with Greenpeace in a campaign against acid rain. Paul wrote a letter to be distributed widely, which read, 'Do you remember "Norwegian Wood"? Who would have guessed that the title would call to mind an image of dying forests. If your family loves the countryside, I urge you to help.' In December they donated $100,000 to Friends Of The Earth.

In 1992 Paul and Linda made a donation to Crosby Action Aid, which raises cash for immunising children in Africa against infectious diseases.

During the same year the couple, along with Carla Lane, paid £4,000 to prevent a number of animals and birds from being auctioned off at Guilsborough Grange Wildlife Park, Northants.

Together with Carla, Paul and Linda also took part in a rescue attempt to try to save a Beluga whale. The 9001b whale had escaped from an experimental station in the Ukraine and was in the Black Sea where fishermen had dubbed it 'Brightness'. There were fears for the safety of the whale unless it was returned to its natural habitat in the Arctic, a venture that required raising £200,000. In the meantime, the Ukrainian scientists were demanding that the whale be returned to them.

Paul established a scholarship fund at Iowa State University in 1990 for students studying environmental issues. When he played Aimes, Iowa in 1990 he raised $15,000 that went straight into the fund. The first recipient of the scholarship was Melissa Veylupek of Omaha in 1992.

In 1993 Paul and Linda issued a statement to the International Whaling Commission. They were concerned that Japan, Iceland and Norway had requested that the ban on commercial whaling should be lifted. Japan had said that their current license was for scientific purposes, but Paul disagreed, saying, 'These must be the fastest experiments going because pretty soon after the whaling ships dock in Japan, the whale meat is served up in restaurants.'

He also stated, 'The people of the planet are depending on you to keep the sea blue, not red.' The Whaling Commission ignored Paul's plea and lifted the ban.

During the same year Paul and Linda gave their support to Dr Vernon Coleman's 'Plan 2000' campaign. This was a campaign that was seeking to stop experimentation on animals by the year 2000. Dr Coleman pointed out that a thousand animals are killed by scientists every thirty seconds. In supporting the campaign, Paul commented, 'Vernon is absolutely right. We're with him all the way.'

1993 also saw him donate a collection of children's books which were auctioned to raise funds for 'Gimme Shelter', a campaign for homeless people, and he donated an autograph doodle to Relate North Wales, a crisis counselling charity.

In his concern for whales, Paul returned to the fray in 1996 when it was known that Norway would begin the slaughter of 425 whales. Paul wrote an open letter to the people of Norway:

Dear People of Norway,

On Monday 20 May a small group of your countrymen will once again take up the 'tradition' of whaling and will hunt down and kill 425 minke whales. By this action, this minority is going to earn your country the contempt and the scorn of the rest of the world and we believe you should realise that.

The whalers say that they are doing this because it is a long-established Norwegian tradition. You know and we know that this is nonsense. The cloak of 'tradition' is being used to disguise the fact that this whole bloody exercise is being done for a huge profit. But who will really profit from this massacre? Probably not the people of Norway. A few whalers will make a lot of money and a few rich businessmen in Japan will be able to grotesquely impress their dinner guests. But the losers will be you and your country. Just as, years ago, the right-thinking world condemned slavery, so too your beautiful land will be stained and despised on account of a handful of traditionalists who are going to tarnish Norway's name through their action.

When we have toured there, it is one of the best places to be. In our experience, the overwhelming majority of Norwegians - especially young Norwegians - are kind and forward thinking. They are concerned about ecology and open to new, better ideas like whale-watching. Our friends in Norway have told us that most Norwegians don't eat whale meat anyway and, as Greenpeace has alerted, this whole sad and sick exercise is being conducted not to uphold tradition but for greed.

Last year the Norwegians slaughtered 232 minke whales. This year they intend to double the slaughter. Last year the International Whaling Commission called on Norway to 'halt immediately all whaling activities'. That's not just men in suits passing a resolution. The IWC ruling is the world calling. The whole of the rest of the planet - with the exception of a few hypocrites who whale for the 'scientific purposes' that don't fool or impress anybody - is imploring Norway to stop or be shamed. We don't believe that the people of Norway want or deserve that shame. We believe that you have it within your power to stop this killing. Call on your leaders to write to Mrs Brundtland, and demand a ban on Norwegian whaling. You could earn the praise and respect of the world.

