Paul McCartney and Petula Clark Both Released No. 1 Hits Named ‘My Love’
Paul McCartney‘s “My Love” was one of his biggest hits during his time with Wings. In addition, Petula Clark also had a No. 1 hit called “My Love.” Notably, Clark didn’t enjoy her song at first and her opinion of it never changed.
Paul McCartney’s ‘My Love’ came out after Petula Clark’s hit with the same name
Clark released a hit called “My Love” in 1965. Meanwhile, Paul released a Wings track called “My Love” in 1973. During a 2013 interview with Songfacts, Clark revealed she wasn’t a fan of her hit. “We recorded three songs on that session,” she said. “We recorded them in LA, and I had to leave immediately after the session. I liked the two other songs quite a lot, but I really didn’t like ‘My Love.'”
Clark told Warner Bros. A&R executive Joe Smith she didn’t like “My Love,” but he was unmoved. “Joe Smith, he’s a very small man physically,” she said. “I adore him, but he’s about the right height for me. I was able to get hold of his lapels, and I said to him, ‘Joe, I don’t care which ones you put out, but just don’t put out ‘My Love.’ And he said, ‘Trust me, baby.’ And there you go.”
Petula Clark didn’t like the song and felt it was so ‘flat’ that she didn’t want to sing it
Clark’s feelings about “My Love” did not soften over time. “I thought it was just a bit flat,” she recalled. “You know what, I still do. But I do sing it now. For a long time I wouldn’t sing it on stage, but I sort of play around with it a little bit now and that makes it a bit easier for me to do it.”
“My Love” was solely written and produced by songwriter Tony Hatch. Hatch also wrote Clark’s “Downtown” and “Don’t Sleep in the Subway.” Clark praised Hatch as a songwriter, but she didn’t feel that “My Love” lived up to his other work. According to a rumor, Hatch wrote the song while he was on a plane with Clark. She said she was not present for that plane ride.
Petula Clark’s ‘My Love’ and Paul McCartney’s ‘My Love’ got in the way of other hit songs
Regardless, “My Love” was a huge hit. According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, the tune topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. The track prevented The Beach Boys’ “Barbara Ann” from hitting No. 1.
The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits says Wings’ “My Love” was a bigger hit. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. Paul’s “My Love” also stopped a classic rock song from hitting No. 1. In this case, the song in question was Elton John’s “Daniel.” “Barbara Ann” and “Daniel” might be more famous than either of the songs called “My Love” today.
Clark and Paul are very different singers, but they both had No. 1 hits called “My Love.”
