Paul McCartney is one of the most well-regarded musicians, but what does the music legend listen to separate from his own music? He has revealed his favourite song, and it’s one that many will be familiar with – but it’s not one of the Beatles’ hit tunes. The 1930s hit Cheek To Cheek, sung by Fred Astaire, actually inspired one of the Beatles’ songs, and it’s a tune that McCartney said he is a big fan of.
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 added: “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.”
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.”