I Lost My Little Girl

Album: Unplugged (The Official Bootleg) (1991)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "I Lost My Little Girl" is the first song Paul McCartney ever wrote. He was 14 years old when he penned it, and the year was 1956. He wrote it using a Framus Zenith model 17 acoustic guitar that he kept throughout his life.

    The song wasn't officially released until 1991, after McCartney performed it for MTV Unplugged. There's also a rehearsal version of it sung by John Lennon during the Beatles Get Back Sessions.
  • The lyrics of the song's bridge go:

    Well gather round people
    Let me tell you the story
    The very first song I wrote


    It's likely that "the very song I wrote" line, at the very least, was added later and not in the original.

    The rest of the lyrics are the sort of generic lost-love stuff one would expect from a teenager, but the song has an interesting angle because McCartney's mother died of an embolism on October 31, 1956, and many have wondered if the song was about her.

    When asked by GQ if the song was about his mother, McCartney stated that he didn't know. "A psychiatrist might have a field day with that," he said. "I certainly didn't think it was at the time, but it could have been."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."

Gentle Giant

Gentle GiantSongwriter Interviews

An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Album Cover Inspirations

Album Cover InspirationsSong Writing

Some album art was at least "inspired" by others. A look at some very similar covers.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?