When Paul McCartney Joined James Corden on ‘Carpool Karaoke’
by Best Classic Bands Staff
James Corden and Paul McCartney (Photo: The Late Late Show with James Corden)
He toured his hometown of Liverpool on June 9, 2018, with The Late Late Show host James Corden, and it was no surprise then, that Corden made official on June 13 what everyone already knew: Paul McCartney had taped an episode of Corden’s popular, recurring Carpool Karaoke series. The program aired on Thursday night, June 21 (technically Friday early morning), while Corden hosted the program from London for four nights. Watch the 23-minute clip below.
During the brilliant, extended sketch, McCartney (with Corden) sang the Beatles songs “Drive My Car,” Penny Lane” and “Let it Be.” The clip continued with the pair stopping by a Penny Lane street sign, which McCartney signed and the pair posed for a selfie. McCartney pointed out various Liverpool landmarks including Saint Barnabas Church, where he was a choir boy.
[The segment, “Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney,” ultimately earned an Emmy Award for Best Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), giving Corden his third Emmy win in four years for his inventive karaoke franchise. The McCartney sketch bested Bruce Springsteen’s Springsteen on Broadway and Beyonce’s Homecoming music documentary.]
During a delightful segment in McCartney’s Liverpool home that he lived in during his teenage years, he shared stories of writing “She Loves You” with John Lennon there and performing it for his father who, McCartney claims, said that it should have used the more formal “Yes, yes, yes” instead of the now-legendary “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
McCartney’s poignant story of how he came to write “Let it Be” moved Corden to tears.
Later, McCartney and his band surprised a small group of locals at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Pub with a 13-song set that included “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Back in the U.S.S.R” and his new single, “Come On To Me.” As word got out, the crowd was elbow-to-elbow.
Watch McCartney and Corden on “Carpool Karaoke”
Corden premiered “Carpool Karaoke” in 2015 with guest Mariah Carey. Since then, such classic rock stars as Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John have appeared.
Related: Links to 100s of classic rock tours
Watch a great scene from the taping that ultimately didn’t appear in the segment
On the same day that McCartney released a double A-sided single, he revealed further details of his then-upcoming studio album, Egypt Station. Sharing a title with one of his own paintings, Egypt Station was the first full album of all-new McCartney music since 2013’s New.
McCartney was born June 18, 1942.
4 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI thought the Pub segment was cute, but could have done without the rest. A tour of Liverpool would have been much better with Paul and Ringo together, and not some other clown leading them around.
And, why James Corden is famous? He seems to possess very few redeeming qualities.
This was brilliant TV…all of it, in my opinion!
This was so excellent, exciting, and old memories! I remember getting my first Beatles record at age 3! Can’t Buy Me Love! My mom had me in a Beatles haircut even though I am a girl. Luv Paul McCartney and thanks so much James Corden!!!!
Life is a dream. Enjoy it while you can…Paul seems to relish his completely.