The Paul McCartney Song He Hates Because the Lyrics Are ‘F***ing Awful’
Paul McCartney has written hundreds of songs throughout his career, but not every single one is a hit. There are a few that McCartney regrets writing or wishes he could have made better. He hates one song he wrote for his second band, Wings, and said the ‘lyrics are f***ing awful.’
Paul McCartney’s first album with Wings didn’t receive great reviews
1971’s Wild Life was the debut album for Wings, the band Paul McCartney formed shortly after leaving The Beatles. While many were ecstatic to hear a new record with McCartney leading a band, it wasn’t what many fans or critics expected. Reviews for the first album were mixed, with many unsure what to make of McCartney’s new sound.
In an interview for his website. McCartney believed the bad reviews stemmed from people expecting something that sounded more like The Beatles. However, McCartney was determined that Wings would sound different than his old group.
“We didn’t get good reviews for this because I think people were expecting something more sort of Beatle-like, and I was purposefully digging my heels in saying, ‘We’re not gonna do that,” McCartney said.
McCartney says ‘Bip Bop’ has ‘f***ing awful’ lyrics
One song that may have contributed to Wild Life‘s poor reviews is “Bip Bop.” This often-forgotten Wings song is one that Paul McCartney detests and often calls one of his weaker tracks. In an interview with Q Magazine, the “Let it Be” singer was asked to choose the worst song he ever wrote, and he selected “Bip Bop”, saying the lyrics are “f***ing awful.” However, he also acknowledges that it’s a track some are fans of, even if he isn’t.
“The lyrics are f***ing awful,” he stated. “‘Bip bop, bip bip bop, Bip bop, bip bip band, Dig your bottom dollar, put it in your hand…’ But[producer] Trevor Horn told me, ‘That’s one of my favorites. I can’t hate it that much, can I? There must have been a reason I liked it in the first place.”
Wild Life has a few memorable songs, such as “Dear Friend” and “Tomorrow”, but “Bip Bop” is one that would be considered a McCartney deep cut.
Is ‘Bip Bop’ Paul McCartney’s worst song?
Music is incredibly subjective. Even if Paul McCartney believes “Bip Bop” is his worst song, that doesn’t mean his fans share the same opinion. “Wonderful Christmastime” is always played during the holiday season, but it also often appears on lists of the worst Christmas songs or worst McCartney songs. Other tracks that have received criticism are “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Ebony and Ivory”.
However, “Bip Bop” could be a worthy contender. It’s not a song with powerful lyrics or memorable instrumentals. The vocal performance is flat, and there isn’t much to hold the listener’s interest for its four-minute duration. The “Bip bop” parts are catchy, but in an annoyingly catchy way, like “Baby Shark” or “Gangnam Style”. It isn’t a terrible song, but it’s not a highlight in McCartney’s lengthy discography.
