Paul's New CD: Yes
When He’s Sixty-Four
By Jill Kuraitis, 7-15-07
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| The Paul of the younger baby-boomers | |
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The responsibility of reviewing music by Paul McCartney is enough to rattle this Beatles-era middle-aged mom, but listening to “Memory Almost Full” was inspiring enough to sally forth.
From the almost silly simplicity of “Dance Tonight” to the Lennon-like “Vintage Clothes” to my favorite, the jaunty “Ever Present Past” the sheer variety of musical styles and instrumentation make the CD great fun and, in a way, a trip back in time.
We who were young during the Vietnam war – and the protests, and Richard Nixon, and one of the best/worst decades in American history – may react to Paul’s songs with a certain sadness, nostalgia and a longing for youth. Growing up in California was probably very different from coming of age in Idaho, but my high school memories included a lot of sitting around in friend’s bedrooms, silently nodding our heads to the Beatles, singing along, and what-seemed-serious debates about lyrics and Yoko Ono. In college, similar episodes included, um, a hazy atmosphere; head-nodding was a way of life.
(Did you know that if you tap your fingernails on your teeth while nodding, you can fascinate yourself for hours?)
Some reviews have said there is no Beatles here, no Wings, but I hear a Sgt.Pepper-like style in parts of “Nod Your Head” and snippets of John and George in “Gratitude” which is my least favorite, along with “House of Wax.” “Gratitude” seems to be forcing lyrics into music instead of the other way around, and “House of Wax” depresses me.
But the singable momentum of“Ever Present Past” makes up for anything:
I’ve got too much on my plate
Don’t have no time to be a decent lover
I hope it isn’t too late
Searching for the time that has gone so fast
The time that I thought would last
My ever present past
It’s somehow touching that Paul plays many instruments on “Memory Almost Full” along with the members of his touring band. Rusty Anderson on guitar deserves some kind of award for his performance here, especially on “Only Mama Knows.” My teenager was awed by that one.
The lyrics and eccentric experiments with the vocals of “Feet in the Clouds” are an example of Paul’s ability to be funny and nostalgic and his still-present originality. He clearly hasn’t retired his inner poet.
Teacher said
I had my head in the clouds
They directed
I suspected
Disconnected
Had it my wayOn the street
I had my feet on the ground
Stood corrected
Well protected
Had it my way
The power of the album is the songwriting, and Paul continues to make history with his lyrics. “The End of the End” includes this…
On the day that I die
I’d like jokes to be told,
and stories of old
to be rolled out like carpets
that children have played on and laid on
while listening to stories of old ...
From the surprise my big brother and I felt in 1964 when my mother came home waving “Meet the Beatles”, saying “these boys are going somewhere!” to the wondrous gratitude that Paul’s best solo album really did come out when he was 64, I have always loved the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo, in all their various groups.
But I was always a Paul girl.
Still am.
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Comments
Later, I went to college in a place which attracted talented people. Robin Williams, Tommy Lee Jones and other actors who went on to win Tonys were in my class. My mom picked 'em every time. (She had the good sense to tell me I was lousy!)