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Paul McCartney and Beatles bandmate John Lennon had more in common than their love of early rock ‘n’ roll music. Both were young when their mothers died. When John’s mom died, he sought Paul’s advice and asked his friend a heart wrenching question about his experience. Years earlier, Paul’s mother spoke some heartbreaking words on her deathbed that seemed to predict his greatness.

Paul McCartney’s songs delivered incredible success with The Beatles and beyond

We all know Paul and John formed a dynamic duo in The Beatles. Their fruitful songwriting partnership lasted the better part of a decade and led the Fab Four to incredible success. Music that came later would look drastically different without some of the songs John and Paul wrote together.

Paul’s trend of writing hits continued after The Beatles as he had several solo songs reach No. 1. Macca also won several Grammy awards (with and without the Fab Four), received a knighthood, and earned spots in several musical halls of fame.

Paul’s mother, Mary McCartney, didn’t get to see it.

She died on Oct. 31, 1956, when her oldest son was 14. Paul’s mom said heart wrenching words about her sons on her deathbed that hinted at her disappointment in missing her oldest son’s grand achievements.

Paul’s mother had heartbreaking words that seemed to foreshadow his greatness

Doctors operated on Mary McCarntney’s breast cancer in 1956, but she died shortly after the surgery. Though a tragic loss for 14-year-old Paul, at least it wasn’t completely sudden. He and his brother, Mike, visited her hospital room before she died. When they left, she spoke 11 heartbreaking words to her sister, according to Paul McCartney: A Life author Peter Ames Carlin:

“I would have liked to have seen the boys growing up.”

Those few words hinted at Paul’s mother’s belief her sons were destined for greatness. Could she have known Paul would become one of the most beloved musicians ever? Probably not. Still, considering Paul had always been a bright student and attended one of Liverpool’s best schools, according to Carlin, it assured her that he had a great chance to ascend beyond the blue-collar life his parents lived. 

That said, Paul displayed an interest in music at a young age. It might not have been the Elvis Presley music The Beatles covered, but Carlin writes Paul derived great enjoyment at watching his father, Jim, play the piano.

Beyond what he would eventually do for a living, the devastating words said by Paul’s mother likely hinted at missing out on the other aspects of growing up: Making friends, discovering new interests, falling in love, and starting a family. Less than 13 years later, her eldest son married for the first time and had three children with his wife, Linda.

Paul’s mother said some devastating words about not seeing her sons mature. Yet her spirit and influence found their way into Paul’s music more than once.

Paul’s mom influenced several of his most famous songs

He made a somewhat crass, pragmatic, and regrettable comment after her death, but Paul’s mother was never far from his thoughts. Mary McCartney (the mother, not Paul’s daughter of the same name) was the muse behind several of his most notable songs.

Macca penned “I’ve Lost My Little Girl” shortly after his mom’s death in one of his first attempts at songwriting. 

The Beatles hit “Yesterday” (with lines such as “Yesterday / All my troubles seemed so far away” and “Why she had to go / I don’t know, she wouldn’t say”) seems to show Paul processing his mother’s death nearly a decade later. The repeated “Mother Mary comes to me” lyrics in “Let It Be” clearly indicate who Paul was thinking about when he wrote the song.

Paul McCartney’s mother said 11 heartbreaking words on her deathbed that indicated she knew her son would find greatness. Mary McCartney likely didn’t think he would be a world-famous musician, but Paul’s success certainly proved her right.

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