The Beatles – Paul

Did you know that way back in 1964, the Beatles refused to play in front of a segregated audience?

“In 1964 The Beatles were due to play Jacksonville…and we found out that it was going to be to a segregated audience. It felt wrong,” McCartney remembered. “We said, ‘We’re not doing that!’ and the concert we did do was to their (Jacksonville’s) first non-segregated audience. We then made sure this was in our contract. To us it seemed like common sense.”

This was McCartney’s recollection after witnessing the reactions to the George Floyd murder.

This was his hope:

“As we continue to see the protests and demonstrations across the world, I know many of us want to know just what we can be doing to help. None of us have all the answers and there is no quick fix, but we need change,” he wrote on Twitter.

McCartney continued: “We all need to work together to overcome racism in any form. We need to learn more, listen more, talk more, educate ourselves and, above all, take action.”

This seems to be the theme that runs across the Beatles as a band, as well as the individual members. They are all about peace and love, as Ringo was noted to say last week. And that theme surely did show in their music.

Paul’s greatest love song is the one he wrote to & for his then wife, Linda Eastman, photographer & animal right activist. Do you know that? Yes, “Maybe I’m Amazed” is that song. After writing that song Paul is quoted as saying all love songs from this time forth would be dedicated to Linda. They were married in 1969 and she died of breast cancer in 1998. Paul’s mother had also passed from complications from breast cancer.

Through the passing of the two most important women in his life and the break-up of the Beatles, Paul stated:
“I still believe that love is all you need. I don’t know a better message than that.”

And love flows through the theme in many of the songs written by Paul & John Lennon, as well as Paul himself with other collaborators. Here are some:
“All you need is love.”
“Love is old,
Love is new,
Love is all,
Love is you.” From “Because”

“I found out that love was more than just holding hands.” From “If I fell for You”
“Remember to let her into your heart.” “Hey Jude”

“I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.”
“Close your eyes and I’ll kiss you.
Tomorrow I’ll miss you.
Remember I’ll always be true.
And then while I’m away,
I’ll write home everyday.
And I’ll send all my loving to you.”

And one of the most loving and romantic love songs, “Maybe I’m Amazed”
“Maybe I’m amazed at the way you love me all the time.
Maybe I’m afraid of the way I love you.
Maybe I’m amazed at the way you pulled me out of time
And hung me on a line.
Maybe I’m amazed at the way I really need you.”

Now that I’ve got you all mushy, let’s look at some of the other things Sir Paul has been into. Yes, he was Knighted in 1997 and has two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of the Beatles in 1988 and as a solo artist in 1999) He has 18 Grammy Awards, and was appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1965.

Paul was a self-taught musician, preferring to play by ear. He is proficient on bass guitar, keyboards, and drums. When he was 14, his father gave him a trumpet, hoping he would follow in his footsteps, but Paul traded it for an acoustic guitar, so he could sing as well as play.

We know he pursued a solo career and formed Wings after the Beatles split, but he also explored filmmaking, writing, painting, meditation and activism. A longtime vegetarian, he teamed up with daughters Mary and Stella in 2009 to launch Meat Free Monday, a not-for-profit campaign that aims to raise awareness about the detrimental impact of meat consumption on individual health as well as the environment.

He is known for promoting international charities related to such subjects as animal rights, seal hunting, land mines, vegetarianism, poverty, and music education.

Still writing, singing, recording and performing, he is still my favorite Beatle.

And even though he states he is agnostic, I find, once again, that this Beatle too, sounds very Unity…
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”