Paul McCartney Joins James Corden for Carpool Karaoke
By Debra Birnbaum
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Yes, he can drive his car.
took the driver’s seat — and the passenger seat — in the latest installment of “Carpool Karaoke,” which aired as part of “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” which is airing this week from London.
The Beatle swapped seats with Corden as they harmonized their way through a catalog of his greatest hits, from “Baby You Can Drive My Car” to “Penny Lane” to “Let It Be” to “Blackbird,” as well as his new song, “Come On to Me.”
McCartney took Corden on a guided tour of his hometown of Liverpool (“I don’t know Liverpool that well,” quipped Corden), as he pointed out local landmarks like the church where he was a choir boy, the Penny Lane street sign (where McCartney added his autograph), and of course the barber shop (where they snapped the first of many selfies). Crowds gathered wherever they went, shaking hands, asking for autographs and often overcome with emotion at seeing McCartney in person.
Their conversation got emotional as McCartney recounted a dream he’d had where his mother reassured him everything was going to be OK. “Just let it be,” he said she told him in the dream — which of course then inspired the famous song. Their duet left Corden in tears: “That’s the power of music,” said McCartney. “It’s weird how it can do that to you.”
Then they pulled up at the home where he lived during his late teen years, and where he and John Lennon wrote their hit songs.
“Hi, I’m Paul McCartney,” he said (needlessly) introducing himself to the homeowner.
As he led Corden through the home (even sitting down at the piano to sing “When I’m 64”), he told Corden how his father had critiqued “She Loves You,” suggesting they replace the “yeah, yeah, yeahs” with “yes, yes, yes.”
“We did not heed his advice,” McCartney adds with a laugh.
After getting back in the car — where Corden tried out a few classic Beatles looks, from the moptop wig to the Sgt. Pepper uniforms — they ended up at a pub. “We’re going to give the locals the surprise of their life,” teased Corden.
Corden, who installed himself behind the bar, encouraged patrons to try out the jukebox — and then a curtain dropped, revealing McCartney on a stage with a band. They cycled through “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Love Me Do” and “Back the USSR,” as onlookers filled the pub.
McCartney invited Corden onstage for the final song “Hey, Jude” — which left all in attendance a bit overcome as they joined in a singalong on the final chorus. Said Corden, “
I think this is an afternoon none of us will forget.”