Dyed-in-the-wool Beatles fans will be bowled over by the sheer profundity of unpublished photographs, previously unseen lyrics sheets, journal entries, paintings, and the like. Edited by celebrated Irish poet Paul Muldoon, the anthology is a feast for the eyes. That said, ' The Lyrics' has its own ace in the hole. Love the Beatles? Listen to Ken's podcast ' Everything Fab Four.' A valuable and exhaustive study - especially in terms of McCartney's songwriting practices - 'Many Years from Now' has aged well, easily eclipsing the vast number of other biographies devoted to Beatle Paul.

For one thing, we've been down this road before with the excellent 'Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now,' the 1997 biography penned by Barry Miles in close consultation with the former Beatle. Which is why his two-volume retrospective, ' The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present,' is somewhat mystifying. In short, McCartney's legacy and commanding influence are secure. RELATED: The Beatles' 'Abbey Road' at 50, remixed Witness last year's 'McCartney III,' one of his most compelling albums in decades, reminding us, as I wrote at the time, that at age 78, his musical chops were as exquisite and profound as virtually anyone's. In terms of his musicianship, he is simply virtuosic, distinguishing himself time and time again as an inventive, often groundbreaking guitarist and perhaps the most innovative and melodic bass player to ever pick up the instrument.Īnd perhaps the best part? His talent has hardly begun to ebb. As a writer and performer, McCartney is at home in virtually any style, from rock and country through jazz, R&B, and beyond. Working with John Lennon, his compositions, which include scores of Top 40 hits, will stand the test of time as the crème de la crème of the pop music songbook. Sporting an impressive vocal range throughout the heart of his career as both a member of the Beatles and as a solo performer, he was arguably his industry's most gifted singer from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s. Let's be ineluctably clear from the outset: Paul McCartney stands alone as the finest singer-songwriter and most accomplished musician of the rock 'n' roll era.

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