Paul McCartney can remember being born: “They had to pull me out”
Paul McCartney said he has a possible memory of being born at Walton Hospital in Liverpool in 1942, describing white tiles, chrome instruments and the sound of a forceps delivery. He acknowledged he cannot be sure the memory is genuine, but the claim offers a rare glimpse into how he reflects on his early life.
On Amy Poehler’s podcast, the conversation was prompted by his daughter Stella, who had shared that one of her earliest memories was being in an incubator. McCartney also recalled nearly choosing a factory job over music: he earned £7.15 a week winding coils and thought he might eventually become a manager, before deciding to get back to the employer.
- McCartney says he may remember being born in Liverpool.
- He described a forceps delivery but questioned the memory’s accuracy.
- He once considered keeping his £7.15-a-week factory job.
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Paul McCartney grew up in Liverpool and became a musician in the Beatles, one of the most influential British bands of the 1960s. His early life included ordinary work as well as music: before committing to a musical career, he took a job winding coils in a factory.
Walton Hospital, where McCartney was born in 1942, was part of Liverpool’s health services. Memories from the moment of birth are difficult to verify, and McCartney has said he cannot be certain his recollection is genuine; the story also touches on how family accounts and early memories shape people’s understanding of their past.