by Hans Ebert
It’s as if he knows that time is ticking ticking ticking into the future and he doesn’t want to waste a minute of his time not making new things happen while reminding people of everything he has done- not that we need much reminding.
Everything Paul McCartney has done lives with us, and maybe lives for us forever.
There’s much to learn from his creative output over the last couple of years. Like the importance of doing and being instead of carrying on around more empty spaces.
Over the past couple of years, Paul McCartney has had another ticket to ride. A new one. He’s been no day tripper. Instead, he’s being inviting us into his world the best ways he could.
Maybe he thought he had missed something. It’s why there had been so much of everything during his Rockdown period- “McCartney 111” on which it was all Paul and Paul doing everything Paul does so well all by himself when it comes to producing music.
He’s given interviews where he’s opened up as much as he could and which his three best friends would have approved. He’s never crossed that line. Some things are better left unsaid.
He had other musicians and artists rework his “McCartney 111” originals on “McCartney 111 Imagined”.
Here was an invitation to enter yet another aspect and facet of his world.
Some might have enjoyed it, others maybe not, but he did it and there’s nothing wrong in doing what one wants to do and say what’s on your mind. It’s called honesty- with yourself and others. And living your life with no excuses. Maybe we should all do this more often.
For those who wanted memories, there have been Paul McCartney commemorative stamps, collectibles, and all kinds of memorabilia.
Before any of this, he was testing the water and maybe working out how deep he should dive into everything with the children’s book “Hey, Grandude”.
While “McCartney 111” was being taken further with “McCartney 111 Imagined”, there was the book “Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen”.
He’s never forgotten Linda. She’s there in his greatest love songs. It’s where there’s nothing to hide as real love put to song has no secrets. One wonders how he might have grieved when he lost her. How he grieves today.
All those paperback writers write and think they’ve figured things out. No one has and no one will. Just take everything that’s happened for whatever it was meant to be. We each have our own thoughts about all of these.
There’s been the six part documentary “McCartney 321” with Producer Rick Rubin. One never gets tired of hearing the same stories as they make us feel good. They inspire. There’s a childlike joy in eavesdropping into his creative process where you want some of this to touch you. To make you feel how you would feel if you were him. But you never will be him and that’s okay, too.
Scheduled for release at the end of the year is Director Peter Jackson’s definitively definitive version of “Get Back”.
Guess this “Paul Is Back” journey through time first started to fall into place with him joining Rihanna and Kanye West for “FourFiveSeconds”. That was a brilliant track. Still is.
There was then his appearance on “Carpool Karaoke”. Forget the driver. He was a fan like so many of us. That visit to his old neighbourhood made many of us get back to very different times in our lives- a time when music could change the world by inspiring it- and us.
That episode of “Carpool Karaoke” was a long and winding road that led us home. It also helped take us on another round of magical mystery tours where we saw the Fool On The Hill, met that band on the run that had come out of being Rammed, and helped us remember that in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
It was then the deep fake him and Beck coming together on “Find My Way”. His bass lines on “Fixing A Hole” and “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” aside, along with songs and his vocals on “For No One”, “Maybe I’m Amazed”, “Blackbird” etc, “Find My Way” was something different- and creepily fascinating.
One could perhaps see Bowie going “deep fake” and this being accepted, but Paul? doesn’t matter.
Paul McCartney is Sir Paul McCartney. He’s done it all. Probably seen it all, too.
At 79, he can do whatever else he wants to do, because he can. And we’ll continue to love him and support and respect everything he does.
He makes this world a better, happier and more interesting place.
Sir Paul McCartney is the cheerleader this world needs more than ever today.