They say it’s your birthday …
This week marks Paul McCartney’s 71st birthday. Maybe the most famous musician on planet earth …
My first memory of a Beatles song is listening to ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and being SCARED. Yup, actually getting frightened of the loneliness and the tragedy in the song. I can also vividly remember being fairly freaked out by ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ (and this was long before I started to ‘experiment’). Their music was, for me, something out of this world, something I had never heard before and it intrigued me.
Soon after I found out that Paul McCartney used to be in this little band called The Beatles. Prior to this discovery, I thought he was a solo artist who had a few cool tunes like ‘Band On The Run’ and ‘Jet’. I never knew he was a Beatle !?
And then I found out that John Lennon was a Beatle too? I was floored. The guy who wrote ‘Imagine’ was the same guy who wrote ‘Help!’? Seems weird now, but I was 9 years old or so, and was discovering on my own.
I love them both for their unique twists on songs – McCartney for his sweet melodies, old-fashioned charm and a voice that can sing anything. Lennon for his dark, introspective lyrics and a voice that felt hurt and lonely.
Mustn’t forget George Harrison, who, for my money, may have written one of the classiest tunes of all time – ‘Something’.
Oh yeah, Ringo as well. Some will argue, some will say I’m nuts, but his drumming kills me. Awesome player, who innovated the way drummers play to this day.
I still listen to The Beatles. It’s hard not to admire what they did for music and their brilliance. At times, it takes me back to the days when I would listen to a Beatles record in my bedroom, completely engulfed in the sounds and the images conveyed with the words. Even if it still scares me …
… back to McCartney being so famous. I saw him in concert a few years ago. The guy is so well known, has so many hits and fans – young and old – that he opened up for HIMSELF. The show started with a half-hour video/music montage of Beatles, Wings and solo stuff with photos of him throughout the years. Paul McCartney, opening for Paul McCartney. Too good.
Thanks for reading. See you next time.
CRAIG ROBERTSON 