My Guilty Pleasure: Paul McCartney's Solo Years

(Originally published November 24, 2008 by Jewcy.com)

After the Beatles called it quits in 1970 John begged us to give peace a chance, George explored the immaterial world, Ringo... well, Ringo doesn't count... and the critics damned Paul for singing unbearable, syrupy schlock that offended anyone who was not technically deaf, as well as deaf people who actually read his lyrics.

However, McCartney's solo catalog is the most genuinely ass-kicking of all four, despite its many cringe-inducing flaws. Yes, "Ebony and Ivory" is a more sinister torture than anything that occurred at Abu Ghraib, "Freedom" makes you wish the government would outlaw music, and synth-laden ‘80s holiday anthem "Wonderful Christmastime" inspires thoughts of self-immolation, but McCartney had the lowest lows and the highest highs: "Maybe I'm Amazed," "Live and Let Die," "Band on the Run," "Junior's Farm" and "Jet" rock as hard as any Beatles song, and his acoustic tunes such as "Junk," "Distractions," "Jenny Wren," "Here Today" are peaceful and poignant.

 

In a morbid way, Lennon's solo work benefits from his 1980 death because he was unable to ruin his music with awful ‘80s production values and middle-aged nostalgia, but there are plenty of gems--alongside the unforgivable (yet catchy!) abominations--in McCartney's later work: "My Brave Face," "Your Way," "Lonely Road," "Calico Skies," "She Is So Beautiful," "Gratitude," and "No Other Baby." I would never, never play these songs with friends in attendance, and there is no dignity in admitting Paul is your favorite Beatle--actually there is quite a bit of shame, horrible shame--but as a wise man once said: "Everybody gonna dance tonight, everybody gonna feel all right, everybody gonna dance around tonight, woooooooooo." Listen to what the man said.