Is That Legal?

Well, back in the day, I thought he was insipid. I liked John, who was "serious." And Wings seemed to me an abomination. But as I get older, the current McCartney is starting to appeal to me more. You've heard the expression, "Whistling past the graveyard."? I like the "End of the End" lyrics because I relate to them, albeit with some doubt about what comes after. Life has been pretty good so far, even with all the huge tragedy and loss in the world and my very small share of it. I've been lucky. I actually put a provision in my will providing for a party a year after my death, with lots of drinks and music and dancing, where I hope people will tell the old stories and the old jokes. It's a more prosaic form of those lyrics. So does this mean I have become insipid or more serious about elemental things? Don't know. Don't care any more. I hope you live long enough to come to the party and dance to old Beatles tunes. (And for you, I'm sure they'll play some Squeeze.)

BTW, I suppose there is no "right" way to mourn or to be mourned, but if you were Irish, the idea of your own funeral being a moment to flee from sadness (or more precisely for your family and friends to flee from sadness) would make perfect sense to you. It's a distinctive feature of the culture. The idea is: "Why make everybody sit around in ashes and sackcloth? Let's dwell on what we loved about the departed and have a laugh." Of course, the funeral itself is rarely fun, but the party afterward.....

ELM: I get it. But you're missing an important difference between your will and McCartney's musical will. You're giving people a year to deal with your passing as they see fit before you reach out to wipe away their tears. McCartney wants to do it at his funeral. Maybe it helps him feel better about his death to think that he can keep people from being sad on the day of his funeral ... but that strikes me as pretty disrespectful of the range of feelings that the world of people who have cared about him may have. Personally, if I went to somebody's funeral and they told me that the dead person had left instructions that I should not cry but laugh, not be sad but be happy, I would be pissed at the dead person.

Paul never recovered after Magical Mystery Tour. That turd was his idea, and he clearly didn't have a problem with it (remember Give My Regards to Broadstreet?).

With the exception of Let Me Roll It, I don't think Paul ever wrote anything that wasn't self-conscious after Revolver.

And how many times did he record the same song over and over (Your Mother Should Know, Martha My Dear, You Gave Me the Answer)? What John politely termed the granny songs.

Having recently finished Bob Spitz' biography I am back to thinking what I always knew: In the early days Paul had the ability, but John had the talent. George delivered them a massive f*&%-you with his contributions to Abbey Road. All three were damn lucky to have Ringo. His drumming is inspired in its simpicity (no more so then on Rain).

John never wrote the same song twice (maybe he should have). In the long run George comes out on top in my book. It was good to see they are re-issuing the Traveling Wilburys music; that was George's project. A little cloying maybe, but ultimately the music stands up (can you imagine the same project with MacCartney at the helm?)

And George's All Things Must Pass is the masterpiece none of the other Beatles ever achieved in their solo careers.

I don't think this is an uncommon happenstance regarding a large amount or rock or popular music, in general. Something happens over time and particular listeners stop hearing what was once some of their favorite music in the same old ways...it can be liberating, or it can be depressing. Since my first experience with this was to get sick over of listening to the Doors, I considered it liberating and just went on.

Although, wouldn't McCartney be appropriate music if you were on a drug which cause inappropriate happiness?

ELM: Unfortunately, I did not end up experiencing that particular side effect.

I am appalled at Paul's latest album. Not one good song on it, its all soulless and dead.

At one point I thioght he was making fun of Tiny Tim, the late impresario of the ukelale. But then later in the album it sounds like he is channelling Al Jolson's minstrel show.

Bleak, depressing, sobering, awful.

Truely, its sad to see him with so little to say.