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Paul McCartney Gives James Corden A Hometown Tour For 'Carpool Karaoke'

LONDON (CBSNewYork) – The familiar bit begins simply enough with "The Late Late Show" host James Corden sitting in a car, placing a call and asking for help from a mystery musical guest.

The ask was telling.

"I'm in Liverpool. Can you help?" said Corden. "I need somebody. Yeah, not just anybody."

Who better than hometown boy and super star, Sir Paul McCartney, to give Corden a tour Thursday night during "Carpool Karaoke."

McCartney's mega-stardom was only enhanced by his natural quick wit and the genuine and unassuming way he greeted fans and reminisced about his childhood.

"I used to be in the choir at that church!" said McCartney as the pair drove around and shared stories behind the songs the world loves.

"This memory here is, got up got out of bed dragged a comb across my head."

As they toured the town where McCartney was born and raised, the duo stopped across the icon sign for Penny Lane and hopped out for a quick selfie.

"Someone is going to come up and never believe that's you," said Corden. "They'll never believe it."

The memories all came back.

"My brother got married in that church," shouted McCartney. "He says hello by the way."

Paul McCartney Carpool Karaoke by The Late Late Show with James Corden on YouTube

They toured the barber shop mentioned in the first line of the song, even popping in to meet a very surprised local resident.

McCartney shared that he wrote his first first song at just 14 years old.

"I woke up late this morning, my head was in a whirl, and only then I realized I lost my little girl," he said.

It was also the same year his mother Mary McCartney died, which brought Corden to tears.

"I had a dream, in the '60s where my mom who died came to me in a dream and was reassuring me saying it's going to be OK," said McCartney. "'Just let it be,' (she said), and I say 'awww' and I felt so great and sorta like yes, it's gonna be great you know. She gave me the positive word and I woke up and thought did she say let it be? That's kinda good. I've never heard that, so I wrote the song."

At the house where McCartney and John Lennon wrote the classic 1963 hit "She Loves You," the Beatle retold when they played it for his father.

"He listened to the whole song, and he said it very nice - but, son, enough with the American-ism around here," he said. "Couldn't you say 'she loves you yes yes yes?'"

The day ending with a surprise performance at one of the pubs where the band got its start, and it didn't take long for everyone to join in.

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