Tag Archives: The Beatles

Book Review:  The Lyrics:  1956 to Present by Paul McCartney – The Beginning

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First, fair warning:  this is going to be a series of posts.  There is simply too much material, and the entire premise of the project means too much to me.  Before I get into the meat of the book, it is better if readers understand the background.  While John gave me a beautiful hardcover version for Christmas 2021, I am just now reading it.  I knew that I will get sucked in, and I wanted to give it the time and attention it deserves.  The entire idea of this massive memoir grabbed my imagination as soon as it was announced.

In his introduction, Paul McCartney discusses how he has been approached several times to write a memoir or autobiography.  With this idea rolling around for years, his former brother-in-law, Lee Eastman (the late Linda McCartney’s brother), gave him the idea to write a memoir using his song lyrics, explaining their backgrounds and inspirations.  Frankly, it is a brilliant idea.  In creating The Lyrics, Paul McCartney sat down with renowned poet Paul Muldoon to discuss the poetry behind the lyrics.  Paul Muldoon also served as editor.

I may be only through songs starting with C, but I am thoroughly enjoying the book.  The entire organization of the book is unique.  The Lyrics, of course, covers some of the earliest Beatles songs (back to the Quarrymen, actually) to Paul’s latest solo efforts, with Wings in between.  It truly covers 65 years of some of the best pop music ever written.  Some songs written were given to other bands or acts, such as Peter and Gordon and Badfinger.  The book is not in chronological order, but it is instead arranged by song title.  Throughout the book are dozens of historic photographs from McCartney’s personal archives.  Throughout, he explains his song writing process and inspirations.  Another cool feature of the book is that someone took the time to create a Spotify playlist that includes all of the songs in The Lyrics in order that they appear in the book.  You can listen along as you read.  In my opinion, it doesn’t get much better than that.

I look forwarding to sharing more about The Lyrics once I finish the book.  It may a bit, but it will be well worth it in the end.  As a writer, music lover, and avid Beatles’ fan, especially Paul McCartney, I’m obviously the target audience.  Yet, I feel as though there is something for everyone in the book.  Now in his 80s, Paul McCartney is still touring, still writing music, and still out there.  Supposedly, his shows are right around three hours long, without a break.  His work ethic, his passion for performing and songwriting, and deep appreciation for his fans is the only explanation.

The Beatles – Now and Then (2023)

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The Beatles – Now and Then (2023) (Official Video) (Lyrics) (Documentary)

(Written December 4, 2023)

When I started The Mixtapes project on Ramblings of a Misguided Blonde, I knew that I would eventually have to address my love of the Beatles.  Where to begin?  As a result, I let nearly a year go by.  Now, the decision has been made for me.  We will start at the end.

I never dreamed that I would get the opportunity to write about a “new” Beatles release.  Here I am, almost a month after the fact, doing just that.  As a girl born a few days after John Lennon’s untimely death, a fan who witnessed the release of the Anthology Project during her high school years, it feels a fitting conclusion to all that the Beatles have achieved over the decades.  Over the last month, I’ve watched as the reactions to “Now and Then” itself, the music video, and the mini-documentary came rolling in.  Unsurprisingly, there is no consensus.

My only criticism of the “Now and Then” project: the lackluster design for the single.
However, considering the rerelease of the “Red” and “Blue” compilation albums,
it somewhat makes sense.

Beatles fans appear to be solidly in two camps.  The first group is dismissive, stating that “Now and Then” will never rank among their greatest hits.  Of course it won’t!  How could it?  That is not the point.  Advances in technology aside, they state that it never should have been made.  I’ve also heard “fans” (I purposely use that term loosely) complain that video clips of John and George used in the official video are too “irreverent.”  I still have a hard time understanding that criticism from self-professed fans.

My response is simply this:  Did you understand the Beatles – the band and the then young men who created it – at all?  Their humor is a huge part of what made them so great.  Their humor still holds up today.  They simply would not have been the Beatles if you took humor out of the equation.  I love that I can laugh at images of two men who are long gone and dearly missed in a newly released music video.

