Maybe I'm Amazed
Encyclopedia
"Maybe I'm Amazed" is a song
written by Paul McCartney
that was first released on his McCartney
album on 17 April 1970. The studio version from the album has never been released as a single. McCartney dedicated the song to his wife, Linda
, who had helped him get through the break-up of The Beatles. Later, McCartney's band Wings
released a single of a live performance of the song from the band's 1976 tour of America, which became a top-ten hit in the United States and reached number 26 in the United Kingdom.
with helping him get through the difficult time.
Although most of his debut solo album was recorded at his farm in Scotland, McCartney recorded "Maybe I'm Amazed" entirely in EMI
's Number Two studio in Abbey Road in London, where he was mixing the rest of the tracks. He played all the instruments: guitars, piano, organ and drums.
Although Paul declined to release the song as a single in 1970, it nonetheless received a great deal of radio airplay worldwide, making it one of his most recognisable solo successes. A promotional film
was made, comprising still photographs of McCartney, his wife Linda and stepdaughter Heather
.
The original studio version of the song ended with a fade instead of a full ending, but McCartney later composed an ending that can be heard on the live versions of the song. A live recording from the 1976 album Wings over America
was released as a single by McCartney's band Wings
on 4 February 1977 and reached number 10 in the US on the Billboard
pop charts. Versions of the song can be heard on several other live McCartney albums including Back in the U.S.
and Back in the World
. "Maybe I'm Amazed" has become a centrepiece of McCartney's concerts, along with "Band on the Run
" and "Live and Let Die
" Live versions of the song are available on the 2011 reissue of McCartney
.
Regarded as one of McCartney's finest love songs , it achieved the number 338 position in the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list compiled by Rolling Stone
magazine in November 2004, and is the only solo McCartney song to make the list. In a late 2009 Q&A with journalists held in London to promote his live album Good Evening New York City
, McCartney said "Maybe I'm Amazed" was "the song he would like to be remembered for in the future".
& Rod Stewart
led Faces
featured this song on their 1971 album Long Player
. Carleen Anderson
released a version as a single in 1998 and was released on her album Blessed Burden. The Welsh singer Jem
did a cover of this song which was included in Music from the OC: Mix 2 soundtrack in 2004. Marc Cohn
covered this song on his 2010 album Listening Booth: 1970. Black Oak Arkansas covered this song at a 1976 concert on the album 'King Biscuit Flower Hour 1976'.
Dave Grohl
and Norah Jones
together performed a version of the song during the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors
ceremonies as a tribute to 2010 honoree Paul McCartney
who was seated in the President's Box alongside First Lady Michelle Obama
and fellow 2010 honoree Oprah Winfrey
.
On the tenth season of American Idol
, contestant James Durbin
sang this song as a part of the Top 13 week's theme "Your Personal Idol". He stated that McCartney was his idol.
On the 27 May 2011 the official Paul McCartney YouTube
channel held a "Maybe I'm Amazed Cover Competition" where users would submit video responses of themselves covering the song, the winner being the user whose video gained the most 'likes'. On 28 June 2011, YouTube user "Troubleclef" was named winner of the contest.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written by Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
that was first released on his McCartney
McCartney (album)
McCartney is the debut solo album by Paul McCartney. Apart from Linda McCartney's vocal contributions, McCartney performed the entire album solo...
album on 17 April 1970. The studio version from the album has never been released as a single. McCartney dedicated the song to his wife, Linda
Linda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
, who had helped him get through the break-up of The Beatles. Later, McCartney's band Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
released a single of a live performance of the song from the band's 1976 tour of America, which became a top-ten hit in the United States and reached number 26 in the United Kingdom.
History
McCartney wrote the song in 1969, just before The Beatles' break-up. He credited his wife LindaLinda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
with helping him get through the difficult time.
Although most of his debut solo album was recorded at his farm in Scotland, McCartney recorded "Maybe I'm Amazed" entirely in EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
's Number Two studio in Abbey Road in London, where he was mixing the rest of the tracks. He played all the instruments: guitars, piano, organ and drums.
Although Paul declined to release the song as a single in 1970, it nonetheless received a great deal of radio airplay worldwide, making it one of his most recognisable solo successes. A promotional film
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was made, comprising still photographs of McCartney, his wife Linda and stepdaughter Heather
Heather McCartney
Heather Louise McCartney was born in Tucson, Arizona to Linda McCartney and Joseph Melville See Jr., an American geologist. She is the adopted daughter of Paul McCartney.-Biography:...
.
