"Nawa kake son komawa baya?" A cikin ofishinsa da ke kallon dandalin Soho a Landan, ni da Paul McCartney muna zaune tare a kan wani karamin kujera, muna tunowa. Dakin yana wari mai zurfi da kamshin resin, yana da wani irin kamshi mai kama da coci. Wani babban kyandir na gilashi koren yana kan taga, kuma bayansa, akwai kallon bishiyoyin plane da hasken rana na tsakar rana ke wanke.
McCartney ya sayi wannan ginin a shekarar 1974, kuma ya dade yana zama gida ga kamfanin buga littattafansa da sauran ayyukansa. A wani bene, wasu mambobi biyu na tawagarsa suna duba hotunan matarsa marigayiya Linda, wadanda aka baje akan teburin dakin taro. Wani mataimaki yana shagaltuwa da shirya odar bagel, yayin da a cikin karamin lif, wani yana motsa trolley cike da gilashin sha zuwa kicin, ana jin karar buguwa da hayaniya mai dadi a cikin benaye.
Ni da McCartney muna magana ne game da sautunan farko da zai iya tunawa—abin da Seamus Heaney ya taba kira "harshen tauri." Wadannan sautuka ne da ba a sani ba suna siffanta kunne, suna samar da wani nau'in tushe na sauti. **The Boys of Dungeon Lane**, kundin solo na 18 na McCartney, an bayyana shi a matsayin "tarin hangen nesa da ba kasafai ba da ke bayyana abubuwan tunawa da ba a taba rabawa ba," kuma yana cike da irin wadannan bayanan sauti: skylarks, busar jirgin kasa, sautin birki na bas yayin da yake tsayawa. Amma rikodin ba wani aiki ne na jin dadi mai yawan kirtani ba; a maimakon haka, wani aiki ne na ban sha'awa da matashi akan kiɗan guitar.
McCartney yana tunani baya. "Ok, da kyau, yanzu muna shiga yanki mai shakku, saboda ina jin cewa zan iya tuna lokacin da aka haife ni," in ji shi. "Mai shakku sosai, mai shakku sosai, amma zan iya tunanin fararen tayal da kayan aikin chrome da sautuka... Wataƙila gaba daya shirme ne. A gaskiya, kusan tabbas haka ne. Tunanin tunawa! Kuma an haife ni da forceps." Ya dakata, fuskarsa cike da dumi da wayo. "Ban fahimci abin da hakan ke nufi ba. Ina tsammanin dole ne su fitar da ni da wasu pliers."
Ya koma kan batun sautuka. "Akwai da yawa," in ji shi. "Za mu iya zama a nan na 'yan sa'o'i." A makarantar jarirai, yana gudu a cikin gida tare da abokan karatunsa. Yana da shekaru 10, yana zaune a Western Avenue a Speke, "ina rataye a gefen ciyawa na babbar hanya, tare da 'yan mata, ina sauraron su suna hira, kuma daya daga cikinsu ta ce, 'Kana da kyawawan gashin ido!'" Akwai wakokin iyali na **Carolina Moon**, **Red, Red Robin**, **Bread and Butterflies**; wani wasa da wani kawu ko wani ya yi, wanda kawai zai iya tuna kalmar wasa: "Repartee." Yana iya tuna lokacin farko da ya ji kalmar "ubiquitous."
"Tunani da yawa," in ji shi. "Mai zurfi sosai. Za su zama gaba daya marasa ma'ana ga kowa, da gaske."
Abin ban mamaki game da rayuwar Paul McCartney shi ne cewa babu wani abu da ake ganin maras ma'ana. A matsayinsa na babban marubucin waka na zamaninsa da kuma bayansa, kowane bayani na shekarunsa 83 an bincika shi. An buga dubban littattafai game da Beatles; yanzu akwai kafafen yada labarai na Beatles da yawa, dandalin magoya baya, da shirin Peter Jackson na awa takwas **Get Back**. A lokacin rubutawa, akalla akwai ayyukan allo guda biyu da ake shiryawa: shirin Sam Mendes na manyan fina-finai hudu masu alaka, da jerin shirye-shiryen BBC na Christian Schwochow **Hamburg Days**, wanda ke bin lokacin kungiyar na samuwa a Jamus. Kuma ba shakka, akwai wakokin kansu—wadanda suka zama sananne sosai yanzu har suna jin kamar ba kiɗa ba ne amma dangi ne.