With love, Paul and Linda McCartney.

Paul's concern for the survival of whales also appeared in a two-page foreword to the book On the Trail Of The Whale by zoologist Mark Carwardine, published by Thunder Bay Publishing Company in 1994.

He wrote, 'On a recent concert tour of the world I met a woman who said to me, "My ambition in life is to see a whale before I die." I believe she is typical of a growing number of people who feel the same way -and who realise that it is becoming more and more possible to make this great ambition come true.

'For many years now, my wife Linda and I (and our kids for that matter) have been strongly opposed to the killing of whales and, like many people, have been doing our utmost to save the largest creatures ever to grace our fair planet.

'In Norway, traditionally a whaling nation, we spoke out against what we see as the unnecessary slaughter of these precious animals. We were met with the objection that people had been making their living from whaling for countless generations.

'But our argument was that people once sold slaves for a living and children were forced to work in mines. At the time, this was all thought to be perfectly acceptable. But we have moved on. We have learned that such behaviour is brutal and can lead only to the lack of regard for life in general.

'Obviously, no one wants to see people thrown out of work, particularly in these recessionary times, so an alternative way of making a living has to be found. Nowadays, there is a real alternative to whale slaughter - whale-watching. I believe that well-organised whale-watching will provide a perfectly acceptable method of making money for the whaling communities. It will also offer an opportunity for the people of the world to learn about these great creatures and to experience them living wild and free in their natural environment. I hope Mark's book will inspire more people to achieve this great dream for themselves and that it will help to show us the way to a more peaceful and happier future.'

In 1995 Paul and Linda sent a letter to the French President Mitterand asking him to end the disgraceful way animals were transported in Europe.

In 1996 Paul, together with Cliff Richard, launched a £6 million appeal for the Music Sound Foundation, to help future stars.

In 1997 Paul was among several artists who signed a petition asking China to release the Tibetan music student Ngawang Choepel who had been jailed for eighteen years. Other signatories were Peter Gabriel, Sting and David Bowie. Annie Lennox delivered it to the Chinese embassy in London.

In August 1997 Paul and Linda sent a message of support to an antihunt rally in London where 20,000 protesters had gathered.

In 1998 Paul signed a petition for the League Against Cruel Sports against the three-day Waterloo Cup tournament at Altcar in which two greyhound dogs chase a field hare which is usually ripped to pieces. Paul addressed his petition to the landowner Lord Leverhulme, writing, 'Is it not symbolic that although we live in the heart of the countryside we have never had the privilege of seeing a hare? Hare coursing is one of the most cruel of so-called sports.'

In December 1998 at his home studio, Paul recorded the number 'Little Children', penned by Peter Kirkley, the proceeds of which were to benefit street children in Brazil.

On 26 December 2001 Paul wrote an open letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him to stick to his promise of allowing a free vote on hunting. Paul's two daughters Stella and Mary also signed the letter. Paul wrote, 'All around the country today people on horseback will be marking Boxing Day by following packs of hounds chasing and savaging hundreds of wild animals in the name of sport. We want to live in a country where it is illegal to inflict pain and suffering by hunting wild animals with dogs; an activity that we, along with most British people, believe is cruel, unnecessary, unacceptable and outdated. Your government has promised to give the House of Commons an "early opportunity to express its view", to have a "free vote" and to "enable Parliament to reach a conclusion on this issue". The time to do this has come.'

Paul and Linda also supported the League Against Cruel Sports. Linda was to say, 'As you can imagine, I'm really anti-hunting - as most people are. I think that chasing innocent creatures with horses and hounds is a barbaric thing. It is old-fashioned and outdated, and with the help of the League Against Cruel Sports, it will soon be banned.'

Paul and Linda donated the 200-acre site of St John's Wood in Upton to the league in 1991 in order for them to use it as a deer sanctuary.

Following Linda's death, Paul decided to establish an area of woodland to commemorate her and her work for animal protection.

