Just last month, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Dolly Parton’s cover of The Beatles’ classic “Let It Be” reached several Billboard charts shortly after it was released as the most recent single from Parton’s forthcoming album Rockstar. The appearance of McCartney and Starr together on a new song was extremely exciting for longtime fans of the artists and the band that made them stars.
While it was historic in some ways, it wasn’t the first time that those two surviving members of The Beatles came together to create chart-winning music since the band’s breakup in 1970. One of the only other times that this coming together took place was via their collaboration on George Harrison’s “All Those Years Ago.”
Released in May 1981 as a single from Harrison’s album Somewhere in England, “All Those Years Ago” held a profound significance, not just for Harrison, but for the entire music industry. It was released following Lennon’s murder in December 1980, and it served as a timely way to honor the slain rocker. The music for the track had already been completed before his death, but the lyrics were crafted just for the late star, and the other former Beatles joined in on the heartfelt tribute.
While “All Those Years Ago” was primarily Harrison’s song, McCartney’s contribution included adding backing vocals. The former Beatle, alongside his Wings bandmates Linda McCartney and Denny Laine, added their voices to the track, while Starr played drums on the tune.
What made “All Those Years Ago” particularly remarkable at the time was that it marked the first time since in years that Harrison, McCartney and Starr all appeared on the same recording. Before that, the four musicians were largely busy with their own solo affairs following the split of The Beatles in 1970.
“All Those Years Ago” peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart, coming tantalizingly close to the coveted No. 1 spot, which it narrowly missed for several weeks.
The lyrics of “All Those Years Ago” conveyed a potent message of love, loss, and reflection, which was exactly what so many millions of people around the world wanted to hear from the band members at that time. It was a cathartic expression of grief, love, and gratitude, resonating not only with the Beatles themselves but also with their legions of fans mourning Lennon’s tragic passing.
Beyond its emotional resonance, “All Those Years Ago” made a significant impact on the Billboard charts. The single reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart, and was held back from hitting the top spot for several frames before it began to descend.
Fast-forward to the present, and just a few weeks ago, McCartney, Starr and Parton’s rendition of “Let It Be” graced the Billboard charts as well. Their cover quickly found success on the Digital Song Sales, Country Digital Song Sales chart and the Rock Digital Song Sales charts.
The new collaboration, like “All Those Years Ago,” shows that no matter the year, no matter who is fronting the track and no matter the genre, when McCartney and Starr get together as soloists, there is intense interest in what they create.
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