Kusan kowa yana jin ya san McCartney, don haka kasancewa a gabansa yana da rudani. Yaya mutum ya kamata ya yi? A yau, ya sauƙaƙa—mutum mai farin ciki a cikin rigar shudi mai layi da wando mai duhu, yana yin fayil ɗin farcen sa a hankali lokacin da na isa. Lokacin da na ambata yadda nake son sabon kundin, ya amsa da "Folksy: 'To, za ka iya sake zuwa.'"
McCartney ya ce lokacin da yake rubuta wakoki, "Ban san ainihin abin da zai fito ba." Ba ya tunanin akwai "wani abu da aka yi niyya" game da yanke shawarar komawa ga abubuwan da ya gabata – dama ce kawai don ba da labarai. Dungeon Lane a cikin taken kundin wuri ne na kallon tsuntsaye kusa da gidan da ke Ardwick Road inda dangin McCartney suka koma a shekarar 1950. "Layuka da layuka da layuka na gidajen majalisa," in ji shi. "Amma sun kasance manyan gidajen majalisa." Babban ci gaban shine samun bandaki na cikin gida, amma kuma akwai sarari da yawa wanda ya sa shi alfahari lokacin da dangi suka ziyarta.
Tare da mahaifiyarsa tana aiki a matsayin ungozoma kuma mahaifinsa a matsayin mai siyarwa ga dan kasuwan auduga, ba su da abubuwan jin dadi da yawa. Amma suna da piano mai tsaye, rediyo, da kafet inda zai kwanta ya saurari su duka. "Rediyo babban tushen bayanai ne da kiɗa – BBC ta yi kyau sosai ga duk wannan. Ni babban mai son BBC ne," in ji shi da karfi. Wakarsa ta farko daga **The Boys of Dungeon Lane** an fara nuna ta a tashar gida ta BBC, BBC Merseyside.
Yana tuna sauraron "kyawawan kananan wakoki na gargajiya, kuma suna makale a kwakwalwarka." Har yau, yana iya tuna sunaye daga karshen shirin: "Orchestra conducted by Harry Rabinowitz..." Yana fadin sunan da wani irin jin dadi. "Ina son rediyo domin kawai yana sa tunaninka ya yi ta yawo."
Yana son wasan kwaikwayo na rediyo da zane-zane na ban dariya – yiwuwar abubuwan da ba za ka iya gani ba. A karshen shekarun 1960, ya tuka mota daga Landan zuwa Liverpool a cikin sabuwar motarsa ta Aston Martin. "Kuma na kunna rediyo, kuma akwai wasan kwaikwayo na Alfred Jarry, **Ubu Cocu** [Ubu Cuckolded]," in ji shi. "Na so shi! Yana da daji: 'Ka ba ni famfo na shara!' Na yi tunani, eh, zan iya fahimtar wannan mutumin. Kuma shi kawai yana da ban mamaki."
**Ubu Cocu** daga baya zai yi tasiri sosai ga **Maxwell's Silver Hammer**, wanda ya fito a kundin Beatles na 1969 **Abbey Road**. "Rediyo kawai ya ba ni hakan," in ji shi. "Ba na tsammanin da na taba haduwa da shi in ba haka ba."
Rediyo kuma ya kawo masa rock 'n' roll: Jack Jackson's **Record Round-up** a BBC Light Programme, da David Jacobs, "wanda ya kasance mai shela na BBC mai daraja sosai, amma ya kasance mai sanyi sosai, kuma ba zato ba tsammani ya ce: 'Akwai wani rikodin Amurka mai ban mamaki na Ray Charles mai suna **What'd I Say?**'" Allahna, in ji matashi McCartney, menene wannan? Ya yi murmushi. "Don haka, rediyo yana sake buga kwakwalwarka."