In 1999 he wrote in the League's newsletter: 'I understand that many League supporters have written asking whether there is any way in which they may pay tribute to Linda's life and work for animal protection. The League have suggested the planting of a new woodland adjacent to St John's Wood, and a memorial plaque to those who contribute at their St Nicholas Priory HQ. I think that this is a splendid idea to benefit wildlife and would like to thank you for your kindness in naming the wood in my dear Linda's memory.'

In 2001 Paul participated in a 'Hands Up For Hedgehogs' campaign by the Surrey Wildlife Trust. The charity had been raising funds by auctioning off pictures of hedgehogs, which a number of celebrities had supplied. They included Hayley Mills, Joan Collins, Joanna Lumley, Helena Bonham Carter, Britt Ekland, Charlie Dimmock, Rolf Harris, Twiggy, Wendy Richard, Prunella Scales and Alan Titchmarsh.

Paul donated an original piece of his artwork depicting a hedgehog, personally signed, and it raised £3,012 at the Internet auction held at QXL.COM between 17 December 2001 and 25 January 2002.

In June, Paul donated £1,000 to help a sick seventeen-year-old donkey, Humphrey, which had been found dying in a field with its hoofs hacked off. He sent the cheque to the Willows Animal Sanctuary, where Humphrey was being looked after.

See also 'Charities'.

Good Day Sunshine

A track on the Revolver album, composed by Paul and recorded at Abbey Road Studios on 8 and 9 June 1966. Paul actually wrote it during a visit to John's house in Weybridge. He said, 'The sun was shining. Influenced by the Lovin* Spoonful.' Paul was referring to the Lovin' Spoonful's hit 'Daydream'. There was some input from John who said, 'Paul wrote this, but I think maybe I helped him with some of the lyric.'

The number was a particular favourite of composer Leonard Bernstein who praised the song on a CBS news documentary in 1967.

Good Morning America

An American breakfast show on ABC TV on which Paul and Linda appeared on Thursday 27 November 1980. They appeared live on the show but it was by satellite from their Sussex farmhouse. Dan Hartman interviewed the two for approximately ten minutes.

Paul appeared on this major American television show for five consecutive weekday mornings from Thursday 25 October until Wednesday 31 October 1984. He was in America to promote his film Give My Regards To Broad Street and when he initially appeared, he attracted the biggest studio audience applications ever for the show.

Good Morning Policeman

A song Paul was said to have written when he was interred in a Japanese prison in January 1980.

Good RockirV Tonight

A number by Roy Brown, which Paul has performed on numerous occasions. Paul recorded a medley of the number, along with 'Shake, Rattle And Roll' during a Tug Of War rehearsal at Pugin's Hall in Tenterden, Kent on Thursday 30 October 1980. He also recorded the number for his MTV Unplugged appearance in 1991 and it was included on his album Unplugged - The Official Bootleg and in his acoustic set during his short Unplugged tour. It was also included in the set he performed at the Mean Fiddler, London on Friday 20 November 1992 for the 'A Carlton New Year' TV show broadcast on Thursday 1 January 1993. He included it in the acoustic set of his Australian/New Zealand tour in March 1993 and the acoustic set of his North American tour from April to June 1993. A live version of the song, lasting 2 minutes and 52 seconds and recorded at the Blockbuster Pavilion, Charlotte on Tuesday 15 June 1993, was included on the Paul Is Live album.

Good Rockin' Tonight - The Legacy Of Sun Records

An album issued in America on Sire/WEA 31165 on 30 October 2001. Disc One opens with 'That's All Right Mama' by Paul McCartney.

Good Times Coming/Feel The Sun

The first of Paul's solo compositions to feature on the Press To Play album, lasting 4 minutes and 56 seconds. It comprises two separate songs that Paul ran together into each other because they had a similar theme. He commented, 'There's a nostalgic air about summers that have gone. It's a pretty strong feeling, even for people who are only seventeen; they can remember a summer when they were ten. In Britain, you tend not to get too much of that stuff, so you tend to remember them.'

