Paul McCartney explains the origins of The Beatles' song ‘Michelle’

The Beatles' song ‘Michelle’ was not inspired by a real person, but rather by musical influences and early experiences of Paul McCartney. The track began as an instrumental piece written in the finger-picking style of Chet Atkins, specifically inspired by Atkins' song ‘Trambone’.

McCartney noted that the French theme of the song stemmed from his early days attending parties with John Lennon, where they were influenced by the French bohemian aesthetic and figures like chanteuse Juliette Greco. The song eventually transitioned from an instrumental into the well-known track featured on the album Rubber Soul after Lennon encouraged McCartney to develop the ‘French’ concept.