In the late '60s, a rumor turned urban legend offered Paul McCartney, then of The Beatles, had died in a car accident. The band, in cahoots with Capitol Records, decided to hire a look-alike (and, presumably, a sound-alike) for photos and other public events. But somehow, they inadvertently left clues as to Paul's demise in Beatles songs and album artwork.
It became an obsession in the pre-internet days, as college students scoured album covers, played records backwards (can you even PLAY an MP3 backwards?) to get "hidden" messages. It swept the world for about six months, until the gig finally was up and it was obvious that Paul was very much alive.
Alas, The Beatles broke up, and the four of them went their separate ways. Paul was the most prolific, releasing 3 albums in the space of 2 and a half years. The fourth album was the one that really blew up--Band on the Run. It was typical McCartney--ballads and the occasional mid-tempo song. But the record ended with something out of character, and that's our destination for today's Wayback journey.
Enjoy Paul (very much alive) singing a rowdy love song to his beloved Linda Eastman (who, the rumor went, was part of the Eastman Kodak family, untrue as it turned out). Paul outlived the rumors, outlived Linda (unfortunately), and in his mid-70s continues to amaze and astound us.
I'll take the weekend off. See you Monday (19)...
Pete
1 comment:
Listening to this today makes me think I know where ABBA got some of their musical ideas...
Post a Comment