March 10, 2012

Kisses on the Bottom From Paul

I just ordered Paul McCartney's latest album Kisses on the Bottom. It isn't the usual music one would expect from a Beatle.  On the contrary, it is music of his parents' day that he listened to them sing as a young boy in Liverpool. He wrote, in the making of this album, that he took in the old tunes his parents and friends would sing as they stood around the piano played by his dad at parties on New Year's Eve. I am loving the captivating tunes McCartney is singing such as the album title, Kisses on the Bottom.  Other album titles include It's Only a Paper Moon, The Glory of Love, and Bye Bye Blackbird; along with many other mellow songs that make me wistful and melancholy.

When my across the street neighbor, Kaye Lynn, and I were young teens, we played a lot of Beatles' albums. She was absolutely in love with Paul McCartney and had a huge poster of him on the wall in her bedroom. We would gaze into Paul's dreamy eyes and melt. He was cute for sure, but teary, hysterical teen was not my style as much as it was Kaye Lynn's. She could get so worked up over the mention of Paul's name. Although, I did love the Beatle music. I'm sure I can still sing along with the first Beatle album I owned word-for-word, predicting the next song before it starts. That album was played over and over on my little stereo turntable in my pink bedroom daily in the 1960's. One New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 1959, two giggly girls played the music of the Beatles ringing in a new decade and toasting 1960 while clinking Mom's fancy stemmed glasses filled with 7-UP. When I see Paul McCartney's eyes, I still think about my friend Kaye Lynn and wonder where she is and how she is doing. Those were days of learning and adventures.

As I listen to this new album recorded by an elderly Beatle, the soft sound of the guitar is thoughtful. My daddy played guitar. Even though his style was more country than McCartney's, still there is something about these melodies I am hearing that reminds me of Dad's electric guitar phase. Daddy bought a used electric guitar with a speaker attached that sat on the floor beside him as he played. That guitar didn't look like the modern rock guitars you might think of when you think about electric guitars. Dad's guitar was big, more like his country 6-steel-stringed guitar he normally played. There was a thick black wire plugged into the guitar running down to that little red box on the floor.  The sound coming out was amazing to me. He could make a soft melody sing from that little speaker that was not unlike what I'm hearing now on McCartney's album. Daddy was so happy when he played his guitar. I know how it is to get caught up in playing music, while letting the melodies and words waft over your soul. It's a feeling I can relate to even now as I listen to McCartney's tunes. I miss playing music with Daddy and this music is making me miss him all the more.

It surprised me to realize that Paul McCartney was born in 1942 and is 69 years old, turning 70 this June. The surprise came from the fact that this pop music icon from my teenage years is no different from the rest of us and is now a senior citizen. The second surprise in learning his birth date was that he was born the same year my oldest brother, Johnny, was born. Johnny was 69 years old when he passed away last June and would have been 70 on his birthday last January. It is sad to see that generation fading away, but so glad that McCartney is doing well and representing them by staying active doing what he loves, singing and enjoying music. It's older people like him, I need to pay attention to and not lament my approaching 60th birthday so much. Paul is an inspiration to me to stay active, working and loving the things that make me the happiest.
Paul McCartney - Still a dreamy sort of guy!
Well. The music continues to play and soothe my soul. I'm in a blues-sort-of-mood today listening and remembering by-gone days while feeling they all were just yesterday. Music has powers to move, motivate and inspire. I find that my best writing is done with music playing in the background.

So...Make my bed and light the light, 'cause I'll be home late tonight. Blackbird, oh Blackbird. Blackbird, bye bye.
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