Lokacin farko da ya ji kansa a rediyo shine a shekarar 1963, yayin da yake tuka motarsa ta Ford Classic. "Na tuna daidai inda nake," in ji shi, "ina wucewa ta Grafton a Liverpool, kuma **Love Me Do** ta fito." Bai tsaya ba. "A'a, na ci gaba da tuki, ina jin dadi. Amma wani abu ne."
Shekaru kadan da suka wuce, McCartney ya yi littafi da jerin shirye-shiryen podcast tare da mawaki Paul Muldoon. Mawakin ya taba son zama mawaki, kuma tare suka bincika kalmomin wakokinsa sama da 150 tare da mayar da hankali kan adabi. Daya daga cikinsu shine **Penny Lane**, wakar da ta yi fice a shekarar 1967 inda McCartney ya yi amfani da tunanin wani titi a unguwar Mossley Hill a Liverpool, inda shi, John Lennon, da George Harrison za su canza bas a tashar Smithdown roundabout.
"Wuri ne mai matukar muhimmanci a rayuwata da kuma rayuwar John," in ji shi ga Muldoon. "Kuma abin da ke da kyau game da rubuta shi shi ne cewa John ya san ainihin abin da nake magana akai." Ya bayyana rumfar bas, roundabout, sandar da ke da layi na shagon aski. "Lokacin da muka kawo shi rayuwa a cikin wakar, abu ne mai kyau da ni da John za mu sake rabawa."
Yawancin wakoki a **The Boys of Dungeon Lane** suna rufe irin wannan fage. Yaya baƙon abu ne ya ji rubuta game da wannan wuri, wannan lokaci, ba tare da babban abokin aikinka ba. A cikin littafin Ian Leslie na kwanan nan **Joh**...A cikin **n & Paul: A Love Story in Songs**, ya rubuta game da yadda, bayan jin wakar Lennon "Strawberry Fields Forever," McCartney ya rubuta "Penny Lane" a matsayin "wani irin waka mai amsawa game da yarinta – kuma ba kawai yarintarsa ba, amma wanda ya raba da John." Wakokin biyu an fitar da su a matsayin A-side da B-side na guda daya. "Ya kamata mu yi tunanin suna fuskantar juna," Leslie ya rubuta, "suna cikin tattaunawa mai zurfi."
Haɗin gwiwar McCartney da Lennon ya canza kafin rabuwar Beatles a farkon shekarar 1970, amma lokacin da aka kashe Lennon a karshen shekarar 1980, tattaunawar ta ƙare gaba daya – kowace waka ta rage ba tare da amsa ba. "Abokin aikina mai yiwuwa ya kasance daya daga cikin mafi kyawun marubuta na karni, don haka, eh, za ka yi kewarsa," McCartney ya ce yanzu. "Amma lokacin da na rubuta game da wani wuri na musamman, ina jin cewa zai san shi." Don haka duk inda McCartney zai iya zuwa da waka, "Zan iya auna martaninsa: wannan yana da kyau, saka shi."
Duba hoto a cikin cikakken allo: The Beatles (pre-Ringo) daga hagu, George Harrison, Lennon da McCartney, a wajen gidan Paul a Liverpool, kusan shekarar 1960. Hoton: Keystone/Getty Images
"Amma rayuwa ce: kana rasa mutane," in ji shi. Babban mai shirya Beatles George Martin ya taba yi masa gargadi game da asarar kwatsam da ke zuwa da shekaru: "Oh, mummunan abu game da shi shi ne duk abokanka sun fara mutuwa..." McCartney ya tuna da shi yana cewa. "Yanzu mai yiwuwa ina cikin wannan shekarun, kuma ina sane da hakan sosai, bayan na rasa John da George [Harrison] – manyan abubuwan tunawa guda biyu ga duk abin da muke magana akai."
