Paul McCartney performs at the O2 Arena in London, England, in 2016

Music

Why Paul McCartney Named His New Book ‘Eyes of the Storm’

Paul McCartney recently released his new book, ‘1964: Eyes of the Storm,’ featuring newly discovered photos of The Beatles during Beatlemania

by Ross Tanenbaum

Published on June 20, 2023

2 min read

‘Eyes of the Storm’ references the views of The Beatles, journalists, and fans

It’s always fascinating to see new images that show how the world reacted to The Beatles. Four working-class kids from Liverpool were suddenly surrounded by thousands of people who could barely contain themselves. Journalists wanted pictures of them, and fans wanted to be them. Meanwhile, The Beatles were unsure how to process the commotion they created.

In an interview with BBC One, Paul McCartney explained why his new book of photos is titled Eyes of the Storm. The “Live and Let Die” singer said there were so many different views and perspectives from this period that it couldn’t be described just by one set of eyes.

“The four of us were like the eyes looking out at the storm, and then you had the cameramen, who were eyes looking in on us, and then it was the audience or the fans,” McCartney explained. “So, everywhere you went, there was eyes in the storm. So, that’s how the title came about.”

The Beatles knew they achieved their dreams after coming to America

While The Beatles were stars in the U.K. in the early 1960s, the main goal was to achieve success in America. However, McCartney didn’t want to make the journey to the U.S. until they had a No. 1 single. Once they had a No. 1 in the U.S. with “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” they traveled to North America in 1964.

While the reaction from fans was overwhelming, McCartney said it was “great.” The fab four wanted to be famous, and this was validation that their dreams were coming true.

“We’re kids from Liverpool. When I look at it, I think we were like early 20s when these were taken,” he said. “It was, like, such a thrill to be going to places like New York, where all the music that we loved was coming from. Just seeing all the people in the streets, screaming and waving at us and stuff. It was, like, ‘Wow.’ It was what we’d hoped for. It was what we were working for. We wanted fame.”

One of Paul McCartney’s favorite images from the book includes George Harrison

Some of the best pictures from Paul McCartney’s book feature The Beatles relaxing while on vacation. It’s rare to see photos of them just being kids; many feature them lounging around in the ocean or by the pool. One picture features George Harrison by the pool with a drink being served to him by a girl in a yellow bikini.

“So, he’s by the pool. He’s got himself a drink. He’s got a tan. He’s got the shades. That’s it. He’s living the life,” McCartney shared.

Beatles fans should check out McCartney’s latest book to see even more never-before-seen photographs of the band at the peak of their fame.