The 30 Best Paul McCartney Songs, from Maybe I'm Amazed to Band on the Run

What is Paul McCartney's most famous solo song?

"Maybe I'm Amazed" and "Band on the Run" are Paul McCartney's most famous songs after the Beatles. "Live and Let Die", the James Bond theme, is his biggest crowd-pleaser on stage, and "Silly Love Songs" was the biggest US hit of 1976.

Paul McCartney's biggest solo and Wings hits

1. "Maybe I'm Amazed", 1970: a passionate love song for Linda McCartney; the live version reached number ten in 1977.
2. "Band on the Run", 1974: a three-part song and a number one in the US.
3. "Live and Let Die", 1973: the explosive Bond theme, a number two hit.
4. "Silly Love Songs", 1976: a number one answer to critics who called his songs lightweight.
5. "Jet", 1974: a driving rocker from Band on the Run, a top ten hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
6. "My Love", 1973: a tender number one written for Linda.
7. "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", 1971: his first number one after the Beatles, from Ram.
8. "Let 'Em In", 1976: a gentle, marching number three hit.
9. "Listen to What the Man Said", 1975: a breezy number one from Venus and Mars.
10. "Coming Up", 1980: a quirky number one from McCartney II.

Paul McCartney songs of the early 70s

11. "Another Day", 1971: his first solo single, a top five hit.
12. "Every Night", 1970: a simple, heartfelt song from his first solo album.
13. "Too Many People", 1971: the opener of Ram.
14. "Heart of the Country", 1971: a gentle, rustic Ram favorite.
15. "Hi, Hi, Hi", 1972: a rocking Wings single that reached the top ten.
16. "Helen Wheels", 1973: a road song named after the band's Land Rover.
17. "Junior's Farm", 1974: a hard-rocking Wings single.

Wings songs of the late 70s

18. "Venus and Mars/Rock Show", 1975: the opening medley of Venus and Mars.
19. "Mull of Kintyre", 1977: a bagpipe ballad that became the first UK single to sell two million copies.
20. "With a Little Luck", 1978: a soft, hopeful number one from London Town.
21. "Goodnight Tonight", 1979: a disco-flavored top five hit.
22. "Wonderful Christmastime", 1979: his much-played holiday song.

Paul McCartney songs of the 80s and later

23. "Ebony and Ivory", 1982: a number one duet with Stevie Wonder about racial harmony.
24. "Say Say Say", 1983: a number one duet with Michael Jackson.
25. "The Girl Is Mine", 1982: Michael Jackson's duet with McCartney from Thriller.
26. "Here Today", 1982: his moving tribute to John Lennon.
27. "No More Lonely Nights", 1984: a number six ballad with a guitar solo by David Gilmour.
28. "My Brave Face", 1989: a Beatles-flavored song co-written with Elvis Costello.
29. "Calico Skies", 1997: a lovely acoustic song from Flaming Pie.
30. "FourFiveSeconds", 2015: a number four hit with Rihanna and Kanye West.

Paul McCartney after the Beatles

Paul McCartney was born in Liverpool on June 18, 1942, and co-wrote most of the Beatles' songs with John Lennon. When the band broke up in 1970 he released his first solo album, McCartney, recorded almost entirely by himself at home, and in 1971 he formed Wings with his wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine. Wings became one of the biggest bands of the 70s, and McCartney has kept recording and touring ever since. He was knighted in 1997 and is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a Beatle and as a solo artist.

Ram and the early solo years

McCartney's first two solo records were homemade and personal. McCartney (1970) was recorded mostly by Paul alone, and Ram (1971), credited to Paul and Linda McCartney, was full of whimsical, melodic songs like "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", "Heart of the Country" and "Too Many People". Critics dismissed Ram at the time, but it has since been reappraised as one of the best albums of his career and a forerunner of homemade indie pop.

The story behind Band on the Run

In 1973 McCartney took a stripped-down Wings to Lagos, Nigeria, to record. Two members had quit just before the trip, the studio was poorly equipped, and Paul and Linda were robbed at knifepoint and lost their demo tapes. Despite all that, Band on the Run became Wings' masterpiece, a number one album in the US and the UK, with "Jet", "Band on the Run" and "Let Me Roll It". Its cover shows the band caught in a prison searchlight alongside celebrity friends, including actors Christopher Lee and James Coburn.

The story behind Maybe I'm Amazed

McCartney wrote "Maybe I'm Amazed" during the painful final days of the Beatles, about how Linda helped him through. It appeared on his first solo album in 1970 but was not released as a single then. The 1977 live version from Wings over America reached number ten, and many fans consider it the best song he wrote after the Beatles.

The story behind Live and Let Die

"Live and Let Die" was written by Paul and Linda McCartney for the 1973 James Bond film and produced by George Martin, the Beatles' producer. Its sudden shifts from a gentle piano ballad to an explosive orchestral rocker made it one of the most dramatic Bond themes, and it was nominated for an Academy Award. On tour, it comes with fireworks and flames, and Guns N' Roses later had a hit with their own cover.

McCartney on stage today

Paul McCartney still tours the world, playing shows that run close to three hours and mix Beatles classics with Wings and solo hits. In 2020 he recorded McCartney III during lockdown, playing nearly every instrument himself, and in 2022, at the age of 80, he headlined the Glastonbury Festival with guests Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen. "Live and Let Die", "Band on the Run" and "Maybe I'm Amazed" remain highlights of every show.

Paul McCartney songs for a wedding

"Maybe I'm Amazed" and "My Love" are classic first dances, "Calico Skies" is a sweet acoustic option for a ceremony, and "Silly Love Songs" and "Coming Up" bring everyone to the dance floor. For more, see our old love songs and rock wedding songs.

Paul McCartney songs for Christmas, a road trip or a memorial

"Wonderful Christmastime" is a holiday staple; see our best Christmas songs for more. For a drive, "Band on the Run", "Jet", "Helen Wheels" and "Junior's Farm" are perfect, and "Venus and Mars/Rock Show" gets the whole car singing. For a memorial, "Here Today" is a moving tribute to someone you wish you had said more to while you still could.

More classic rock

If you love McCartney, explore our George Harrison songs, Paul Simon songs and 70s disco songs.

A love song as personal as Maybe I'm Amazed

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