Goodbye

A number composed by Paul which was recorded by Mary Hopkin on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 March 1969 at Morgan Studios in Willesden, London. Although Paul was the sole writer, the Lennon and McCartney songwriting credit remained. Paul also produced it, sang a duet with Mary and played guitar on the number. The flipside was 'Sparrow', a number penned by Gallagher and Lyle. Apple's Tony Bramwell was in the studio and filmed the production on 16mm film. Apple issued the single simultaneously in 28 countries, accompanied by a promotional film showing Paul and Mary making the record. It was released in Britain on Friday 28 March 1969 on Apple 10 and in America on Monday 7 April 1969 on Apple 1806. The number reached No. 2 in the British charts and No. 13 in the American.

Paul made a demonstration record of the tune on which he sang and played acoustic guitar. The disc came up for auction at Sotheby's London branch on Wednesday 22 December 1982.

Goodnight America

An American television show hosted by Geraldo Rivera. Rivera interviewed Paul, Linda and Wings on the show on Monday 28 June 1976 to discuss the success of their recent American tour. Excerpts of the performances of 'Band On The Run' and 'Yesterday' from the concert in Seattle on 10 June were shown and the group also promoted their new single 'Let Em In', which had been issued in America that day.

Goodnight Tonight (promotional film)

A promotional video filmed at the Hammersmith Palais on Tuesday 3 April 1979 by Keef 6c Co. Wings appeared in 1930s-style clothes and then changed to modern dress during the instrumental break. The video was screened on Top Of The Pops, The Kenny Everett Show and on the American programme Midnight Special.

Goodnight Tonight (single)

A Wings single issued on Parlophone R6023 on Friday 23 March 1979. There was also a special extended disco version issued on Tuesday 3 April. The number reached No. 6 in the British charts. It had been issued in America some days before, on Thursday 15 March on Columbia 3-10939 and reached the No. 5 position. The British 12" version was issued on Parlophone 12Y R6023 and the American on Columbia 23-10940.

'Daytime Nightime Suffering' was the flipside on all versions.

It was the first Wings single on the Columbia label and Paul had been given an advance of two million dollars against a royalty of 22 per cent, which made him the highest paid recording artist in the world.

Columbia had wanted Paul to include the number on the Back To The Egg album, but Paul refused, saying the song didn't fit the album. 'I'm making records, I'm not running a record store,' he added.

The single was also issued in Germany on Odeon 1C006-62579 and in France on Parlophone 2C006-62579.

Got To Get You Into My Life

A song penned by Paul and featured on the Beatles' Revolver album, issued on 5 August 1966. It featured a 'soul' sound, probably inspired by the music of Stax records artists and included a five-piece brass section. On the same day the Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers version was issued in Britain on Parlophone R 5489, which Paul personally produced. It was released in America on 29 August 1966 on ABC 10842. It was also the title of the Rebel Rousers' album, issued in Britain on 27 January 1967 on Parlophone PCS 7017.

American group Earth, Wind and Fire recorded a version for the Robert Stigwood film Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and this reached No. 4 in the American charts in August 1978, although it only reached the position of No. 20 in Britain.

Paul said, '"Got To Get You Into My Life" was one I wrote when I had first been introduced to pot. I'd been a rather straight working-class lad, but when we started to get into pot, it seemed to me to be quite uplifting. "Got To Get You Into My Life" is really a song about that, it's not a person, it's actually about pot. It's saying, "I'm going to do this. This is not a bad idea," so it's actually an ode to pot, like someone else might write an ode to chocolate or good claret.'

Regarding the trumpet sound on the track, Paul commented, 'We put trumpets on because it sounded like a trumpet number. None of the others did, so we haven't used them on any other tracks, so it's a nice novelty.'

A version of this number, lasting 3 minutes and 21 seconds, was included on the Tripping The Live Fantastic album. It was recorded live at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany on 17 October 1989 during the 1989/90 World Tour.

Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance

A song Paul originally wrote for Twiggy in 1973. The TV special in which she was to sing it was never made, but Paul was able to utilise the number as the highlight of his 'James Paul McCartney' TV spectacular.

A Swedish trio, First Mistake, recorded the number and issued a single at the end of 1986 with a party mix of the same number on the flipside.

Gracen, Jorie В

A photo journalist from Chicago who has taken more than a thousand photographs of Paul at record signings, private parties, press conferences, backstage, award ceremonies and at concerts.

