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Paul McCartney said he’s made up several songs for his kids that he’s never released. He loved coming up with the tunes, and it made his children’s childhoods special. That’s a perk of having a musician as a father.

Paul McCartney with his kids, Heather, Stella, and Mary in London, 1973.
Paul McCartney with his kids | Ronald Dumont/Getty Images

Paul McCartney used to write songs while his kids played

In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul wrote that after the break up of The Beatles, he would often sit around a lot. Most times, Paul sat in the kitchen and wrote songs while his kids played or did their homework.

One day, while watching the kids, he came across the chords for his song “Great Day,” which made him feel optimistic about his post-Beatles days.

Eventually, Paul started writing songs while his wife Linda was working. He liked having one finished by the time she was done so he could surprise her. It was like a little gift that said, “Guess what I was doing!”

Paul made up several songs for his kids

In between writing tunes for albums etc., Paul made up several fun little songs for his kids.

“You’re just not sitting there always trying to be too meaningful,” Paul wrote. “I used to do these little songs just to amuse the kids. But the truth is I still write for kids. Maybe it means I’ve never fully grown up, but I’ve got one that’s called ‘The Bouncy Song,’ and one, I confess, called ‘Running Around the Room,’ which is another family classic.”

There’s another song that goes, “Fishes, fishes, fishes swimming in the sea.’ He added, “There are quite a few of them from when the kids were growing up – songs I didn’t release.”

Paul has written many songs for his kids and family’s pleasure.

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The former Beatle recorded a secret Christmas album for his family only

Paul didn’t just write little songs for his kids; he recorded an entire Christmas album for them and his family that only they can listen to.

In 2019, People reported that the Christmas album is full of original songs. Paul recorded the album because he wanted to hear new Christmas songs. He was sick of the Christmas songs on the radio.

As one of the best songwriters in the world, it wasn’t hard for Paul to whip up an entire album of festive holiday tunes just like it wasn’t hard coming up with “The Bouncy Song.”

“It just gets brought out each year,” Paul told BBC Radio 4’s World at One. “Years ago, I thought, there’s not very good Christmas records. There’s a Phil Spector record I like. But I thought I’d quite like to do something traditional and simple and easy with all the ‘Good King Wenceslas’ and all of that. So, I actually went into my studio over a couple of years and I made one. But it’s just for the family.”

“I just have a little demo of it but you know the kids like it. Now, it’s kind of traditional. It’s something they’ve heard through the years, you know. Now it’s the grandkids getting indoctrinated with my carols record. It’s fun. We have a few little things like that. Then there’s the booze — and it’s all very jolly.”

Paul’s kids are very lucky. They get their very own Paul McCartney tunes.