McCartney Rocks the "Late Show"

It's been 45 years since Paul McCartney and the other Beatles made their famous American debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

On Wednesday evening, the former Beatle and Grammy-award winning artist returned to the New York City venue as a first-time guest of talk show host David Letterman and made history again.

He serenaded screaming fans along Broadway from atop the marquee during the "Late Show" taping.

"Just the memory of being here was great...it was kind of scary the first time," McCartney told Letterman. "We were like 8, 9," he joked, "people know my history much better than I do!"

McCartney, who was just 22 years old at the time, remembered being impressed with the size of the Ed Sullivan Theater, comparing it to an "apartment block."

Popular overseas before they came to the States, the Beatles set off a frenzy with their Ed Sullivan appearance in February of 1964. It followed them throughout their U.S. tour that year.

Letterman recalled Beatles fans being "crazed for their arrival" and said it reminded him of "four guys on a very long spring break."

"It certainly seemed like that," McCartney said. "By the time we came here, we were ready for it. There was Miami, beach, girls and sand - come on!"

The Beatles, which broke up in 1970, included John Lennon who was gunned down outside his New York home in 1980; George Harrison, who died of cancer in 2001; and Ringo Starr, who survives with McCartney.

McCartney, who said he was closest to George Harrison, said that the dynamics of the band changed from time to time.

McCartney also recalled his collaboration with Michael Jackson on the "Thriller" album in 1982.

"It was great;we had a great time," McCartney said.

He descibed how he was at home at Christmastime when the phone rang and "a little voice said, 'It's Michael. Do you want to make some hits?'"

Although McCartney called their collaboration great, he admitted their friendship "actually kind of fell apart later" when Jackson purchased the Beatles music catalog.

At the end of the show, McCartney performed on top of the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee, looking out over Broadway. The impromptu concert continued for several songs after the Letterman cameras stopped rolling.

McCartney has been hailed for his work with his band, Wings, as well as for his solo projects. He recently released "Electric Arguments," his third album release under the name "The Fireman."

McCartney will begin an exclusive series of shows across the United States, beginning July 17 at CitiField in New York City, and then heading to Washington, D.C., Boston, Atlanta, Tulsa before winding up in Dallas on Aug. 19.