# The Paul McCartney Classic Billy Joel Would Have Loved to Write: “It Was Deeply Affecting”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-paul-mccartney-classic-billy-joel-would-have-loved-to-write-it-was-deeply-affecting/
- Published: 2026-11-11T18:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T18:24:48+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/the-paul-mccartney-classic-billy-joel-would-have-loved-to-write-it-was-deeply-affecting/
- Topics: Americas, World

## Key points

- Joel singled out McCartney’s “Yesterday” as the song he wished he had written.
- He said its sadness revealed the Beatles’ emotional depth.
- McCartney had also praised Joel’s “Just the Way You Are”.

## Summary

Billy Joel has said Paul McCartney’s “Yesterday” was the Beatles song he most wished he had written, praising its melody and emotional force. Joel recalled that the song’s sadness and heartache showed him how profound the Beatles’ music could be, marking a shift from the upbeat songs he had heard from them before.

The article also recounts McCartney telling Joel he would have liked to write Joel’s “Just the Way You Are”, prompting Joel to respond with admiration for McCartney’s songwriting. Joel described McCartney as a songwriter of the stature of George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers, and said elements of “Yesterday” later appeared in his own work.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.