The world-famous melody that arrived in a dream

Paul McCartney woke with a complete melody in his head and worried that he had accidentally copied it.

He played the tune to friends for weeks, asking whether they recognised it.

While searching for real lyrics, he used the temporary words “Scrambled Eggs.”

The melody was original, the final title became “Yesterday,” and it grew into one of the most recorded songs in history.

The detail changes the usual picture of Paul McCartney. A famous life can look inevitable from a distance, but close up it is built from experiments, accidents and small decisions.

A rough first idea can become extraordinary when an artist keeps listening to it.