Paul McCartney at 83: A Salute to a Legend and a Look Back at the Ginsberg-McCartney Connection
June 18, 2025 — Paul McCartney turns 83. A milestone birthday for a man whose melodies have cradled generations, whose voice has been the soundtrack to love stories, revolutions, heartbreaks, and hopes across decades. As the world salutes this knighted icon — Sir Paul, The Beatle, the Wingman, the solo savant — it’s fitting to also look back at one of his lesser-known but deeply poetic collaborations: the intersection of Paul McCartney and Allen Ginsberg.
The Celebration of a Living Legend
McCartney’s birthday is more than a date — it’s an annual global celebration of musical genius, cultural legacy, and artistic endurance. From “Yesterday” to “Maybe I’m Amazed,” from stadium anthems to intimate acoustic ballads, McCartney’s fingerprints are etched on the soul of modern music. His influence stretches across genres, generations, and even continents.
And at 83, McCartney is not just surviving — he’s still thriving. He recently wrapped another leg of his “Got Back” tour, his Netflix birthday documentary “Celebrating Paul McCartney at 83” premieres this week, and he remains a beacon of energy and curiosity in both music and activism.
But behind all the accolades lies a man whose creativity has always been enriched by his openness to the world — including the poets and voices that defined 20th-century counterculture. One of those voices? Allen Ginsberg.
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Flashback: 2020 and the Ginsberg-McCartney Connection
In our original 2020 feature, we explored one of the most unexpected intersections in modern art: the collaboration between Paul McCartney and beat poet Allen Ginsberg. At first glance, it seemed like an odd pairing — Ginsberg, the firebrand wordsmith of the Beat Generation; McCartney, the melodic romantic of British pop. But the connection ran deeper than most fans ever realized.
It began in the early ’90s, when Ginsberg, by then an elder statesman of literary rebellion, reached out to McCartney. The Beatle was intrigued. Their first true collaboration materialized in 1996 with the recording of “The Ballad of the Skeletons,” a powerful spoken word piece written by Ginsberg, with McCartney contributing guitar, piano, and production support.
Released just a year before Ginsberg’s death, the piece was biting, political, humorous, and rhythmic — echoing the spirit of both artists. It was backed by Philip Glass’s piano and Lenny Kaye on guitar, but McCartney’s presence added gravitas and an unexpected accessibility.
“Ballad of the Skeletons”: A Meeting of Icons
The track was Ginsberg’s searing critique of modern society, delivered in his trademark chant-like cadence. Skeletons — the “Congress skeleton,” the “Billionaire skeleton,” the “CIA skeleton,” the “Lesbian skeleton,” the “Jesus skeleton” — parade through a dystopian America, each a caricature of hypocrisy, injustice, or irony. It was poetry as protest, art as resistance.
McCartney, deeply moved by the piece, agreed to play and help produce the track. He even appeared in the music video, seated with Ginsberg at a table — a quiet but powerful cameo. It was a rare moment: two giants of 20th-century culture, side by side, challenging the present with the tools they knew best.
This was not just a novelty act. It was mutual admiration. McCartney had long respected the Beat poets — his days in swinging London were influenced by the same countercultural waves that gave Ginsberg his fame. Meanwhile, Ginsberg saw in McCartney a lyrical craftsman whose songs held deeper truths beneath the harmonies.
Art, Friendship, and the Spirit of the ’60s
Their collaboration was also a symbolic closing of the loop. The 1960s had been defined by cross-pollination: musicians hung out with poets, painters with revolutionaries. The Beatles themselves were fans of avant-garde expression — Lennon’s friendship with Yoko Ono being the most well-known, but McCartney too had dabbled in experimental art, film, and electronic music.
By the ’90s, much of that idealism had faded into commercialism. But the McCartney-Ginsberg moment felt like a throwback — a reminder that music and poetry could still raise questions, rattle cages, and spark reflection.
In interviews, McCartney called Ginsberg “a warm, funny guy,” and remembered being surprised by his tenderness and spiritual awareness. Ginsberg, in turn, praised McCartney’s intuitive musicality. They didn’t always speak the same language — but they understood each other where it counted.
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Legacy Beyond Music
Revisiting this connection on Paul McCartney’s 83rd birthday is more than nostalgia. It’s a reminder of the breadth of his artistry. McCartney was never just a pop star. He was a sponge, a seeker, a collaborator. His willingness to say “yes” to someone like Ginsberg — when he could’ve coasted on Beatles fame alone — reveals the restless creativity that has kept him relevant for over six decades.
It also reaffirms McCartney’s place in a broader artistic and cultural lineage. He didn’t just write songs; he documented an era, and he linked arms with the poets and prophets who dared to imagine a different world.
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Paul at 83: Still Saying “Yes”
At 83, McCartney is still saying yes — to causes, to creativity, to curiosity. He’s mentoring young artists, experimenting with AI-powered music production, writing children’s books, and producing unreleased Beatles demos with cutting-edge technology.
But on his birthday, we remember not just the hits or the stadiums, but the moments where he chose depth over ease, collaboration over isolation. The Ginsberg-McCartney connection is one of those moments — an echo from the past that still vibrates in the present.
So today, we salute Paul McCartney — not just for the timeless melodies, but for the fearless collaborations. For being a Beatle, yes — but also a bridge. Between music and poetry. Between the mainstream and the avant-garde. Between past and future.
Happy 83rd, Sir Paul.
Your skeleton still sings, still strums, and still inspires.
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“The Ballad of the Skeletons” is available on most streaming platforms and remains one of the most compelling spoken-word collaborations of the 20
th century. For more, revisit our full 2020 feature in the archives.
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