Sir Paul McCartney has revealed his favourite song and it’s one that many will be familiar with – but not one from The Beatles.
The song is a well known tune from the 1930s sung by Fred Astaire.
In an interview, McCartney said: “One of my favourite songs because of its structure is Cheek To Cheek.”
Penned by American songwriter Irving Berlin, the peppy melody has maintained its reputation over the years.
McCartney said on the podcast McCartney: A Life In Lyrics how the tune inspired the hit song Here, There and Everywhere.
He said: “I liked it very much before it starts off, ‘Heaven, I’m in heaven… then the middle eight, ‘Will carry me through to… heaven…’ It’s just like, yes!
“The way it just resolves up its own tail I always found wonderful. And I think somebody said I do it in this.”
During the 1960s, McCartney evolved rapidly as a songwriter – he was just 24-years-old when Revolver was released.
Talking about Here, There and Everywhere, McCartney adds: “I like the fact that we think that we’re on a path on the Moors, and we think we’re going for a walk and then suddenly we’ve arrived where we’ve started.
“It’s not like we’ve gone around in a circle, it’s more magical than that – we’ve come to another beginning of the path.”
He then went further into the meaning of the song, loved by music fans across the globe.
He said: “It’s this trick where you’re suddenly where you were but it’s surprising – you’re where you were, but you’re not.
“Because you can see back where you came from and you’re definitely not there. You’re at a new place, but it’s tricked you and it’s got the same scenery again.”
The influence of Cheek to Cheek is clearly seen in the song and while much of the Beatles’ music evolved into pop music over the years, it also has clear references to past times.
But it wasn’t only McCartney who held a key role in writing the song – John Lennon also contributed to the hit.
John Lennon reportedly told McCartney it was the “best tune on the album” and said in his 1980 Playboy interview it was “one of my favourite songs of the Beatles.”
McCartney’s favourite song of all time is reportedly James Taylor’s Mean Old Man which is featured on the 2002 album, October Road.
