And he was one of the most beautiful men of all time |
Yes exactly, I've thought the same for years:
The part about being the most accomplished musician in the Beatles was a little underwhelming because although it compares Paul's musicianship to Lennon and Ringo, it does not compare McCartney's guitar work to that of George Harrison. Although clearly McCartney was a more all-around musician, I think Harrison could play guitar and sitar, but I haven't heard him doing anything with any other kind of instrument. The reason people believe Lennon said that Ringo "wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles" was because McCartney is such a good drummer.
When Beatles drummer Ringo Starr briefly quit the band during the recording sessions for “The White Album,” McCartney supplemented his bass and vocals duties by filling in on a number of standout tracks (including “Back In The U.S.S.R.” and “Dear Prudence”) with stellar performances on drums. And as soon as The Beatles broke up and Starr was no longer around, McCartney played every single drum track on his first solo album, then on a number of Wings albums and other solo albums thereafter.
It was the part about pushing them to get their post-touring albums done that was the most significant:
But just five days after Epstein’s death, McCartney took the reins and pushed his bandmates to move forward with the new Magical Mystery Tour project he’d devised. But Lennon was still on his way out: The following year, Lennon began making music outside The Beatles (with Yoko Ono) and even stormed out of sessions for “The White Album.”
That dynamic — Lennon one foot out the door, McCartney keeping everyone together — held steady for the next two years. Even when The Beatles actually did come together for an enormous success like “Hey Jude,” Lennon saw little but the group’s end. Lennon later said of that song’s lyrics, “The words ‘go out and get her’ – subconsciously – [Paul] was saying, ‘Go ahead, leave me.'”
OK so the world would not be worse off without Magical Mystery Tour - but I think it's very true that McCartney held the Beatles together for the three and a half post-touring years.
McCartney was probably more self-controlled and kinder than virtually all rock and roll dudes of the 1960's.
And the cutest Beatle.
And the cutest Beatle.