In a bit of serendipity last night, with no book on hand to listen to, I switched on “Late Show with David Letterman” and caught Paul McCartney’s appearance.
Totally entertaining! And, why wouldn’t it be? The king of ad lib met his quick-witted match.
Letterman welcomed McCartney back to the Ed Sullivan Theater where the Fab Four rocked America in 1964.
Sir Paul’s dry wit played perfectly off Letterman, who said he had been trying to get him on the show since its beginning “maybe once a week, so what do we need to know going forward?” In his best deadpan cockney, McCartney said, “I don’t like the show.”
The two reminisced about what it was like for a 22-year-old kid that night 45 years ago on Sullivan’s show. McCartney said he found out backstage that he would be doing a solo of “Yesterday,” something he had never done before. As he stood in the wings waiting for Sullivan to finish his introduction, he said the floor manager asked, “Are you nervous?” When he replied in the negative, the guy said, “Well, you should be; 73 million people are watching.”
Letterman said the Beatles always reminded him of “four guys on a very, very long spring break.”
"Well, it certainly seemed like that, you know, yeah," McCartney said. “You say spring break; we went down to Miami. The British car firm loaned us an MG each, and, you know, there was a beach and sand and girls, and come on!”
You could sense the nostalgia. And, if you're a certain age, you felt it.
In a really grand finale - recalling that last Beatles concert on the Apple label's roof - McCartney performed two songe atop the Theater’s marquee and again had New York City at his feet as thousands lined Broadway for the impromptu concert:
Appropriately, “Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged …” followed by a song from his new album, “The Fireman.” (This is how Lettermna introduced the song although reports this morning say it was "Sing the Changes," off his latest CD, “Electric Arguments.”)
The crowd on the street was treated to a number of other songs after the show, and you can listen to the full concert HERE.
The Baltimore Sun’s entertainment blogger has a pretty thorough recap of the interview HERE.
Let’s see, a 22-year-old kid 45 years ago. That would make Sir Paul my age! I had no idea he was so young!
PHOTO: Paul McCartney, bass guitarist and singer, The Beatles, 1964.
Totally entertaining! And, why wouldn’t it be? The king of ad lib met his quick-witted match.
Letterman welcomed McCartney back to the Ed Sullivan Theater where the Fab Four rocked America in 1964.
Sir Paul’s dry wit played perfectly off Letterman, who said he had been trying to get him on the show since its beginning “maybe once a week, so what do we need to know going forward?” In his best deadpan cockney, McCartney said, “I don’t like the show.”
The two reminisced about what it was like for a 22-year-old kid that night 45 years ago on Sullivan’s show. McCartney said he found out backstage that he would be doing a solo of “Yesterday,” something he had never done before. As he stood in the wings waiting for Sullivan to finish his introduction, he said the floor manager asked, “Are you nervous?” When he replied in the negative, the guy said, “Well, you should be; 73 million people are watching.”
Letterman said the Beatles always reminded him of “four guys on a very, very long spring break.”
"Well, it certainly seemed like that, you know, yeah," McCartney said. “You say spring break; we went down to Miami. The British car firm loaned us an MG each, and, you know, there was a beach and sand and girls, and come on!”
You could sense the nostalgia. And, if you're a certain age, you felt it.
In a really grand finale - recalling that last Beatles concert on the Apple label's roof - McCartney performed two songe atop the Theater’s marquee and again had New York City at his feet as thousands lined Broadway for the impromptu concert:
Appropriately, “Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged …” followed by a song from his new album, “The Fireman.” (This is how Lettermna introduced the song although reports this morning say it was "Sing the Changes," off his latest CD, “Electric Arguments.”)
The crowd on the street was treated to a number of other songs after the show, and you can listen to the full concert HERE.
The Baltimore Sun’s entertainment blogger has a pretty thorough recap of the interview HERE.
Let’s see, a 22-year-old kid 45 years ago. That would make Sir Paul my age! I had no idea he was so young!
PHOTO: Paul McCartney, bass guitarist and singer, The Beatles, 1964.
5 comments:
Thanks, BJ. Looks like Sir Paul still has his faithful fans. That guy can still belt them out. And he's still good looking, so age hasn't hindered him.
For onec, Tiny is glad you didn't have a book. Would have missed this great performance if you had.
Thanks for giving the info and link on this.
Frodo watched Jon Stewart and the Secretary of Health & Human Services. Shoulda watched Paul. Frodo considers John Lennon one of the five subjectively greatest composers of the past 50 years (for pop music). Care to gamble on who the other four may be? HINT: all are male, and only one is black (although Frodo has a hard time leaving Fats Domino out of any such list, he does so here)
Frodo: DemWit has been garbled on my end all morning, but is OK now. Sure was dreading having to figure out how to FIX it. As for your list of composers, you make the distinction "pop music." Otherwise, I would guess the black composer is Chuck Berry, but he's rock 'n' roll. Don't live, but I think Glen Campbell wrote some great songs. Willie Nelson, too. But, there again I'm jumping genres. So, why don't you just tell everyone who they are as I don't have a prayer of guessing. Getting off to listen to James Michener's "Centennial." (I read it when it first came out.) BJ
Willie Nelson, for sure, who else could write for Elvis and Julio Iglesias and all the girls they've loved before?
Lionel Richie, "Penny Lover;" and "Oh what a feelin', Dancin' on the Ceilin';" (if I tarry longer, I'll never get back to work).
Kenny Rogers, "It wasn't me that started that old crazy Asian war. . ." if you ever see him in concert, he gives a lucky fan $50 for every Kenny Rogers song he can name.
Carl Perkins, where would we be without blue shoes, wearing Crocs?
Never have so many received so much from so few.
I had never heard of Crocs until this morning, and now I’ve heard it twice.
I almost guessed Lionel Richie. I’ve seen Willie in concert maybe a dozen times, and enjoyed a Kenny Rogers and Dotty West concert at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Two favorites rise above the rest: “Little Darlin’” by The Diamonds and “Goin’ Up the Country” by Canned Heat. Best singalongs: “Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry …”, “Momma don’t ‘low no guitar playing round here …”, “On the road again, just can’t wait to get on the road again …”, “Jeremiah was a bullfrog …” and “You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant …”. Oh, and “the perfect country and western song!”
Excellent taste, Frodo!
Anyone else care to name some faves?
BJ
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