Paul and Linda McCartney Holiday in Corfu – 16 May 1969
Friday 16 May 1969 | Paul McCartney, Travel
Benitses, Corfu, Greece
On 16 May 1969, Paul McCartney, his wife Linda McCartney, and her daughter Heather flew to Corfu for a holiday. The press, which had been tracking the couple closely amid rumours that Linda was expecting their first child together, reported that they were heading to the south of France. In fact, they travelled to the Greek island, staying in the village of Benitses on Corfu's east coast. They remained there until 17 June 1969 — a month on the island during which McCartney completed 'Every Night', a song he had first sketched during the Get Back sessions in January.
Paul and Linda McCartney in 1969
Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman had married on 12 March 1969 at Marylebone Register Office in London — eight days before John Lennon and Yoko Ono married in Gibraltar. Linda's daughter Heather, from her first marriage to American geologist Joseph Melville See Jr, was six years old. The couple's first child together, Mary McCartney, would be born on 28 August 1969 — which means Linda was around three months pregnant during the Corfu holiday, consistent with the press rumours that were circulating at the time.
The decision to travel to Corfu rather than the south of France — and to let the press believe the latter — was characteristic of McCartney's approach to privacy during this period. The couple wanted time away from the scrutiny that had intensified since the wedding, and the relative obscurity of Benitses, a small fishing village on Corfu's east coast, offered exactly that.
Every Night: From Get Back to McCartney
The most significant creative outcome of the Corfu holiday was the completion of 'Every Night'. McCartney had first performed an early version of the song during the Get Back sessions at Twickenham Film Studios in January 1969 — the sprawling, often difficult sessions that were being filmed for what would eventually become the Let It Be documentary and album.
In its January 1969 form, 'Every Night' was a sketch — a melody and a mood rather than a finished song. The month in Corfu gave McCartney the time and distance to complete it. The finished version was recorded in early 1970 for his debut solo album McCartney, released on 17 April 1970. On the album it appears as a gentle, intimate acoustic track — one of the clearest expressions of the domestic contentment that McCartney found with Linda, and a deliberate contrast to the turbulence of The Beatles' final years.
'Every Night' became one of the most admired tracks on McCartney, and has remained a fan favourite. Its origins in the Corfu holiday give it a specific biographical weight: a song begun in the chaos of the Get Back sessions, completed in a Greek fishing village, and recorded as The Beatles were dissolving.
May 1969: McCartney Apart from the Group
The Corfu holiday coincided with one of the quietest periods of McCartney's Beatles career. The Get Back sessions had ended in late January without a finished album. Abbey Road — the group's final recorded album — would not begin until July 1969. In the intervening months, McCartney was largely absent from Beatles business, spending time with Linda and Heather and beginning to think about the solo work that would define the next phase of his career.
The same day McCartney flew to Corfu, Ringo Starr was sailing from Southampton to New York on the QE2 with the cast of The Magic Christian, while John Lennon — denied a US visa because of his cannabis conviction — was left on the dock at Southampton. The four Beatles were, in the spring of 1969, rarely in the same place or the same frame of mind.
Key Facts: 16 May – 17 June 1969
- Departure: 16 May 1969
- Return: 17 June 1969
- Destination: Benitses, Corfu, Greece
- Travelling party: Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Heather (Linda's daughter)
- Press reported: South of France
- Actual destination: Corfu
- Song completed: 'Every Night' (first performed at Get Back sessions, January 1969)
- Released on: McCartney (17 April 1970)
- Mary McCartney born: 28 August 1969 (Linda approximately 3 months pregnant during holiday)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Paul and Linda McCartney go on holiday in May 1969?
They flew to Corfu on 16 May 1969, staying in the village of Benitses on the island's east coast. The press reported they were going to the south of France. They returned to England on 17 June 1969.
What song did McCartney write in Corfu?
McCartney completed 'Every Night' during the Corfu holiday. He had first performed an early version of the song during the Get Back sessions at Twickenham in January 1969. The finished version was recorded for his debut solo album McCartney, released in April 1970.
Was Linda McCartney pregnant during the Corfu holiday?
Yes — their daughter Mary McCartney was born on 28 August 1969, meaning Linda was approximately three months pregnant during the May–June 1969 Corfu holiday. Press rumours about a pregnancy were circulating at the time.
Who was Heather?
Heather was Linda McCartney's daughter from her first marriage to American geologist Joseph Melville See Jr. She was six years old during the Corfu holiday. Paul McCartney later adopted her.
What else was happening with The Beatles in May 1969?
On the same day McCartney flew to Corfu, Ringo Starr sailed from Southampton to New York on the QE2 with the cast of The Magic Christian, while John Lennon was left on the dock at Southampton after being denied a US visa. Abbey Road sessions would not begin until July 1969.
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