Akwai waka a kundin mai suna "Down South" wadda ke tuno kwanakin da shi, Harrison, da Lennon za su tafi hitchhiking. Su ukun za su hadu a Chester Road, a wurin da duk manyan motoci ke tashi. "George zai san ainihin abin da nake nufi, da kuma inda muka tafi, kamar yadda John zai yi," McCartney ya ce. "Don haka, eh, kana yi musu kewar. Na fara yin bakin ciki sosai, kuma dole ne in yi tunani, 'Wow, jira minti daya, kowa yana yi musu kewar.' Ba ni kadai ba. Don haka hakan ya sa na ji dadi kadan. Ina tunani: 'To, shi ne rayuwa, kuma shi ne abin da muke da shi.'"
Abokin aikin McCartney a **The Boys of Dungeon Lane** shine mai shirya Andrew Watt, dan shekara 35 Ba'amurke wanda aka sani da aikinsa tare da Elton John, Lady Gaga, da Ozzy Osbourne, da kuma shirya kundin biyu na karshe na Rolling Stones (McCartney ma ya fito a kundinsu na karshe, wanda zai fito a watan Yuli).
Watt bai taba zuwa Chester Road ba, amma ko ta yaya sun sami matsaya daya. A gaskiya, ya karfafa McCartney ya zama mai takamaimai a cikin wakokinsa. "Ina rubuta kadan a cikin 'Days We Left Behind' inda nake cewa 'Mun hadu a Forthlin Road...'" McCartney ya tuna. "Kuma na yi tunani: Shin zan saka hakan? Na san inda Forthlin Road yake, amma kowa ya sani?" Kowa yana da Forthlin Road, Watt ya tabbatar masa. "Ba ka bukatar ka sani ko ka taba zuwa wurin, amma ka fahimta," McCartney ya ce.
Watt da McCartney sun fara haduwa a kan shayi a dakin shirya kiɗa na mai shirya. Daren da ya gabata, Watt ya farka cikin zufa mai sanyi. A waya daga Los Angeles, ya tuna da tsarin tunaninsa: "Shit: Ina kunna guitar da hannun dama kuma shi yana kunna guitar da hannun hagu." Nan take ya fara bincike mai zafi a kan layi don neman guitar na hannun hagu da ya san McCartney yana kunna – Höfner, Martin D28, Epiphone Casino. "Kawai idan ya nemi guitar..."
Kuma ya yi. "Ina magana da shi game da yadda kake rubuta waka," McCartney ya ce. "Kuma na ce yana iya faruwa ta hanyoyi daban-daban, amma daya daga cikin abubuwan da nake yi kwanan nan shine kawai in sa yatsuna a kan piano in ga ko yana da kyau." Zai iya gwada irin wannan hanya a kan guitar, ya ba da shawara. Watt ya shirya da guitar na hannun hagu. McCartney ya sa yatsunsa a kan zaren ya kunna. "Ga shi," ya gaya wa Watt, "wannan chord ne mara kyau." Bai san abin da yake ba, amma zai zama tushen wakar. Babban mabudin kundin mai ban mamaki, "As You Lie There," ya fara a nan.
[Hoto: Paul (hagu) da dan uwansa Mike tare da iyayensu Mary da Jim a gidansu na iyali a Liverpool a shekarun 1940. Hoton: © Paul McCartney da Mike McCartney, an yi amfani da shi da izini]
Ya yi iƙirarin har yanzu bai san menene chord din ba. "Zan gaya maka, ina so in sani," in ji shi yanzu, yana ɗaukar guitar da ke zaune a hankali a gefensa na hagu. "Na san chords da yawa kamar... E!" ya kunna. "A! B G C F... Na san duk wadannan. Amma ina sha'awar abin da wannan yake. Wani zai sani; wani mai ilimin kiɗa." Ya kunna min chord din. Ina mamakin wane irin motsin rai yake kawo masa. "Wani irin baƙon abu kadan," in ji shi. "Wani irin soyayya. Baƙon abu fiye da almara."
