Paul McCartney travels from London to Montego Bay, Jamaica – 12 April 1973

Thursday 12 April 1973 | Travel, Paul McCartney

On 12 April 1973, Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney flew from London to Montego Bay, Jamaica, beginning a working holiday that would directly influence the creative direction of Wings’ most successful album.

The couple rented a house just outside Montego Bay, at a time when the area was attracting a number of high-profile visitors. Among them were actors Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen, who were in Jamaica filming the movie Papillon.

During their stay, the McCartneys socialised with both actors. At one dinner hosted by Hoffman, a spontaneous musical challenge led to the creation of one of the most unusual compositions in McCartney’s catalogue.

“He was asking me how I write songs; I explained that I just make them up. He said, ‘Can you make up a song about anything?’ … He pulled out a copy of Time, pointed to an article and said, ‘Could you write a song about this?’”

— Paul McCartney, Wingspan

The article referenced the final days of Pablo Picasso, including the artist’s reported last words: “Drink to me, drink to my health, you know I can’t drink anymore.” Taking up the challenge, McCartney picked up a guitar and began composing on the spot.

The result was the song “Picasso’s Last Words (Drink To Me)”, later included on the Wings album Band On The Run (1973). Hoffman reportedly described witnessing the moment as one of the most extraordinary creative experiences of his life.

The Jamaica trip proved pivotal. Later in 1973, McCartney would return to the island with Wings to record much of Band On The Run at EMI’s studio in Kingston, cementing the album’s place as a defining post-Beatles work.

What began as a holiday departure from London ultimately became a key moment in McCartney’s transition from Beatle to fully realised solo artist and bandleader.

Location

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Related timeline (April 1973)

• 23 April 1973 – Time magazine publishes article on Pablo Picasso’s final days
• Mid-1973 – Recording sessions for Band On The Run begin in Kingston, Jamaica
• 5 December 1973 – Band On The Run released in the UK