Paul McCartney, musical icon and so-called “embarrassing uncle” of the UK, is out with a new album today, lifelessly aptly titled New. Though the hackneyed title might be a sign of Macca’s age, after 45 albums and 35 No 1 hits, we’ll give him a pass for being out of ideas. McCartney's musical career spans more than 50 years, and in honor of his latest release, we're looking back at some of his most memorable moments.
1969: Paul is dead
In 1969, just a year before the Beatles split, American college students published articles claiming that clues to McCartney's death could be found among the lyrics and artwork of the Beatles' recordings. In just a few weeks, clue-hunting Beatles fans created an international phenomenon around Paul’s supposed death. One frequently cited clue is that John Lennon says "I buried Paul" at the end of Strawberry Fields. In a disappointing climax to the whole charade, McCartney revealed the words were actually "cranberry sauce". Blame the LSD.
The 1970s: simply Paul
After 1970, Paul wasted no time. He released a solo album, put out an LP with his wife, and formed a new band, Wings. Much of his music from his post-Beatles life received rave reviews. And though that trend didn’t last forever (we won’t even discuss Wonderful Christmas Time) ,some of these hits belong right up there with his Beatles work. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Band on the Run, Wings, Band on the Run (1973)
- Jet, Wings, Band on the Run (1973)
- Silly Love Songs, Wings, Wings at the Speed of Sound (1976)
- Maybe I’m Amazed, Paul McCartney, McCartney (1970)
- Live and Let Die, Wings, 1973
The 1980s: a meeting of two kings
In 1983, the two kings of pop recorded this jam, featured on McCartney's fifth solo album, Pipes of Peace. To no one's surprise, the song quickly became worldwide No 1 hit. To everyone's surprise however, they made this weird video to accompany it.
The duo play "Mac and Jack", a pair of traveling con-men who sell a "miracle potion". A Boston Globe critic stated the ridiculousness of a potion which could aid Jackson in beating somebody at arm wrestling, adding "it's even harder to believe that the two of them didn't get the pulp beaten out of them in that bar for dressing like a pair of Chess King employees”. If you've never seen it, put on headphones and be amazed.
As if this whole thing wasn't awkward enough already, in 1984 Michael Jackson out-bid Paul for the Northern Song Catalogue, aka the rights to all the Beatles songs.
The 1990s: going veg
Throughout their 30-year marriage, Paul and Linda McCartney produced some stellar work (their daughter Stella, for example) and some not-so-stellar work (Off the Ground).
But their legacy as a couple is probably their work on animal rights. Together, they were outspoken vegetarians and animal rights campaigners. Linda even started her own vegetarian food company, Linda McCartney Foods.
The now infamous quote “if slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian” has been attributed to both of them. Paul has also narrated Glass Walls, a documentary about the meat industry.
The 2000s: being 64
The early part of the 21st century wasn't great for Paul. Linda died in 1998. He finally turned 64, married, re-married and started to do typical old-rocker-dude things like producing mediocre albums and touring a whole lot.
2013: New
It’s too early to tell how New will do on the charts, but Rolling Stone has given it four stars and our Alex Petridis named it album of the week – a significant improvement from "damp squib", which is how Luke Jennings described McCartney's ballet production. Macca isn't likely to slow down anytime soon, so if New isn't for you, just wait for the next album.
