Paul McCartney.
My friends and family know he has been my life long favorite when it comes to music. Today Paul turns 70 years old. When I was a kid I thought that age seemed ancient. Now, as I get closer to it myself, well, it ain't that bad. So on this day I put together a list in no particular order of 70 reasons why I still love Paul.
1. The songwriting. He is, in my opinion, simply the best.
2. His devotion to Liverpool. He still keeps a home there.
3. His relationship with his children.
4. The love he had for his wife, Linda. They rarely spent a night apart. He said he never saw the need to be someplace she wasn’t.
5. The good sense he had in dumping the ex-wife, Heather. I’ve never heard him speak negatively of her in the press either, unlike her.
6. The admiration he has for John Lennon’s songwriting abilities.
7. Those soulful brown eyes.
8. The early days at The Cavern.
9. The evolution of the band’s name.
10. The Quarrymen
11. The Silver Beatles
12. The Silver Beats
13. The Silver Beetles
14. Silver Beatles
15. And finally, The Beatles.
16. Love Me Do
17. Recognizing the genius in George Martin
18. Recognizing the genius in Brian Epstein
19. P.S. I Love You
20. Please Please Me
21. He writes constantly.
22. His adventurous spirit delving into other genres of music.
23. Things We Said Today
24. Can’t Buy Me Love
25. And I Love Her
26. A Hard Day’s Night
27. Abbey Road Studios—so fortunate I got to visit.
28. The Ed Sullivan Show appearance before a television audience of 73,000,000 people.
29. The caution he used during the drug-fueled 60’s—he’s still here.
30. The head wobble-often imitated, but there’s only one original.
31. Help! The Movie
32. Help! The Soundtrack
33. The level of energy he has in concert. All 3 times I’ve seen him have been high energy.
34. He seems to genuinely like and enjoy his fans.
35. Yesterday
36. We Can Work it Out- about this song he once said: “The lyrics might have been personal. It is often a good way to talk to someone or to work your own thoughts out. It saves you going to a psychiatrist, you allow yourself to say what you might not say in person.”
37. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
38. His allegiance to the Hofner Bass Guitar
39. His commitment to being a vegetarian
40. Rubber Soul
41. Revolver
42. He used to pretend he spoke French to attract girls—which was the inspiration for Michelle.
43. In My Life-my favorite song…of anyone, not just my favorite Beatles song. It’s to be played at my funeral.
44. His admiration for Brian Wilson.
45. Good Day Sunshine-which Paul has said was him trying to write something similar to the Lovin’ Spoonful’s song Daydream.
46. Penny Lane- written as a nod to their childhood memories of the spot in Liverpool.
47. Hey Jude- my husband’s favorite Beatles song. My favorite memory of this: after the last Paul concert the throngs of people walking out of the stadium in San Francisco all began to sing this song, and we sang it the entire way out into the streets. Nah-na na nah na nah…
48. When I’m Sixty Four- I made a birthday cake to celebrate Paul turning 64.
49. Wings. What a terrific post Beatles line-up.
50. The band he currently tours with. They were well chosen, awesome musicians all of them, and I love watching his drummer, Abe.
51. Agreement to collaborate on The Beatles LOVE Show in Vegas. It’s fantastic.
52. The walrus was Paul
53. Magical Mystery Tour
54. Your Mother Should Know-Paul was quoted as saying the song was about your mother knowing more than you think she does. That’s right. Hear that, kids?
55. He didn’t give up on love after the nasty Heather Mills fiasco and is now happily married again to Nancy Shevell.
56. Hello, Goodbye
57. His continued relationship with those left behind: Yoko and Olivia
58. Golden Slumbers/The Weight/The End
60. Beatles Rock Band-we play with our family and friends.
61. The White Album
62. Blackbird- such beautiful guitar work on this song.
63. His collaboration with Neil Aspinall
64. Let it Be
65. The Long and Winding Road- he said he kept Ray Charles in his mind as we worked on writing the song
66. He often speaks of the love he had for his mother, Mary, who died too young. His first daughter was named after her.
67. He draws and paints as another creative outlet.
68. Liverpool Oratorio- his orchestral piece
69. My Love- a beautiful song written during the Wings period
70. “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
Thank you Paul for the music and the love.
*all photos from my collection except for the first and last and Sullivan show shot from Google images
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Comments
Good to see you again.
R♥
Rated.
71. "She's a Woman"
72. "I'm Down"
I met Paul & Linda when I was a sales clerk at a cutlery store in Radio City in 1975. I turned right back into a twelve year old, and asked for his autograph. He was so gracious, and obliged, of course.
When I'm 64?"
Wasn't that just yesterday??
I feel old.
scarlett: Thanks for reading. Wearing one of my Beatles shirts to bed tonight...
victoria: Glad you liked it. Do you have a fav Paul song?
trilogy: Seriously! I feel like I just made that cake. Still searching for my photo of it. If I find it I will edit it in.
Ian: Thanks for reading my post. I enjoyed your Paul tribute today also.
abrawang: Yes, there is dispute about In My Life. Paul caims John had the first verse penned when they began to work on it,he wrote the melody and guitar riff. John says Paul helped him wrte teh middle-eight melody and that he'd wrtten all the lyrics before showing it to Paul. There was an existing manuscript apparantly of an early version that had many changes to the lyrics. Also, a musicologist who analyzed it said it fit McCartney's wide and difficult octave style. As for the middle eight-there isn't one- the song alternates between verse and extended chorus. Whew. Was that more than you ever wanted to hear about a song? lol By the way, this was all from the book Paul McCartney, Many Years From Now (Barry Miles)and featured interviews with John as well as Paul.Regardless of who wrote what, it is still my favorite song--by anyone.
You Tubes download slow. I am feeling bloated.
I learned to 'make-out-kiss with Paul's music.
`
YESTERDAY - I miss Maria. She moved.
Her father worked for The B & O railroad.
She taught me how to kiss. She was so fun.
R
Art: Here's to Maria--wherever she is.
icyhighs: I appreciate that! I know everyone's reasons may differ, but the bottom line is McCartney fans all love him.
tai: You're welcome. :)
Mary: Glad you enjoyed the photos. Still hunting for the one of the cake I made him.
I had a feeling for George as well only to find we shared the same birthday, same year to the hour... Great post RRR