She first met Paul and Linda on the Wings Over America tour in 1976 when she was still a student photographer. She next met them when she flew over to London in 1978 and took photographs of them in Abbey Road where they were recording Rockestra.

Jorie was then commissioned to cover the 1989/90 World Tour and at the end of the 45-week tour she presented Paul with a book of 40 10x8s of her pictures.

She has continued to photograph Paul ever since.

Grammy Awards

In America the Recording Academy and the Grammy awards were founded in 1957.

There are various categories of awards, a number of which have been presented to the Beatles as a group or to Paul as an individual.

They include the Trustees Award that the Beatles won in 1972.

The Grammy Hall of Fame Awards was established in 1973. This was to honour recordings of lasting, qualitative or historical significance that were recorded more than 25 years ago.

Awards in this category won by the Beatles include Abbey Road in 1995; 'Yesterday' in 1997; 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' in 1998; 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and Revolver in 1999; The Beatles (White Album), A Hard Day's Night and Rubber Soul in 2000; 'Hey Jude' and Meet The Beatles in 2001.

Joe Cocker also received the Hall of Fame Award for his performance of Paul's composition 'With A Little Help From My Friends' in 2001.

Other awards included: Best New Artist of 1964, the Beatles; Best Performance by a Vocal Group: 'A Hard Day's Night', 1964; Best Contemporary (R&cR) Solo Vocal Performance, Male or Female: Paul McCartney, 'Eleanor Rigby', 1966; Song of the Year: 'Michelle', John Lennon and Paul McCartney, 1966; Best Contemporary Album: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967; Album of the Year: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967; Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special: Let It Be, 1970; Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey', 1971; Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group with Vocal: 'Band On The Run', 1974; Best Rock Instrumental Performance: Paul McCartney & Wings with the Rockestra Theme, 1979; Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with vocal: 'Free As a Bird', 1996; Best Music Video, Long Form: 'The Beatles Anthology', 1996; Best Music Video, Short Form: 'Free As A Bird', 1996.

Paul made his personal appearance at the 32nd annual Grammy Awards (Academy of Recorded Arts and Sciences) at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles on Wednesday 21 February 1990 to receive his Lifetime Achievement Award. He accepted the award from actress Meryl Streep and made a small speech. Streep recalled that she was in the audience of the Shea Stadium in 1965 and held up a sign that read 'I love you forever Paul'. Ray Charles performed 'Eleanor Rigby' and Stevie Wonder performed 'We Can Work It Out'.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented by vote of the Recording Academy's national trustees to performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.

The academy was to announce: 'Paul McCartney who, as a member of the Beatles, had an impact not only on rock and roll but also on Western culture, and who, as a solo performer and songwriter continues to develop and grow after three decades.'

Granny's Chest

A BBC Russian Service programme. On Thursday 26 January 1989 Paul became only the second person to participate in a live radio phone-in between the West and the Soviet Union. The first had been by Margaret Thatcher the previous summer.

Paul was guest in Studio 57 at Bush House, London when the show was broadcast to an estimated 18 million listeners in the Soviet Union from 6.05 p.m. to 7 p.m. GMT.

On the morning of the show, the Soviet newspaper Komsotnolskaya Pravda had printed the London telephone number to call. Over one thousand calls were received, although only fourteen callers were actually included in the broadcast.

The questions were translated into English by the show's host Sam Jones and an interpreter in a nearby studio in Bush House translated Paul's answers into Russian.

During the broadcast, three tracks from Paul's Choba В ССР album were broadcast.

The BBC world service programme Multitrack 3 transmitted edited highlights from the programme on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 January 1989.

Grapefruit

An Apple band, mainly comprising members of the former Tony Rivers and the Castaways, who had been signed to Nems NEMS Enterprises. John Lennon gave them the name Grapefruit.

Paul produced their promotional film for the single 'Elevator'.

On Sunday 26 May 1968 he filmed them in Hyde Park for a three-minute film sequence, during which onlookers surrounded them while they were filming around the Prince Albert Memorial. Around fifty Beatles fans sought an autograph from Paul, so he signed some for them.

