Happy Birthday to Sir Paul McCartney, former Beatle and musician extraordinaire! How the hell did you get from the young handsome man pictured above to the old handsome man you are today? When I think that all this stuff can make a life, it’s pretty hard to take it in, to quote your autobiographical number That Was Me.1
Trying to summarize even your post-Beatles career is like trying to label the stars in the heavens. The sheer breadth of your creativity is far too daunting. Pick up one of your Greatest Hits compilations from the solo years and you have a plethora of weepy ballads, chunky rockers, space age weird synth creations and bubblegum pop. Even on your worst album misfires such as NEW, Off The Ground and London Town, there is at least one tune which is a solid classic.2
May I suggest to the Avocadians out there that they take five or ten minutes today and investigate some of Paul’s works with which you may be unfamiliar. Most of us know the Seventies Wings years, but there are many many lost gems from his later works. Some recommended listens:
Albums—Tug of War, Chaos and Creation In The Backyard, Flowers In The Dirt, Run Devil Run
Songs—My Brave Face, Beautiful Night, Loveliest Thing, I Don’t Know, House Of Wax, Deep Deep Feeling
There are more. Many, MANY more.
Just skip Wild Life. That one’s pretty bad.
Oh! Are you still there, Paul? So sorry. But you know in your heart I’m right.
Anyway, many happy returns of the day!!
