Why Paul McCartney Is Smiling on the Back of the Album ‘McCartney’
Paul McCartney looks very happy on the back cover of his debut solo album, McCartney. Paul once discussed why he was so smiley in that particular photo. His smile had something to do with a famous lawsuit wherein he sued the other members of The Beatles. Interestingly, the album gave fans one of Paul’s most famous love ballads.
Paul McCartney said that his big smile on the back of the album ‘McCartney’ was genuine
According to NBC News, Paul sued The Beatles in 1970. He disputed The Beatles’ contract, which gave manager Allen Klein control over the band’s finances. Paul was told that suing the band was his only choice, as Klein himself was not the relevant party. Paul was all right with suing John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr in the process because he felt it was better for all of them in the end. In Paul’s recollection, he was the one member of the Fab Four who wasn’t enamored with Klein at that time.
During a 2020 interview with Uncut, Paul was asked if he was truly happy on the cover of his album McCartney. “I was really happy, yeah,” he responded. “The Beatles had become such a business machine, and with the arrival of Allen Klein, the whole thing, every day, was very unpleasant. It became a drag.
“You were fighting for your existence, for your livelihood,” he added. “We had all done well. We’d all sold millions of records. We were looking forward to enjoying this in our future. Suddenly, it was under threat. I had to go and fight it, unwillingly.”
Paul McCartney discussed what 2 of The Beatles’ wives said about the lawsuit
Paul discussed the reception to his lawsuit. “It was a very unpopular move, stopping this guy,” he said. “But we did stop him and many, many years later, they all acknowledged that. You’ll get Yoko [Ono] and Olivia [Harrison] now saying, ‘Wow, good job you did that, Paul.’ Because they could see what the value of it is.
“Beatles going to iTunes wouldn’t have happened,” he said. “It would have been Allen Klein going to iTunes. But, yeah, immediately after that, one of the things we decided to do was get the hell out.”
How the album performed on the charts and impacted the former Beatle’s career
The album McCartney reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for three weeks, staying on the chart for 50 weeks. The record spawned two sequels: McCartney II and McCartney III. The most famous tune from that album is “Maybe I’m Amazed.” A version of that ballad reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 13 weeks. It remains one of Paul’s most beloved solo tunes.
According to The Official Charts Company, McCartney climbed to No. 2 in the United Kingdom, remaining on the chart for 33 weeks. Meanwhile, “Maybe I’m Amazed” never charted in the U.K.
McCartney was a huge hit and it came from a wonderful time in Paul’s life.