Grateful Dead - A PhotofUrn, The

A nine-minute short film by Paul, which he had worked on for two years. It used some animation techniques to utilise photographs Linda took of the Grateful Dead in the 1960s and bring them to life, with a soundtrack of music by the Grateful Dead. The film was completed in 1995, the year in which Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia died. Paul was invited to preview the film at the London Film Festival that year.

The film received its American premiere at the New York Film Festival on Sunday 28 and Monday 29 September 1997 and was also shown as a support to the feature Trainspotting. It was screened at the Angelika Film Center in New York on Friday 11 October 1997 and also in cinemas in Santa Monica and San Francisco. In Los Angeles it was shown as support to the film Microcosmos.

When Paul talked to fans on the Internet on 17 December 1999, he mentioned this film and another film of the Beatles he had considered making utilising Linda's photographs.

'She actually did one of the Grateful Dead and I noticed on the contact sheet that the shots were similar and if you looked through them quickly, it looked like a film. So I got the idea to flip through them quickly. The other I'm working on, they aren't all unpublished photos of the Beatles, but I'm hoping to do some sort of photofilm with it. But it's a long project and will take some time. Hopefully it will go on general release.'

Great Cock And Seagull Race, The

A number Paul recorded at the A&R Studios in New York in December 1971 on which he played lead guitar and drums. Shortly after the recording a 45 acetate was given to the New York radio station WCBS-FM to play on Wednesday 15 December - it was played at a speed of 331/?. Paul had originally considered using it as a B-side to one of his singles, but decided against it and it remained unreleased. When he appeared on WCBS with the record he commented, 'This is when we got up and ate our cornflakes,' resulting in the number being referred to as 'Breakfast Blues' on some bootlegs.

Great Day

The final track on the Flaming Pie album. It was penned by Paul and lasted for 2 minutes and 9 seconds. It was produced by Paul and George Martin and engineered by Bob Kraushaar when it was recorded on 3 September 1992. Paul sang lead vocal and played acoustic guitar and leg slap/percussion while Linda provided backing vocals.

Paul said, 'I wanted a short song for the album and I remembered this one, which goes back twenty years or so when the kids were young. Linda and I used to sing it around the kitchen. It's just a little upbeat song of hope, to the point and in the spirit of the whole album.'

Greenham Common

The site of a Cruise Missile base in the Berkshire countryside. Large groups of women camped out there in the early 1980s for several months in order to demonstrate their opposition to the weapons. In December 1983 Paul and Linda sent the women some expensive food hampers from London's Fortnum & Mason's, a high-class grocery store in Piccadilly, with the message: 'You are doing a great job. Keep it up and don't give in.'

Grillo, Oscar

An Argentine artist, born in Buenos Aires in 1943. As a child he first saw Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, which inspired him and he was later to recall, 'No one explained it was animation, but I knew they were moving drawings and I knew I wanted to be an artist.' At the age of sixteen he began working in a studio making commercials and moved to Britain in 1970 where he has been living ever since.

He became an advertising and children's book illustrator, and as a film animator he won the Palm d'Or Award for Best Short with his film based on Linda McCartney's song 'Seaside Woman'. Paul also commissioned him to participate in the animation of a Rupert the Bear cartoon, but another artist finally did it. Grillo then went on to create animated films for Linda's 'Wide Prairie' and 'Shadow Cycle'.

He was to form an animation studio Klacto with his partner Ted Rockley.

Groucho Club, The

A trendy club for media people situated in London's Soho. On Thursday 1 October 1992 Paul and Linda held a special fundraising lunch at the club on behalf of LIPA (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts). Among those present were Lord Palumbo, chairman of the Arts Council, Robert Key of National Heritage and Peter Bounds, chief executive of Liverpool City Council.

Guildhall, Portsmouth

A venue where the Beatles were due to appear on Thursday 12 November 1964 during a British tour. The show was cancelled as Paul was suffering from gastric flu. The booking was rearranged and the Fab Four were due to appear there a few weeks later on 3 December, but that appearance was also cancelled due to a television appearance on the programme Day By Day.

Guinness Book of Records Hall of Fame

A BBC 1 television programme transmitted on Monday 26 May 1986.

