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TL;DR:

  • Elvis Costello said one of The Beatles’ songs encapsulates the best of Paul McCartney.
  • He discussed seeing Paul perform the song live.
  • The track in question appeared on one of the Fab Four’s most famous albums.
The Beatles' Paul McCartney in a chair
The Beatles’ Paul McCartney | Fiona Adams/Redferns

Elvis Costello said one of The Beatles‘ songs encapsulates everything great about Paul McCartney. Subsequently, he noted the song is not a rock ‘n’ roll song. Notably, the track appeared on one of The Beatles’ most famous albums.

Elvis Costello says Paul McCartney sings ‘like a fantastic movie actor’ on 1 of The Beatles’ songs

In a 2022 article from Stereogum, 80 artists named their favorite composition by Paul in honor of the singer’s 80th birthday. Some chose Beatles songs, some chose Wings songs, and others chose songs from Paul’s solo career.

Costello said his favorite composition by Paul was “For No One” from The Beatles’ Revolver. “‘For No One’ is everything that’s great about Paul McCartney in one song — except for the fact that it isn’t a rock ‘n’ roll song, which he can do great,” he said. “But it’s a really beautiful melody.”

Costello discussed Paul’s vocal performance. “He’s like a fantastic movie actor who doesn’t do anything,” he opined. “He doesn’t over-dramatize. The way he sings, so the slightest hint of emotion in the timbre of his voice — I know this is going to sound weird, but I hear it sounding like records from the ’20s and ’30s almost. There’s no vibrato. There’s some timbre, and I suppose the word people would use is ‘wistful.'”

What Elvis Costello thought when he saw Paul McCartney play the song live

Costello recalled watching Paul play “For No One” ad other songs live. “To hear him play those with a string quartet, which he hasn’t often done, and to have the French horn player — I heard that guy practice all day to do that,” he said.

“That’s a top classical soloist,” he added. “It’s so difficult. He played it really beautifully. It’s about as perfect a record as you could make.”

Related

The Beatles: John Lennon Said Paul McCartney and George Harrison Overshadowed Him on This Song

How The Beatles’ ‘For No One’ and ‘Revolver’ performed on the charts in the United States and the United Kingdom

“For No One” did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 because it wasn’t a single. The tune appeared on the album Revolver. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for six weeks, staying on the chart for 85 weeks altogether.

“For No One” was not a single in the United Kingdom so The Official Charts Company reports it did not chart there. Meanwhile, Revolver reached No. 1 for seven of its 34 weeks on the U.K. chart.

“For No One” wasn’t a hit but Costello says it represents Paul at his best.

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