Topic: Stupid Question (Read 2264 times)

MandyBuglet · « **on:** February 26, 2009, 10:49:44 PM »

Ok, here's my stupid question:

When exactly did Paul McCartney begin to be called "Macca"? Because I only heard him called "Macca" for the first time just a few weeks ago.

Told you it was a stupid question.

Knowing me, it was probably back in the 60's *blush*...

Penny Lane · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2009, 12:06:01 AM »

This isn't a stupid question. Don't worry.

I think I've only heard Paul get called "Macca" during his solo career... I've never heard anyone calling him that during his Beatles era, but I'm a fairly young fan so I could be wrong.

However, he got called Macca during his "Broad Street" movie, and that was released in 1984.

tkitna · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2009, 02:40:35 AM »

I always thought it was a childhood nickname that stuck.

BlueMeanie · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2009, 03:14:09 AM »

I've heard John refer to him as Macca in the studio. Sounds like it could easily have been a childhood nickname.

MandyBuglet · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2009, 05:01:31 AM »

Ahh, ok!

Thanks, guys!

Sondra · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2009, 05:45:08 AM »

I'm guessing it was from childhood as it seems to be a pretty common nickname. From Wiki:

Macca (or "Macker" in Ireland) is a common British Isles nickname for somebody whose surname begins with the Gaelic prefix Mac or Mc (meaning "son of"). It is similar in form to Gazza, Hezza and similar nicknames that arose during the 1990s and early 21st century.

People frequently referred to as Macca include:

    * Sir Paul McCartney, musician
    * Amy Macdonald, singer
    * Steve McClaren, ex-England football manager
    * Andrew McLeod, Australian rules footballer and two-time Norm Smith Medallist
    * Steve McManaman, footballer sometimes also called 'El Macca'
    * Stephen McPhail, footballer
    * Gary McAllister, former footballer and manager
    * Macbeth of Scotland, former Scottish king and Shakespearean tragic hero
    * Gary McSheffery, footballer
    * Chris McCormack, Australian triathlete
    * Michael "Macca" MacKenzie, a fictional recurring character on the Australian soap opera Home and Away
    * Steve McMahon, former footballer
    * Bruce McAvaney, Australian Sports Media Broadcaster
    * Neil McKenzie, South African Cricketer
    * Paul McNamee, Former Australian Tennis Player, now Sports Administrator

An Apple Beatle · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2009, 10:52:11 AM »

A lot of these nick-names are often formed in the playground playing 'footy' or in gangs as quite natural abbreviations. (Soccer) "pass the ball Macca'

Liverpool being quite an important place of soccer, it had to have happened as a kid is my theory.

glass onion · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2009, 11:02:33 AM »

john calls paul 'macca' on a session for 'you've got to hide your love away'.pretty sure that is on anthology 2.

BlueMeanie · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2009, 12:27:19 PM »

Quote from: 1594

john calls paul 'macca' on a session for 'you've got to hide your love away'.pretty sure that is on anthology 2.

That is an anally retentive memory you've got there!!

zipp · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2009, 12:31:35 PM »

The press started calling him Macca after the Beatle separated.
But obviously his friends could call him that well before then.

Penny Lane · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2009, 12:56:09 PM »

Thanks for the explanations, guys!

Paulram · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2009, 03:36:53 PM »

according to his brother both he and Paul were called Macca I think from around 10 years old.

glass onion · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2009, 07:35:52 PM »

hi blue meanie!well,it is true i have a great memory-but the things that seem to stick are extremely unimportant to everyday life,i.e remembering john calling paul'macca'.now,when it comes to remembering anniversaries,birthdays etc......

Sondra · « **Reply #13 on:** February 28, 2009, 12:30:39 AM »

Quote from: 410

The press started calling him Macca after the Beatle separated.
But obviously his friends could call him that well before then.

And Lennon wrote those public letters to him calling him Macca. Or Macka. I think he misspelled it a couple of times. What magazine was that??

Mairi · « **Reply #14 on:** February 28, 2009, 02:20:04 AM »

Vanity Fair I believe.

Pilzkopf · « **Reply #15 on:** February 28, 2009, 05:51:34 PM »

John McEnroe also got that nickname in his time. I remember someone in the crowd at Wimbledon holding up a placard saying something like "Macca supports Chelsea" (or whatever team it was he did support). That must have been early 80s. Generally there's a tendency in this country to give high-profile people pet names. Madonna was only living in London a year or so before people started calling her "Madge". Michael Jackson was "Jacko". And I heard someone on some rock-doc recently referring to Pete Townshend as "Towners". And Keith Moon was always "Moonie", of course. But I think the custom does come from football, as Apple Beatle suggested. Even back the '60s Bobby Moore was "Moore-o", and Gordon Banks was "Banksy", and so on.

zipp · « **Reply #16 on:** February 28, 2009, 09:09:59 PM »

Quote from: 1943

But I think the custom does come from football, as Apple Beatle suggested. Even back the '60s Bobby Moore was "Moore-o", and Gordon Banks was "Banksy", and so on.

No it's part of the English way of giving someone an affectionate nickname.

Football is not the be-all and end-all of all things!

Sondra · « **Reply #17 on:** February 28, 2009, 11:24:39 PM »

Quote from: 1943

John McEnroe also got that nickname in his time. I remember someone in the crowd at Wimbledon holding up a placard saying something like "Macca supports Chelsea" (or whatever team it was he did support). That must have been early 80s. Generally there's a tendency in this country to give high-profile people pet names. Madonna was only living in London a year or so before people started calling her "Madge". Michael Jackson was "Jacko". And I heard someone on some rock-doc recently referring to Pete Townshend as "Towners". And Keith Moon was always "Moonie", of course. But I think the custom does come from football, as Apple Beatle suggested. Even back the '60s Bobby Moore was "Moore-o", and Gordon Banks was "Banksy", and so on.

It's definitely an English thing. Madonna lived here her whole life and no one ever thought to call her Madge. The nicest thing people over here could think to call her was nuts. Or maybe just plain 'ho. Same with Michael. We picked up on the Jacko thing after you guys started it. Before that, I'm sure he was just plain wacko. So who came up with the "Fab Four" originally? Do we even know. Probably, but I always forget stuff like that. That's way I'm not good at trivia games and such.

zipp · « **Reply #18 on:** March 01, 2009, 10:27:43 AM »

I think 'Fab Four' and 'Mop Tops' came from the Beatles own publicity team i.e. Tony Barrow.

An Apple Beatle · « **Reply #19 on:** March 01, 2009, 10:38:02 AM »

Your right Zipp, it's not just football....was using that as an example.

News:

Author Topic: Stupid Question (Read 2264 times)

BlueMeanie

BlueMeanie