Paul McCartneyâs âThe End of the Endâ: A Beautiful Goodbye in His Own Words
When most artists write about death, the tone is heavy, mournfulâeven fearful. But Paul McCartney, never one to follow convention, approached it differently. In âThe End of the End,â he gave us something rare: a gentle, almost joyful meditation on how he wants to be remembered when heâs gone.
Released in 2007 on the Memory Almost Full album, Paul McCartney The End of the End is not just a songâit’s a farewell letter. But instead of sorrow, Paul chooses celebration. Instead of tears, he offers laughter. Itâs a track that reflects not only his deep emotional wisdom, but his eternal optimism.
âAt the end of the end, it’s the start of a journey / To a much better place.â
With those words, Paul reframes the idea of deathânot as an end, but as a transition, a continuation of something beyond. Itâs classic McCartney: thoughtful, poetic, and hopeful even in darkness.
What makes the song especially moving is its delicate instrumentationâjust piano, gentle guitar, and Paulâs voice, aged yet warm. You can hear the weight of time, but also the peace heâs made with it.
And then thereâs the line that stays with you:
âAnd if someone should be sad, let it be me.â
Itâs selfless. Itâs tender. And it perfectly captures the man who, through the pain of losing Lennon, Harrison, and even Linda, learned to carry grief with graceâand always keep moving forward.
Paul McCartney The End of the End stands as one of his most underrated masterpieces, a song that doesnât fear death but embraces it with open arms, much like how he embraced lifeâwith music, memory, and meaning.
In 2025, as Paul continues to tour and inspire new generations, âThe End of the Endâ remains a quiet anthem for those who believe that goodbye doesn’t have to be filled with sorrowâit can be filled with light.