WATCH Paul McCartney Turns 80! SA Radio Presenter Describes the Unforgettable Concert
On the eve of his 80th birthday this weekend, music legend Paul McCartney played in his Got Back tour show at MetLife stadium in New Jersey, USA. South African radio presenter (from LM Radio), Gavin Koppel was there for the historic occasion… Gavin (aka The Funky Monkey) says: “I had the great privilege of being […]
On the eve of his 80th birthday this weekend, music legend Paul McCartney played in his Got Back tour show at MetLife stadium in New Jersey, USA. South African radio presenter (from LM Radio), Gavin Koppel was there for the historic occasion…
Gavin (aka The Funky Monkey) says: “I had the great privilege of being at The Met Life Stadium in New Jersey last night to watch Paul McCartney conclude his USA tour entitled ‘I GOT BACK’.”
It was 39 songs for three-hours straight. See the full song list at the bottom of the page.
“(There was) so much love from the audience for Paul,” says Gavin. “The audience sang Happy Birthday to Paul twice… once just spontaneously towards the beginning, and then later Bon Jovi came out to sing to him. The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) joined him on stage which was just the cherry on the cake.
“I was just one of 60,000 at the sold-out concert. I will never forget it. It was a trip!”
WATCH Jon Bon Jovi and crowd sing Happy Birthday to Paul McCartney for his 80th
Gavin – who is also Chairman and Trustee at SHOUT – will be returning to South Africa this week after exploring broadcast radio trends in the US.
Meanwhile the former Beatle, McCartney, is heading home to the UK to play at Glastonbury on 25 June, where he’ll make history as the music festival’s oldest ever headliner. (Paul turned 80 yesterday, Saturday 18 June).
Born in Liverpool in 1942 and brought up in drab post-war northern England, McCartney led a cultural revolution in the “Swinging Sixties” that transformed Britain and much of the world.
In 1957, aged 15, he met another schoolboy called John Lennon and shortly afterwards joined him in what would become the most popular band in modern music history.
With The Beatles, McCartney went on to write some of the world’s most listened to and beloved songs like “Yesterday”, “Hey Jude” and “Let it Be.”
He and Ringo Starr are the only surviving members of the band which split in 1970.
McCartney, who played with the rock band Wings throughout the 1970s, has continued touring and releasing new records, including classical pieces.
He received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 1997 and an honour from U.S. President Barack Obama in 2010 for his contribution to American culture.
The former Beatle has been married to American heiress Nancy Shevell since 2011, after the death of his first wife Linda and a bitter divorce from his second wife Heather Mills.
He last released an album called “McCartney III” in 2020, written, produced and performed by the music star during lockdown at his studio in Sussex, south England.
In 2021, McCartney published the book “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present”, which recounts how he wrote his songs and looks back on his life as a teenager, a member of the Beatles, his time with Wings and as a solo artist.
Here, provided by the Funkylicious One – Gavin Koppel – is the set list that Paul McCartney played on Friday night (16 June):
Can’t Buy Me Love
(The Beatles song)
Junior’s Farm
(Wings song)
Letting Go
(Wings song)
Got to Get You Into My Life
(The Beatles song)
Come On to Me
Let Me Roll It
(Wings
Foxy Lady
(The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover) (Instrumental jam – not sung)
Getting Better
(The Beatles song)
Let ‘Em In
(Wings song) (Paul on piano.)
My Valentine
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five
(Wings song) (Paul on piano.)
Maybe I’m Amazed
(Paul on piano.)
I’ve Just Seen a Face
(The Beatles song)
In Spite of All the Danger
(The Quarrymen song)
Love Me Do
(The Beatles song)
Dance Tonight
Blackbird
(The Beatles song)
Here Today
(Paul on keys.)
Lady Madonna
(The Beatles song)
Fuh You
Jet
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
(The Beatles song)
Something
(The Beatles song)
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
(The Beatles song)
You Never Give Me Your Money
(The Beatles song)
She Came in Through the Bathroom
Get Back
(The Beatles song)
Band on the Run
(Wings song)
Glory Days
I Wanna Be Your Man
with Bruce Springsteen
Let It Be
(The Beatles song)
Live and Let Die
(Wings song)
Hey Jude
I’ve Got a Feeling
(The Beatles)
Happy Birthday to You
(Mildred J. Hill & Patty Hill cover) (with Jon Bon Jovi)
Birthday
(The Beatles )
Helter Skelter
(The Beatles song)
Golden Slumbers
(The Beatles song)
Carry That Weight
(The Beatles song)
The End
Glory Days & I wanna be your man with Bruce Springsteen
No More Lonely Nights
Catch The Funky Monkey (Gavin Koppel) on LM Radio every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm SA time. “I rock hard!” he promises. Follow SHOUT here.