Following the release of Paul McCartney’s nostalgic new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, Taylor Swift praised the singer-songwriter on her Instagram Stories. She reposted a promo for the album and wrote in her caption, “Never not inspired by this eternally exceptional artist.”
Swift shared the post on June 2, adding a bicep emoji. The original post from McCartney, shared in March, announced the album and featured artwork and his portrait. He wrote, “My new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane will be yours 29th May.”
McCartney’s most personal work
The album’s music is described as McCartney’s most personal and introspective, reflecting on his childhood in post-war Liverpool.
Released on May 29 via Capitol Records, the project was co-produced with Andrew Watt in sessions that began in 2021. The second single, “Home to Us,” is a duet with Ringo Starr.
The album originated five years ago when McCartney met producer Watt for a casual session. While experimenting on guitar, McCartney discovered an unfamiliar chord, which led to the creation of the opening track, “As You Lie There.”
Critics responded positively, with NME awarding it four stars, writing that “while it’s tethered to the past, what’s most impressive about ‘Dungeon Lane’ is how fresh it sounds.”
McCartney compared Swift’s fame to The Beatles
In a May 24 interview on BBC’s Tracks of My Years, McCartney reflected on Swift’s global popularity and drew comparisons to The Beatles’ cultural impact.
McCartney was asked if he would offer Swift any advice given her level of fame. “You do see the parallel, you know the fame and the amount of fame. The worldwide fame that Taylor Swift has and that we had,” he said, before adding, “But I don’t think she needs any advice to tell you the truth.”
When pressed further, he added, “If she asked for it, I definitely would. I’m like the older brother to that generation, or more like the grandad, actually.”
Fans praised his remarks. “I love that Sir Paul refused to mansplain superstardom to Taylor Swift,” one wrote on a clip of the interview.
Another added, “A gracious answer from Paul and, after everything he’s experienced, that humility is perhaps the best advice of all.”
McCartney also said he met Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter at a party hosted by his daughter Stella. “They’re really cool people, they’re very good, so basically, I like their voices,” he said.
