Sticking Out Of My Back Pocket – Long Tailed Winter Bird

Here’s a trivia challenge for you – how many songs has Paul sung about birds over the years?

Paul’s love of birds has been ever-present throughout his career, from _Chaos and Creation in the Backyard_’s ‘Jenny Wren’ to ‘Single Pigeon’ taken from Wings’ Red Rose Speedway, timeless classic ‘Blackbird’ from The White Album to McCartney III's 'Long Tail Winter Bird'. So, when Ella on Instagram asked about the symbolism behind birds in his songs, we knew this could make a perfect team up for two of our favourite regular website features - 'Sticking Out Of My Back Pocket' and 'You Gave Me The Answer’.

Ella on Instagram: There are a lot of references to birds in your songs – like 'Blackbird', 'Single Pigeon', 'Jenny Wren', 'Long Tailed Winter Bird' – that kind of thing. Is there any specific symbolism behind birds in your songs?

Paul: That really happens because from an early age I’ve actually loved birds. I grew up on a housing estate in Liverpool in very ordinary circumstances – but nearby where I lived there were woods and fields, so I used to get out there and always loved it when I saw birds, or their nests etc. I think one of the most memorable sights was seeing a skylark rising into the sky and singing its sweet song. So, the answer is I love birds but, in my songs, they sometimes turn into symbolic characters. There you go!

Inspired by this, we’ve made May’s edition of the ‘Sticking Out Of My Back Pocket’ Spotify playlist a collection of some of Paul’s incredible bird songs. Whether your singing, dancing or “tweeting” along, check out the playlist below!

P.S. We’ve even snuck in Egypt Station’s ‘Back In Brazil’, which opens with Paul’s recording of a bird chirping – can you guess what type of bird it is?