The original studio version of the song ended with a fade instead of a full ending, but McCartney later composed an ending that can be heard on the live versions of the song. A live recording from the 1976 album Wings over America
Wings over America
Wings over America is the sixth album by Wings and their only live album. In its initial release, it was a triple album and included a poster of the band.-Recording history:...
was released as a single by McCartney's band Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
on 4 February 1977 and reached number 10 in the US on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
pop charts. Versions of the song can be heard on several other live McCartney albums including Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S. is a double live album by Paul McCartney composed of highlights from his spring 2002 Driving USA Tour in the US in support of McCartney's 2001 release Driving Rain...
and Back in the World
Back in the World
Back in the World is a live album by Paul McCartney composed of highlights from his spring 2002 "Driving USA" tour in the United States in support of McCartney's 2001 release Driving Rain...
. "Maybe I'm Amazed" has become a centrepiece of McCartney's concerts, along with "Band on the Run
Band on the Run (song)
"Band on the Run" is the title song from Paul McCartney & Wings' acclaimed Band on the Run album. The single sold one million copies in 1974 in the United States, where it reached number 1, and it went to number 3 in the United Kingdom...
" and "Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die (song)
"Live and Let Die" is the main theme song of the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die and was performed by Paul McCartney & Wings for the movie soundtrack and appears on the soundtrack album. The song was one of Wings' most successful singles, and the most successful Bond theme to that point...
" Live versions of the song are available on the 2011 reissue of McCartney
McCartney (album)
McCartney is the debut solo album by Paul McCartney. Apart from Linda McCartney's vocal contributions, McCartney performed the entire album solo...
.
Regarded as one of McCartney's finest love songs , it achieved the number 338 position in the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list compiled by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine in November 2004, and is the only solo McCartney song to make the list. In a late 2009 Q&A with journalists held in London to promote his live album Good Evening New York City
Good Evening New York City
Good Evening New York City is a CD/DVD double live album by Paul McCartney consisting of material performed over three nights as the inaugural concert at New York City's Citi Field, 17, 18 and 21 July 2009, part of his Summer Live '09 concert tour. Over 180,000 tickets were sold within hours of the...
, McCartney said "Maybe I'm Amazed" was "the song he would like to be remembered for in the future".
Covers
The Ronnie LaneRonnie Lane
Ronald Frederick "Ronnie" Lane was an English musician, songwriter, and producer who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of two prominent English rock and roll bands; the Small Faces where he was nicknamed "Plonk", – and, after losing the band's frontman, Faces, with two new...
& Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
led Faces
Faces (band)
Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of the Small Faces after Steve Marriott left that group to form Humble Pie...
featured this song on their 1971 album Long Player
Long Player (album)
Long Player, from 1971, was the second album by the British rock group Faces. Among the highlights are the live cover of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed", the rave-up "Had Me a Real Good Time" and the opening "Bad 'n' Ruin"....
. Carleen Anderson
Carleen Anderson
Carleen Anderson is an American soul singer, who has had success in the United Kingdom. She is the daughter of the singer Vicki Anderson and stepdaughter of Bobby Byrd, and is most well known as the lead singer in the Young Disciples as well as for her own solo career.-Early career:Anderson was...
released a version as a single in 1998 and was released on her album Blessed Burden. The Welsh singer Jem
Jem (singer)
Jemma Griffiths , better known as Jem, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Finally Woken, includes elements of rock, new wave-styled electronica and trip-hop...
did a cover of this song which was included in Music from the OC: Mix 2 soundtrack in 2004. Marc Cohn
Marc Cohn
Marc Craig Cohn is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and musician.- Personal life :Cohn was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Beachwood High School in Beachwood, a Cleveland suburb. He then attended Oberlin College....
covered this song on his 2010 album Listening Booth: 1970. Black Oak Arkansas covered this song at a 1976 concert on the album 'King Biscuit Flower Hour 1976'.
Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
and Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
together performed a version of the song during the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors
Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The Honors have been presented annually since 1978 in Washington, D.C., during gala weekend-long events which culminate in a performance for—and...
ceremonies as a tribute to 2010 honoree Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
who was seated in the President's Box alongside First Lady Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
and fellow 2010 honoree Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
.
On the tenth season of American Idol
American Idol (season 10)
The tenth season of American Idol premiered on January 19, 2011 and concluded on May 25, 2011, on Fox. The show underwent a number of changes from season nine, including the reduction of the judging panel to its original number of just three judges , a returning executive producer, a new music...
, contestant James Durbin
James Durbin (singer)
James Durbin is an American rock singer and guitar player from Santa Cruz, California, who finished in fourth place on the tenth season of American Idol.-Early life:...
sang this song as a part of the Top 13 week's theme "Your Personal Idol". He stated that McCartney was his idol.
On the 27 May 2011 the official Paul McCartney YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel held a "Maybe I'm Amazed Cover Competition" where users would submit video responses of themselves covering the song, the winner being the user whose video gained the most 'likes'. On 28 June 2011, YouTube user "Troubleclef" was named winner of the contest.