And I loved Fats Waller. I love his instrumental abilities, his vocal abilities and his sense of humor.

McCartney’s remark is a compact statement of musical admiration that highlights three qualities he prizes in a formative influence: technical command (“instrumental abilities”), expressive delivery (“vocal abilities”), and personality (“sense of humor”). By singling out humor alongside musicianship, he points to a tradition—exemplified by Fats Waller—in which entertainment, wit, and virtuosity are not opposites but mutually reinforcing. The quote also implies a holistic model of artistry: greatness is not only about playing or singing well, but about communicating joy and character. In McCartney’s broader aesthetic, this aligns with pop’s emphasis on charm, melodic immediacy, and performance as a human connection rather than mere display.