Many don’t realise just how much The Beatles were writing in their first few years together. The output that was expected of bands in the ‘60s was a great deal more than is expected today, to the extent that the first deal The Beatles signed had them making around two albums worth of material every year. This is a lot of music and a significant strain on creative output, but Paul McCartney made it look easy.
He wrote so much music that there were too many songs for The Beatles to use, meaning many were given away. This tradition continued throughout Paul McCartney’s life, even after The Beatles had split up. Still working on music for other artists to this day, a song by Paul McCartney has become a beautiful rarity that very few ever get to possess.
As such, it’s hardly a surprise that McCartney gifted Peggy Lee a song upon meeting her. ‘Let’s Love’ was released in 1974 by Lee on an album with the same name. The track is a majesty in and of itself, stripped back yet packing an atmosphere so thick you could spread it on toast. Lee’s voice is a triumph; every note is as sweet and as fragile as the silence it breaks.
McCartney wasn’t sure whether to give Lee the song at first. He was invited to dinner with her and wanted to give her a gift as a thank you. Two choices ran through his mind: a song that he believed she would be perfect on or an expensive bottle of champagne. Granted, there will be some people out there who would have preferred the drink, but Lee was incredibly grateful to McCartney for the track.
“I’d rather have a song anytime,” said Peggy Lee when talking about the decision McCartney was faced with. “I can always get some champagne, but it would be very difficult to get a Paul McCartney song – written especially for me.”
While the idea of a song as a gift remains a sweet sentiment, ‘Let’s Love’ is more than that. It stands as a testament to Paul McCartney’s songwriting ability, which has always been present and remains as such even after he split with the Beatles. He has a mastery over melody, rhythm, and lyrics that the music industry has continued to long for decades after he originally put pen to paper.
