Paul McCartney Said 1 of the ‘Strangest’ Rumors About Him is True

After decades in the public eye, Paul McCartney has likely encountered a number of eye-raising rumors about himself and the rest of The Beatles. One of the biggest rumors about him centers around claims that the real McCartney died in the 1960s, but there have also been other, more minor rumors about him. He said that while he often comes across mistruths about him, one prevalent rumor is strangely accurate.  

Paul McCartney said he rarely consumes media about himself in case he sees an untrue rumor

Over the years, multiple books about The Beatles and the band’s individual members have been published. McCartney said he rarely reads these because there is nearly always a mistake that takes him out of it. He said that movies about the band are often the same. 

“I’ve seen a lot of them, and often the reality has been left somewhere else,” he told Reader’s Digest in 2021. “I will often give a pass to the actor because they are doing their best interpretation of you, but it always feels a bit strange, as it would do for anyone watching themselves.”

Paul McCartney confirmed that one of the strangest rumors about him is true

While the Paul is Dead rumor — which claims McCartney died in a car accident and was replaced by a double — is likely the most outrageous and well-known of the rumors about him, there are many others. When asked about some of the strangest rumors about himself, McCartney admitted that one of these stories is true. 

“I can’t read music,” he said. “It’s the strangest thing. When I took lessons as a kid, it seemed a bit too much like homework to me. It wasn’t until later I started to enjoy it, then I tried to play catch-up, but I just couldn’t get my head around reading music and being so regimented in what to play and how to express it.”

He felt that actually reading and writing music would negatively affect his creativity. While he joked that he should probably learn, not knowing hasn’t negatively impacted his career.

“It seemed to go against something in my core — I wanted the freedom and the creativity,” he explained. “I didn’t want to toe the line, and I don’t think there are many musicians that do really. I do think it’s about time I learned, but I guess I’ve done OK without it!”

He wasn’t the only one in The Beatles who couldn’t read music

McCartney isn’t the only Beatle who didn’t know how to read music. John Lennon explained that none of them could. While they were dedicated to their craft, none of them had been extensively trained as musicians. 

“I think Paul and Ringo stand up with any of the rock musicians,” he told Playboy in 1980. “Not technically great — none of us are technical musicians. None of us could read music. None of us can write it. But as pure musicians, as inspired humans to make the noise, they are as good as anybody.”