Paul's No. 1's in the US/UK as Writer or Performer 1963-2012
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After hearing that the new charity single "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is the UK Christmas no.1 for 2012 I thought, wow how many number one singles is that now Paul's been involved in? So because i'm such a geek I thought I would collate the statistics taken from different websites and make a list of Paul McCartney's number ones which he is involved in or credited to as either a writer or performer in the US and UK including no. 1's during his tenure in the bands The Beatles, Wings and as a solo artist. Edit: I'll admit I buggered up making this list before but i've only been able to get away from all the Christmas stuff now! Thank you for making corrections! The Beatles (1960?1970) 1. Love Me Do (released 1962, US # 1 for one week in 1964, mainly McCartney) 2. From Me To You (Uk # 1 for seven weeks, 1963, Co-Written) 3. She Loves You (US and UK # 1, Co-Written) 4. I Want To Hold Your Hand (US and UK # 1, 1963-1964, Co-Written) 5. A World Without Love (US and UK # 1, 1964, written for Peter and Gordon, McCartney) 6. Can't Buy Me Love (US and UK # 1, 1964, McCartney) 7. A Hard Day?s Night (US and UK # 1, 1964, Lennon) 8. Day Tripper (UK # 1 for five weeks, 1965-66, Co-Written) 9. Eight Days A Week (US # 1 for two weeks, 1965, Co-Written) 10. Ticket to Ride (US and UK # 1, 1965, Lennon) 11. Help! (US and UK # 1, 1965, Lennon) 12. Yesterday (US # 1 for four weeks, 1965, McCartney) 13. Day Tripper (UK # 1 for five weeks, 1965-66, Co-Written) 14. We Can Work It Out (US and UK # 1, 1965-66, mainly McCartney) 15. Paperback Writer (US and UK # 1, 1966, McCartney) 16. Yellow Submarine (UK # 1 for four weeks, 1966, McCartney, lead vocal by Ringo Starr) 17. Eleanor Rigby (UK # 1 for four weeks, 1966, McCartney) 18. Penny Lane (UK # 1 for four weeks, 1967, McCartney) 19. All You Need Is Love (US and UK # 1, 1967, Lennon) 20. Hello Goodbye (UK # 1 for seven weeks, 1967-68, McCartney) 21. Lady Madonna (UK # 1 for two weeks, 1968, McCartney) 22. Hey Jude (US and UK # 1, 1968, McCartney) 23. Get Back (US and UK # 1, 1968, McCartney) 24. The Ballad of John & Yoko (UK # 1 for three weeks, 1968, Lennon) 25. Something (US # 1 for one week, 1970, Harrison) 26. Come Together (US # 1, 1970, Lennon) 27. Let It Be (US # 1 for two weeks, 1970, McCartney) 28. The Long And Winding Road (US # 1 for two weeks, 1970, McCartney) All in all, Paul wrote 14 of the Beatles 27 # 1 hits in the US and UK, he also co-wrote 5 of them equally with John Lennon, the remaining Beatles songs he performed on (6 Lennon No 1?s, 1 Harrison) plus World Without Love which was the only no.1 Paul wrote for another artist. Onto the early solo and Wings years... Paul McCartney (1970-1971) 29. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (US # 1 for one week, 1971) Paul McCartney and Wings (1971?1981) 30. My Love (US # 1 for two weeks, 1973) 31. Band On The Run (US # 1 for one week, 1974) 32. Listen to What the Man Said (US # 1 for one week, 1975) 33. Silly Love Songs (US and UK # 1, 1976) 34. Mull of Kintyre (UK # 1 for nine weeks!, 1977-7 35. With a Little Luck (US # 1 for two weeks, 197
and now as a solo artist since then... Paul McCartney (1980-present) 36. Coming Up (US # 1 for three weeks, 1980) 37. Ebony and Ivory (US and UK # 1, 1982, with Stevie Wonder) 38. Say Say Say (US # 1 for six weeks, 1983-84, with Michael Jackson) 39. Pipes Of Peace (UK # 1 for two weeks, 1983-84) (Charity singles) 40. Do They Know It's Christmas? (UK # 1 for five weeks, 1984, as a member under the name, Band Aid) 41. Let It Be (UK # 1 for three weeks, 1987, as a member under the name, Ferry Aid) 42. Ferry Cross the Mersey (UK # 1 for three weeks, 1989, with The Christians, Holly Johnson, Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman) 43. Do They Know It's Christmas? (UK # 1, 2004, as a member under the name, Band Aid 20) 44. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (UK # 1 for one week so far, 2012, as a member under the name, The Justice Collective) and the UK Christmas no. 1's: 1. The Beatles- I Want To Hold Your Hand (Christmas no. 1, 1963) 2. The Beatles- I Feel Fine (Christmas no. 1, 1964) 3. The Beatles- Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out (Christmas no. 1, 1965) 4. The Beatles- Hello, Goodbye (Christmas no. 1, 1967) 5. Paul McCartney and Wings- Mull Of Kintyre (Christmas no. 1, 1977) 6. Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas? (Christmas no. 1, 1984) 7. Band Aid 20- Do They Know It's Christmas? (Christmas no. 1, 2004) 8. The Justice Collective (Christmas no. 1, 2012) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone! 
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there was also the ferry aid version of let it be.
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Come Together & Something both hit #1 in the States.
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darrel:
there was also the ferry aid version of let it be.
Forgot about that one! Added it to the list, thanks.
JoeySmith:
Come Together & Something both hit #1 in the States.
Those were John and George songs though.
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JoeySmith:
Come Together & Something both hit #1 in the States.
Those were John and George songs though. Not sure I understand your categorization then. i thought you listed #1 songs Paul performed on (in addition to writing). For example, Paul didnt write many of the Christmas #1's you listed.
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JoeySmith:
JoeySmith:
Come Together & Something both hit #1 in the States.
Those were John and George songs though.
Not sure I understand your categorization then. i thought you listed #1 songs Paul performed on (in addition to writing). For example, Paul didnt write many of the Christmas #1's you listed. And officially "Come Together" is credited to Lennon/McCartney, no matter how big Pauls real amount on writing that song was. Same goes with other mostly Lennon-written No.1-Beatles-songs. Something is only credited to George, but as mentioned, Paul performed on it. Otherwise you made a mistake, because you gave Ringo the lead vocals on "Eleanor Rigby" instead of "Yellow Submarine".
But enough of that: Thanks for the list, it's impressive. Great songs and many classics on it. Most of them deserve to be No.1, no real surprises for me because I'm familiar with Pauls catalog. Maybe "My Love" shouldn't have been a No.1, to pick one, too cheesy for me (many other would say that about "Ebony and Ivory", which I love and think deserve to be on the number one spot). Otherwise are many songs missing, Paul should've at least 20 more No.1-songs, so many brilliant songs are hidden on his albums. -
Yes, please correct your list to add Come Together and fix the Ringo Starr bit!
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If this new charity single qualifies, then "Come Together" and "Something" DEFINITELY qualify.
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MaccaBeatles is all tucked in his bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in his head! Maybe he will correct the list tomorrow.
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Nancy R:
MaccaBeatles is all tucked in his bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in his head! Maybe he will correct the list tomorrow.
I'm up now, and updated the list! Why did I have to fall asleep early and wake up at 2 am on Christmas day of all days is beyond me!
: Oh well better get back to bed!
