- Needed: Paid Research Assistant(s) for a Beatle Project - October 28, 2023
- From Faith Current: “The Sacred Ordinary: St. Peter’s Church Hall” - May 1, 2023
- A brief (?) hiatus - April 22, 2023
It’s awesome how UK magazines always give CDs and stuff away.
Guest post from KAREN HOOPER • I usually read Sir Paul’s interviews with a yawn because it’s the same old answers to the same old questions. However, every now and again he says something that grabs my attention—like the other day, when I read his recent interview with Uncut (which can be viewed as a PDF here). Here’s Paul on Here Today, his elegy to John Lennon:
“There’s one bit that I kinda disagree with when I sing it. ‘Well knowing you, you’d probably laugh and say that we were worlds’ apart…’ He wouldn’t have said ‘we were worlds’ apart.’ But anyway, it works in the song.”
The ‘John and Paul were worlds apart’ meme has been kicking around in some form or another for over 30 years, and here’s Paul saying it was just a line. Maybe this means that, in Paul’s view, John did see him as a comrade-in-arms—or maybe it means that ‘worlds’ apart’ was less cumbersome than ‘pizza and fairy tales.’ I hope it’s the former rather than the latter.
Related posts:
Paul Better Than John? Hell Has Frozen Over!
Plea to Paul: Let it be when it comes to claiming credit
Interview with Man on the Run author Tom Doyle
Interview: McCartney Recording Sessions author Luca Perasi
Review: RAM (Paul McCartney Archive Collection)
Do female Beatles fans understand John and Paul better?
Miley Cyrus’ Boobs Made Paul McCartney Uncomfortable
John or Paul
John, Paul, George, Ringo—and George?
Paul McCartney and Kanye West: “Only One”
Thanks for bringing this interview to our attention, Karen. Three things stand out to me:
McCartney has a John Lennon calendar hanging in his kitchen. (Removing any doubt about how central his relationship with Lennon continues to be to him.)
Of focusing more on his happier, earlier memories of his relationship with John rather than the contentious years around the breakup, he says “Like anyone-sometimes unwittingly, sometimes wittingly-I block the shit. I don’t particularly want to stay with it and wallow in it.” (Deeper than he’s usually credited with being.)
He “talks enthusiastically about his desire to perform a show where he is unshackled from playing ‘Hey Jude’ and the big hits, and can instead focus on the lesser-known tracks of his catalogue.” (I want to yell “DO IT!” so loudly that he can hear me from Chicago.)
Does Paul sing the rock standards, like Long Tall Sally, at his concerts? Those are the ones I’d love to see him perform.
Yes. He did a rousing version of Buddy Holly’s “It’s So Easy” at a Texas concert.
Karen, he busted out a high-energy version of “Long Tall Sally” at Candlestick Park last August. I would pay entirely too much money to hear him do a show based on “Run Devil Run.” I like the “Unplugged” set he did for the unexpected covers it includes, like “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Be Bob A Lula.”
Paul singing Long Tall Sally is almost a religious experience. 🙂
Okay, now I really want to hear “Pinwheel Twist!” (an early McCartney song referenced in the interview)
I found this part interesting, too:
Q: Did you think that people expected you to write a song about John?”
A: If you’re not stupid, that does cross your mind. The same thing happened after Linda died. I thought, “I just want to make the greatest…” But you’re not always capable of responding to that stimulus. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s too big a thing to deliver. I was probably waiting to see if something came, but I couldn’t just sit down and write a response song.
I think this reveals quite a lot of why Paul writes songs, and how it happens for him.
Interesting that ‘Dear Friend’ was a response song–but maybe writing a song as a response to a song is easier than writing a song in response to an event.
I finally got around to reading this interview- wow, very insightful. Couple of things I take away from it. The first is Mary saying that ‘Dad is in a good mood today”. I don’t know exactly why that struck me, but it did. The second is Ringo freebasing in the early 80’s. Holy cow! He’s hit a bottom deeper than I’ve ever known. I’m glad that he got out of that period alive. It is interesting to hear Paul comment on any of the other Fab’s drug use. John, George, and Ringo all overdid it with the hard stuff, and I’d love to hear more of Paul’s thoughts on that subject, especially as he is the one who got busted so many times for pot. The guy clearly self medicated with it for years, but he never destroyed his health with cocaine or booze. All things considered, he is the one who best dealt with the insane fame and incredible expectations. Thirdly, Paul wanting to do a deeper catalog show. Do it!!! I’d love to know what you all would want to hear him do live. I vote for Golden Earth Girl and Daytime Nighttime Suffering. Lastly, Macca is a genuinely nice guy, and I’m just so glad that he is still around doing his thing. Wish he would drop the mask a little more often, “Fucking Allen Klein” style!