Then there is my favorite:  “Now and Then” sounds too much like John Lennon’s solo work from the late 1970s.  Of course it does.  That is exactly what “Now and Then” represents, if only a demo.  John did record it in the 70s, and as the Beatles disbanded in 1970, he likely meant for it to be a solo effort.  However, that is only part of the story.  

“Now and Then” is also one of a handful of unfinished demos that Yoko Ono gave to Paul McCartney upon John’s death.  During the Anthology Project, Paul, George, and Ringo completed two of the other demos, “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love.”  At the time, both songs climbed the charts and introduced the Beatles to an entirely new generation of fans.  By the way, both songs, along with their music videos, still hold up – even if some fans are now calling for them to be “cleaned up” as well.

Even though I didn’t think about it at the time, it makes sense that there was supposed to be a third song released with the Anthology Project.  It was released in three parts after all.  That third song?  “Now and Then.”  It just took a few decades, Peter Jackson, and new technology lovingly called “MAL” for it to come to fruition.

Personally, I don’t think that the Beatles could have ended on a better note.  It is nostalgic, almost timeless, and with its humor, the video is even better.  It is a true love letter from Paul and Ringo to George and John – not to mention all of us, the fans.  So, to Sirs Paul and Ringo, thank you!  Once again, the Beatles will be rediscovered by an entirely new generation of music junkies.

On a sidenote, even the 5th Beatle, George Martin, was there in a sense.  In his absence, his son Giles Martin, who just happened to play a huge role in the orchestration of “Love,” helped put those finishing touches on “Now and Then.”

Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band

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When not singing Beatles or solo tunes, Ringo is behind the drums.

“All-Starr-Band-in-Paris Ringo-Starr drums” by Jean Fortunet is licensed under CC BY 3.0.

This past Friday night, I had the opportunity to see Ringo Starr and his All-Star Band in concert in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.  As far as I am concerned, when it comes to music, there are the Beatles and then there is everyone else.  The music I grew up with and loved, all of the 90s “alternative” and the 60s-80s pop rock, simply would not exist without the Beatles – at least not in the same way.  In other words, even though seeing Ringo in person wasn’t on my bucket list, it should have been.  It definitely should have been.

The concert itself left me pleasantly surprised.  There was “Yellow Submarine,” “Photograoph,” “Octopus’s Garden,” and “WIth A Little Help from My Friends,” of course.  Ringo didn’t even announce “With A Little Help from My Friends.”  He quipped that “if you don’t know this next one, you’re at the wrong concert!”  What a great way to end a concert.  All to be expected.

Instead, it was the strength of his All-Star Band that blew me away.  As a child of the 80s and 90s that grew up with 70s and 80s hits, hearing “Africa” and “Rosanna” by Toto, “Free Ride” by the Edgar Winter Group, “Who Can It Be Now“ and “Down Under” by Men at Work, among so many others, was just as much fun.  The sound quality and overall musicianship was far and away the best I have ever seen in a concert.  Then I realized that I was watching men in their 70s and 80s playing, not to prove anything, but to just have fun, truly in love with the music.  They were playing songs that have been around for decades, that they’ve been playing for decades.

The experience became so much more than the concert, though.  After the concert, we walked around a bit looking for the Legends diner.  As we wandered around, suddenly the back doors of entertainment hall opened and the tribal police escorted out the band immediately in front of us.  Everyone froze for a second and then gave them a resounding round of applause.  Even after they were gone, I waited a bit, hoping that Ringo would be following them.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Just as we were going to start our search for the diner once again, I did a double-take.  A Ringo look-alike – as in this man looked exactly like Ringo – was holding court and taking photographs with all who wished them.  Unfortunately, the line was too long, and I am nothing if not impatient.

While the experience wasn’t perfect – namely our seats weren’t quite what we were expecting – it is a weekend that I will never forget.  Saturday, I woke up to the news that Ringo canceled several appearances in his tour due to COVID.  I can only wish Ringo the best as he recovers.

2022 Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band Set List

“Ringo Starr” by PVBroadz is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.