The show was hosted by David Frost and Norris McWhirter and broadcast from the BBC Television Centre in Wood Lane, London.

The occasion was to present the first six people to be inducted into the Guinness Book Of Records Hall Of Fame and Paul appeared to receive his acclaim as the most successful musician of all time.

The other five inductees were Billie Jean King, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Vesna Vulovic, Colonel Joe Kittinger and Vernon Craig.

Guinness Superlatives

The company that publishes the world's biggest selling book, The Guinness Book Of Records. To celebrate a new edition in 1979 they organised a special promotional reception at London's Les Ambassadeurs club, announcing that the event was to honour Paul. The date was Wednesday 24 October and Norris McWhirter, co-founder of the book, presented Paul with a rhodium-plated disc (at the time the metal was worth £345 an ounce). This unique metal is twice as valuable as platinum and makes a handsome award. It was announced that Paul had been honoured because he was 'The Most Successful Composer And Recording Artist Of All Time'. For the following three reasons: 1) he'd written 43 songs between 1962 and 1978 which had sold over a million copies; 2) he'd been awarded sixty gold Discs, forty-two with the Beatles, seventeen with Wings and one with Billy Preston; and 3) he'd sold more records worldwide than anyone else, his estimated record sales at that time being 100 million albums and 100 million singles.

At the presentation ceremony, McWhirter commented, 'Since, in the field of recorded music, gold and platinum discs are standard presentations by recording companies, we felt we should make a fittingly superlative presentation of the first ever rhodium disc with a special label listing Paul McCartney's three achievements.'

Guitars

Paul's first musical instrument was a trumpet, which he gave up in order to buy a guitar, saying, 'It (the trumpet) used to hurt my lip and I didn't fancy the thought of walking around like a beat-up boxer, so I decided to buy myself a guitar.'

The instrument he chose was a Zenith.

Paul recalled, 'I couldn't figure out what was wrong at first, until I realised the strings were all in the wrong place for me, being left-handed. This was the first time I was conscious of finding left-handed-ness any sort of handicap as far as everyday gadgets were concerned.'

He said, 'I started bashing away and pretty soon I had the basic chords well and truly learned. Then I got a bit more ambitious and bought a solid Rosetti. It only had two strings and, when I played it, it didn't produce a very melodic sound. But I kept the volume right down and it seemed OK to me.'

He was also to say, 'Before we went to play in Hamburg, I'd bought myself a Rosetti Solid Seven electric guitar from a store in Liverpool. It was a terrible guitar! It was really just a good-looking piece of wood. It had a nice paint job, but it was a disastrous, cheap guitar. It fell apart when I got to Hamburg, because of the sweat and the damp and continually getting knocked around, falling over and stuff. So, in Hamburg, with my guitar bust, I turned to piano.'

Paul was able to add more detail about the incident in a Beat Instrumental interview, saying, 'Actually, I had that old Rosetti a long time. I used it all through the early days - in the Cavern - and only changed it when we went to Hamburg for the first time.

'I didn't want to get rid of it, but I had to, because it got smashed when I dropped it one day. It wasn't a complete write-off, but I didn't think it was worth repairing so all of us - George, Stu, Pete and John (especially John) had a great time smashing it to bits by jumping up and down on it! ... I couldn't afford to buy a new guitar, so I became the Beatles' official piano player.'

When Stuart Sutcliffe left the group, Paul decided to take up the bass guitar. He said, 'I had a big problem, though. I'm left-handed and it was very difficult because it was the only left-handed bass available and I thought, I'd better have a spare.'

In 1958 he bought an Epiphone Casino. Paul stripped his Rickenbacker down to natural wood.

In the days when Stuart Sutcliffe was a member of the band Paul had a white Hoffner 200 guitar and from 1962 he also used a Sunburst Hoffner 500 bass guitar which he later used as a spare on live performances. From late 1963 up until the Beatles' final live performances he used a Sunburst Hoffner 550/1, often called a Hoffner violin bass or a Hoffner Beatle bass. He stopped using it around 1965, when the group began their studio recordings in earnest, and started using his Rickenbacker.