Watt ya bayyana aiki tare da McCartney a matsayin "mafi girman kwarewa a rayuwata." Ya kasance mai son Beatles na tsawon rayuwarsa, amma mawakin ya tabbatar da cewa bai taba jin tsoro ba. "Ya san ainihin wanda yake da abin da ya yi. Lokacin da ya shigo dakin, yana zuwa ba tare da girman kai ba. Kamar yana gayyatar ka ka tashi kadan zuwa matakinsa, kuma ya sauko kadan don ka. Yana sa shi a bude sosai."
Watt yana da tunani da yawa daga lokacinsu a dakin shirya kiɗa: yadda ya yi kuka saboda raunin "Days We Left Behind," da kuma yadda "Home to Us" – waka tare da Ringo Starr wadda ta fara da waƙar drum na Ringo – ta ƙare da sauti mai ban mamaki da ƙarfi. "Ba mu da kyawawan yarinta," McCartney ya gaya wa Watt; yana da muhimmanci cewa wakar ta kasance mai tauri kamar haka. A tsakiyar rikodin wakar, McCartney ya je ya ga Oasis kuma ya sami wahayi daga girman sautin kungiyar. "Ka manta da Spinal Tap's 11," ya gaya wa Watt, "amps din suna kan 12." Yana son irin wannan girma.
Yayin da muke zaune a kan kujera, tattaunawar McCartney tana ci gaba: daga sauran baƙi na kundin (Chrissie Hynde, Sharleen Spiteri), zuwa gidajen ungozoma a shekarun 1950; yadda tsarin bas na Liverpool ya kasance mai canzawa kamar titin jirgin kasa a zamanin Lincoln; yadda wani lokaci yake tunanin iyayensa, suna kula da shi a matsayin jariri a lokacin yaki, da kuma yadda ba zai yiwu ba ya danganta shi da halin da ake ciki a Ukraine ko Gaza, "inda a kowane daƙiƙa, bama-bamai na iya fadowa, kuma dole ne ka jimre da wannan sanin."
[Hoto: McCartney yana yin wasa a Saturday Night Live, Mayu 2026. Hoton: NBC/Lloyd Bishop/Getty Images]
Irin wannan hoton duhu yana rataye a cikin inuwar "Dungeon Lane": jin cewa rayuwa tana matsa lamba, tare da biyan haya da "babu abinci a cikin kicin"; mazaje suna shan maye, iyalai "ba za su iya ɗauka ba / Amma dole ne su yi." Kundin yana da alama ya zana layi tsakanin wadannan kwanakin tashin hankali da lokutanmu masu wahala. McCartney yana mamakin yawancin zamani na yanzu – siyasarsa, fasaharsa, da tashin hankali. "Wane ne zai taba tunanin za ka sami shugaban Amurka irin wannan?" yana mamaki. "Ba za ka yi tunanin za su iya tserewa da shi ba. Ko sakataren yaki? Wannan ba zan iya yarda ba."
"Har yanzu ina jin cewa bil'adama yana da juriya mai girma da ruhi mai girma, kuma yawancin mutanen da na hadu da su mutane ne masu sanyi, nagarta, masu kyau, mutane na iyali," ya ci gaba. "Kuma ina tsammanin dukkanmu muna da dabi'u masu kama da juna. Kuma sau da yawa, idan ina rubuta wakar soyayya, ina tunani, 'Oh, wannan ba na gida ba ne. Suna yin irin wannan abu a China. Suna soyayya da haihuwa.' Abu ne na mutum. Don haka ina da dukkan bege cewa za mu shawo kan shi."
Tare da ɗan taimako daga abokina: John, Paul da 'soyayya' da ta canza al'ada
Kara karantawa
Ya dakata. "Hanyata ita ce in yi watsi da yawancinsa," ya yarda. "Don haka akwai abubuwa da yawa da ba na yi." Kamar su? Ya yi kama da motsi. "Cookies!" ya ce – yana nufin ba biscuits ba, amma abin da kowa ke jin haushin intanet. "Kowa kawai yana karɓar cookies, kuma ni ina cikin, 'A'a!' Kullum ina neman maɓallin 'ƙi duka'."
