by Kevin Burton
When Paul McCartney was 14 he wrote a whimsical song called “When I’m Sixty-Four.” As of today he’s 82.
Can you believe that?
On that pivotal night, Feb. 9, 1964, when the Fab Four Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show, their collective age was 86.
A former co-worker observed that “the day we see an obituary for Paul McCartney, that will truly be the passing of one generation to another.” I am sure many would agree with that.
But he is very much alive today, still performing. There was a famous “Paul is dead” urban legend in 1966 that caused an unbelievable stir. That foolishness has been laid to rest, but Paul himself, survives.
He is planning to tour South America this October. You perhaps didn’t know that. But what else can a humble blogger tell you about McCartney that you didn’t know already?
Everything about the man has been over-examined. Can there be anything new under the Beatles/McCartney sun?
On Cheapism.com, under the headline “24 Things you didn’t know about Sir Paul McCartney,” Lacey Muszynski wrote last year on Paul’s birthday.
But many of the things she mentioned I think most people do already know about. A few from her article that I didn’t know:
He Failed Two Choir Auditions
“Sir Paul may be one of the world’s most beloved singers, but that wasn’t always the case. In fact, he failed two choir auditions when he was a boy. The first one was because he didn’t want to be in the choir, so he purposely blew it, while the second was a true rejection. Still, he eventually did make the choir whether he wanted to or not.”
His First Instrument Was a Trumpet
“Though we now associate Paul McCartney most closely with a guitar or bass, his first instrument was actually a trumpet. His father played the trumpet, so for his birthday, he gave his teenage son one. But since Paul was into rock and roll, he didn’t appreciate that he couldn’t sing while playing the trumpet, and switched to guitar.”
He Was on a Plane on Sept. 11
“During the attacks of Sept. 11, McCartney was actually sitting in a plane on the tarmac at JFK airport in New York. From his window he saw the plumes rising after the planes hit the towers.
After that tragic event unfolded, he organized a benefit concert that raised over $77 million for charity and first responders in just one night. It was so successful that the New York Police Department made him an honorary detective for it.”
His First Solo Project Was in 1966
“While he won notice for his solo work after the Beatles, Paul’s first solo project happened while the band was still together in 1966. He composed the soundtrack of the film “The Family Way” along with the George Martin Orchestra. Though he was enthusiastic about the project, he ended up only being minimally involved.”
He Had a Cameo in a Pirate Movie
“Many famous faces have had cameos in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie franchise, and that includes McCartney. He made a quick appearance in “Dead Men Tell No Tales” as Jack Sparrow’s uncle. He actually replaced legendary rocker Keith Richards, who was going to reprise his role as the pirate’s father, but wasn’t available for filming.”
His Family’s Piano Came From a Serendipitous Source
“The McCartney family’s upright piano came from a music store that was owned by the parents of Brian Epstein. Epstein eventually became The Beatles’ manager, and was even known as the Fifth Beatle. Talk about a coincidence.”
He Performed Live for Outer Space
“In 2005, McCartney became the first musician to broadcast live music to outer space, and even holds the Guiness World Record for it. He broadcast a live wake-up call to astronauts on the International Space Station during a concert he was performing in Anaheim.”
“The broadcast lasted about 15 minutes and included a conversation between McCartney and the astronauts and two songs — including “Good Day Sunshine.”
He Makes a Half Million Dollars on One Christmas Song Each Year
“It’s hard to go anywhere in December and not hear “Wonderful Christmastime” playing. Accordingly, royalties from that song alone are estimated to be between $400,000 and $600,000 each year. Given that, he’s probably made at least $16 million on that one song since it was released.”
Finally, here’s one I’m not buying:
Wings Was Not the Original Name of His Band
“Wings is a lovely, airy name for a band, but it wasn’t what McCartney was originally going to name his after-Beatles project. He had decided to call it Turpentine until a Scottish fan pointed out that it’s what you use to remove paint — and suggested they name the band the Dazzlers. Luckily, McCartney eventually decided on Wings over any of those options.”
I’m sure Paul and Linda et al went through several possible names for the band. But I will never believe Turpentine was seriously considered.
Anyway, here’s to McCartney, 82 going on 21, going on forever.
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