Paul McCartney shares how 154 of his most important songs began in his new book, The Lyrics. It offers incredible insight into his creative process and helps people understand how these songs came to be. What is fascinating is the prospect that ingenuity, for McCartney and for the human race in general, isn’t terribly mysterious or magical. It comes about as a result of the different influences in an individual’s life.
The Origin of “Eleanor Rigby”
“Eleanor Rigby” is widely considered one of the greatest songs of the Beatles. This song was written in 1966, and some have said that it came to him all at once randomly. McCartney says that the song came to him through different memories. It includes the cold cream that used to sit on his mother’s bedside table, odd jobs he did for an old lady seeing the name “Rigby” on a tombstone, and replacing names. The end result was different because it was more melancholy than the standard songs by the Beatles.
The Creative Process Is the Result of Cause and Effect
People often think that the creative process comes about by design. However, it is possible that it is the result of cause and effect. Sometimes, circumstances cause change, and the effect is a new thought or method. For example, the butterfly stroke in swimming was not created because somebody decided it would be a great new stroke—a coach who was trying to get his team to swim faster happened to notice one using a different style kick to gain speed. They experimented with the new kick to increase speed. The new stroke was the result of an effort to increase speed.
The Creative Process Is Unique for Everyone
Although one can gain insights into McCartney’s creative process through his book, what works for him may not work for you. Some musicians consider the message they want to convey and find what they need, while the melody inspires others. No matter what process they use, it requires effort. There are many details that go into composing a song, and the creative part is one piece of the equation.