Kwanan nan, McCartney ya yi wasa a wani shagali na cika shekaru 50 na Apple. "Apple 2, kamar yadda muke kira su," ya ce da murmushi, yana nufin lakabin rikodin na Beatles, Apple na asali. Ya ƙare da yin magana da shugaban kamfanin na lokacin Tim Cook kuma ya yi amfani da damar don yin korafi game da yadda iPhone ke buƙatar sabunta software akai-akai. "Ba na son sabuntawa!" ya gaya masa. "Na koyi yadda ake amfani da wannan! Ra'ayina shine: Duba, na sayi wannan na'urar, tawa ce. Don haka ya kamata ta yi abin da nake so."
Ya ɗauki wayarsa ya nuna mini hoton da ya ɗauka na wani vase na hydrangeas a gidansa. "Yawancin lokaci, kamara ce kawai a gare ni," in ji shi. Shin yana amfani da emojis? "Ee, ina son emojis," ya gyada kai. Menene ya fi so? "Thumbs up babba ne. Ina amfani da ƙaramin fuskar kauye. Sannan in sami ɗan ƙirƙira—zan yi strong arm, heart, strong arm," ya yi murmushi, da fatan. "Ina tsammanin yana kama da mutum kadan."
**The Boys of Dungeon Lane** yana fitowa yanzu ta hanyar MPL/Capitol.
**Tambayoyi da Aka Yi Yawa**
Anan akwai jerin tambayoyi da aka yi yawa bisa ga maganar da kuka bayar da kuma mahallin da ke tattare da labarin Paul McCartney da tsarinsa na yin sabon kundinsa.
**Tambayoyi na Matakin Farko**
**Tambaya:** Menene Paul McCartney yake nufi lokacin da ya ce "Zan iya sanin abin da John zai yi tunani. Wannan yana da kyau, ka saka shi"?
**Amsa:** Yana nufin cewa lokacin da yake rubuta ko rikodin sabuwar waka, yana iya tunanin abin da marigayi abokin aikinsa na Beatles John Lennon zai ce. A wannan yanayin, ya ji cewa John zai amince da wani zaɓi na ƙirƙira, yana ƙarfafa shi ya saka wani ra'ayi na kiɗa a cikin waƙar ƙarshe.
**Tambaya:** Wanene Paul McCartney yake magana akai lokacin da ya ambaci tsoffin abokan aikinsa?
**Amsa:** Yana magana ne da farko game da sauran Beatles, musamman John Lennon da George Harrison. Ya kuma ambaci mai shirya kungiyar George Martin da kuma ruhin haɗin gwiwa na Beatles gaba daya.
**Tambaya:** Shin Oasis sun yi wasa a sabon kundin Paul McCartney?
**Amsa:** A'a, Paul ya ce halin da sautin Oasis ya ba shi wahayi. Yana tunanin yadda Oasis suka kama wani babban jin daɗin rock-and-roll wanda ya tuna masa da kuzarin farko na Beatles, kuma wannan yanayin ya rinjayi sabbin wakokinsa.
**Tambaya:** Shin wannan shine kundin solo na farko na Paul McCartney?
**Amsa:** A'a, ya fitar da kundin solo da yawa, duka tare da Wings da kuma a karkashin sunansa. Wannan shine sabon kundinsa na baya-bayan nan, kuma yana magana ne game da yadda ya tsara yin shi ta wata sabuwar hanya.
**Tambayoyi na Matsakaici**
**Tambaya:** Me yasa Paul McCartney har yanzu yana kula da abin da John Lennon yake tunani shekaru da yawa bayan mutuwar John?
**Amsa:** Paul ya ce bayan yin aiki kusa da John na tsawon shekaru goma, tattaunawar su ta ƙirƙira ta zama murya ta ciki a gare shi. Yakan yi wa kansa tambaya "Me John zai ce?" a matsayin hanya don gwada ko ra'ayi ya yi laushi sosai, ya yi ban mamaki sosai, ko kuma daidai. Wani nau'i ne na jagoranci na ƙirƙira.
**Tambaya:** Wace matsala ce ta musamman wannan dabarar tunani ke magancewa ga Paul?
