Early Paul McCartney Musings Discovered In Liverpool

LONDON — A discovery in a Liverpool library has revealed that Paul McCartney's talent for writing was winning him prizes when he was just 10 – though for an essay about the queen, rather than a hit song.

A British researcher said he found an essay written – in very tidy, curling script – by the future Beatle for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Kevin Roach said Sunday that he found the work in records at Liverpool's Central Library. Roach said the writing is "advanced – you would say it was written by someone who was older than 10 years old, more like 14 or 15."

"It's unique in its own right. It shows his handwriting at that age and shows how Paul was thinking at the time," said Roach, who is working on a book about the McCartney family history.

According to excerpts published in the Sunday Times, McCartney – who gave his age as 10 years 10 months – contrasted violence which occurred on the coronation day of William the Conqueror with the day celebrating "our lovely young queen."

"No rioting nor killing will take place because present day royalty rules with affection rather than force," the essay says.

McCartney won the under-11 age category of the essay competition, and was given a prize – a gift certificate for books – by Liverpool's Lord Mayor.

"I can just recall Paul being nervous and getting this book token from the mayor," his brother Mike told the Sunday Times.

With bandmate John Lennon, McCartney was responsible for writing most of the Beatles' memorable songs. The queen knighted him in 1997, making him Sir Paul.

Comments

[doctorwang]

03:08 PM on 09/28/2009

If you play the song "Yesterday" backwards, and submerge your head underwater, you can clearly hear Paul saying: "I won an essay writing contest when I was 10".

[Gasparilla]

04:10 PM on 09/28/2009

And then he died in a car crash at the age of 12. The clues are all on the cover of Band on the Run.

[normathumb]

01:39 PM on 09/28/2009

By the time of Elizabeth's coronation, the royals were content to keep most of the rioting and killing in the hinterlands of the colonial empire. It was still quite plentiful in those days but not so apparent to a ten year old.

[Guytar]

10:01 AM on 09/28/2009

Paul has been dealing with fame and adulation since Love Me Do in 1962. That's 47 years so far, if you do the math.

In the seventies, when he became a young family man, he chose to live a private life on his farm with Linda his wife, and raise his kids to be as grounded and normal as possible. His 29 year marriage to Linda endured till her passing, and his kids turned out just fine.

His solo musical career has produced many great songs. When he goes on the road, he is still one of the most successful live rock performers all around the world.

[LMPE]

11:40 PM on 09/27/2009

I probably wouldn't have spoken so highly of old Liz. Maybe I would have asked her to sing a rap song.

[knerd]

08:26 PM on 09/27/2009

"No rioting nor killing will take place because present day royalty rules with affection rather than force," the essay says.

"All You Need is Love" still going strong....

[Readbetweentheelevens]

05:16 AM on 09/28/2009

Tell that to "Princess" Dianna.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro]

05:14 PM on 09/27/2009

Paul has always been a brilliant thinker.

Linda and Paul were contributors to a book we wrote as well as Yoko Ono, Mickey Hart, the Dalai Lama, HRH Prince Phillip, President Vaclav Havel, Bishop Tutu and Richard Gere wrote the foreword.

He is a visionary and it was an honor that Linda & he contributed ....

Cheers,

Ed

[tkondaks]

06:11 PM on 09/27/2009

Why is it that I've never seen a post by these two without them name-dropping?

[Gasparilla]

08:15 PM on 09/27/2009

If only you had a few to drop?

[Ed and Deb Shapiro]

08:31 PM on 09/27/2009

tkondaks thanks for your comment

we weren't bumping into them at a disco

These people were in our book because they wanted to share their story. We wrote the book and the purpose is to serve others and help create a better world.

Paul was happy that we included him to be with 3 Noble Peace Prize Recipients.

They all were in our book because they agreed with what we said.

May all people be happy,

Ed

[Indie2008]

06:58 PM on 09/27/2009

Except for possibly a momentary lapse when he married Heather!

[Gasparilla]

04:28 PM on 09/27/2009

i was surprised when I read that he wrote "I'll Follow the Sun" at 16. A song that said there may not always be that happy ending.

[BigCheese]

02:43 PM on 09/27/2009

Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl, though she doesn't have a lot to say.

[43P04T34]

02:39 PM on 09/27/2009

"With bandmate John Lennon, McCartney was responsible for writing most of the Beatles' memorable songs."

Well, THAT's Interesting, i'nn't?

[tkondaks]

06:13 PM on 09/27/2009

I never knew that before.

Thank God someone finally made that observation...AND shared it with HuffPo readers!

[learntofly]

08:57 PM on 09/27/2009

And this is a story without WHAT Paul actually wrote included? I want to read the entire essay!

[Bitsko]

01:51 PM on 09/27/2009

It's Ringo's world, we just live in it.

[Progressiveama]

05:37 PM on 09/27/2009

Ringo is really underrated. It seems like the world thinks that Paul is the only living Beatle, I think Paul forgets, too.

[Readbetweentheelevens]

05:15 AM on 09/28/2009

Pete Best was better.

[Guytar]

11:00 AM on 09/28/2009

And what a wonderful world Ringo gave us. I wish I could donate a dollar today to child-poverty relief for every child that ever learnt to sing along with Yellow Submarine in the last 43 years.

Kids are still digging Yellow Submarine today. Rich and poor. Despite his amazing musical legacy, Ringo will always have Yellow Submarine. How can Ringo Starr do better than millions of children singing along with him all over the world through one generation after another.

Other than that, Ringo played drums for the Beatles. Sometimes he just had the perfect back-beat for a classic Beatles hit. Other times he redefined rock drumming with work like "Rain" in 1966. Wow.

[jl4141]

12:50 PM on 09/27/2009

Is John Lennon getting a cowriter credit for this?

[dannyo152]

11:34 AM on 09/27/2009

McCartney's autobiography mentioned this essay and prize.

Over the years I have often found myself impressed with how literate the gen2 rock songwriters were.

[PhillyQuaker]

11:21 AM on 09/27/2009

Read this, it's really funny.

http://shipinthenight.wordpress.com/2008/12/19/paul-mccartney-the-humblest-of-beatles/

[Progressiveama]

02:01 AM on 09/28/2009

wow

[learntofly]

10:35 AM on 09/27/2009

Where's the text?????? Argh!!!!

[Progressiveama]

02:00 AM on 09/28/2009

go to MaccaReport, today's news.......if he wrote that as a ten year old, my name is Ringo. He clearly had help, why would a ten year old refer to the queen as a young lady?

[davism97]

10:30 AM on 09/27/2009

A Roach found something written by a Beatle?

[TheAlchemist]

10:57 AM on 09/27/2009

Ha!

[Kenji]

12:46 PM on 09/27/2009

Bean there, dung that!