In 1974 he commented, 'The violin bass doesn't record well.' However he did use it during the Let It Be recordings. In 1965 he acquired a Sunburst Rickenbacker 400 stereo bass guitar in the States, which was a specially built left-hand model. He used it in the studios, but not on stage - until the formation of Wings. He also acquired another guitar in America during 1965, a Sunburst Epiphone E23OT semi-acoustic electric six-string, with a Bigsby tremolo. It was a right-hand model so Paul had to play it upside down. He was later to remove the scratch plate, because it was on the wrong side of the guitar for him, and occasionally used the guitar on live gigs with Wings. Also in 1965 he used a Martin D18 acoustic guitar, which he used on Beatles recordings and on the TV special 'The Music Of Lennon And McCartney' during his performance of 'Yesterday'. It was a right-hand model so he had to play it upside down with the strings reversed.

The Rickenbacker was used in 'Magical Mystery Tour', 'Our World' and the promotional film for 'Hello Goodbye', by which time the Fool had painted it in psychedelic colours.

During the recording of Sgt Pepper he used a right-hand Sunburst Fender Esquire.

On the solo McCartney album Paul played a left-handed Sunburst Fender Telecaster. He used an Epiphone El50 acoustic guitar on the Wild Life album and a black Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar on the 'James Paul McCartney' TV special - also using the guitar on stage performances. On the Ram recordings he used a left-handed green Gibson Firebird with Bigsby tremolo arm. He used a right-handed black Danalectro bass guitar on the Wings 1972 tour and a brown Fender Precision bass for the Venus And Mars album, once again a right-hand model with the strings reversed.

Discussing guitars in the June 1990 edition of Guitar magazine, Paul said that his favourite instrument was the acoustic guitar, if I couldn't have any other instrument, I would have to have an acoustic guitar,' he said. Praising guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen and Dave Gilmour, he said, 'I still like Hendrix the best.'

Gunston, Norman

An Australian comedian, real name Garry McDonald, who hosted his own show, The Norman Gunston Show on Channel 9.

He was one of 200 media people who attended a press conference for Wings in Perth on Sunday 2 November 1975.

When Wings first entered the room for the conference, they found Gunston asleep in a chair.

He then put a question to Linda: 'It must be difficult Mrs McCartney, being married all day, you know the two of you, and then at night having to perform together on stage.'

Linda answered, 'We're about to have a fight on stage one night.'

Gunston continued, 'Do you ever feel like sometimes saying, "Not tonight, thanks darling, I've got a headache?" They'd slow hand-clap you if you did.'

He continued, 'Would you coax one of your children to go into the "overnight sensation" world of the music industry?'

Paul answered, 'Well, if they wanted to, Norman, I'd let them.'

Gunston then said, 'I suppose anyway, if they didn't do too good they could always open up a sandwich shop using your name, you know, something like "Paul McCartney's Sons Takeaway Foods", except that fruit shop of yours didn't do too good in London did it?'

A puzzled Paul asked, 'The McCartney fruit shop?'

Then he seemed to realise and said, 'Apple! ... Oh, Apple!'

Gunston said, 'That didn't do too good.'

Paul countered, 'Give that man a drink.'

Gunston continued, 'Was that one of John's ideas.'

Paul said, 'It was, Norm, yes.'

Gunston then said, 'There are two sides to every story, but I've heard the other Beatles used to get a bit annoyed because Mrs McCartney used to invite them over for long, boring slide evenings all the time.' He paused while reporters laughed and continued, 'When you did that LP Abbey Road, was there any truth in the rumour that you were dead?'

Denny Laine answered, 'He's not really here.'

Gunston then turned to Linda, 'Did you have any Beatlemania, Mrs McCartney?'

Linda answered, 'Constantly.'

Gunston continued, 'Which was your favourite, before you was related?'

Linda replied, 'Er ... Mick Jagger!'

Gunston turned to the camera to say, 'I think she got him,' pointing to Paul, 'on the rebound.' Then he said, 'The marriage is OK?'

Paul answered, 'It's all right, but you're not helping it, Norm.'

Gunston then turned to Linda and said, 'It's funny, you know. You don't look Japanese.'

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