The Unfettered Critic – June 2021

Sixty-three years ago, a vocal group called Danny and the Juniors wailed the lyrics, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Here To Stay” into a vinyl creed. Preachers and teachers and parents alike pooh-poohed the beat and the lyrics, but to the kids they were pure gospel.

Then Elvis was drafted, Jerry Lee was arrested, Little Richard entered the seminary, and Buddy Holly tumbled into an Iowa cornfield. Soon the softer sounds of Annette and Frankie surfed to the top of the charts. Rock ‘n’ roll’s scream—“Wop Bop A-Lu-Bop, A-Lop Bam Boom”— dwindled into “Johnny Angel.”

However…

Merchant marines carried American vinyl to the other side of the pond, to eager ports like Liverpool, where four lads (no, not the Four Lads from California who warbled “Moments to Remember”) named John, Paul, George and Ringo absorbed those American 45s, cultivated the sound as only they could, quickly proclaimed “We shall be Beatles with an ‘a’,” and spun that American sound around the globe.

Well, Danny (remember him) hadn’t known how right he was. It’s been fifty-seven years since the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” invaded domestic radio. Along the way, Paul musically anticipated the joys of being sixty-four. He now is, believe it or not, seventy-eight. And Ringo has turned eighty. That they still are performing, with voices gently mellowed with age, is a feat in itself. And they still look fab.

The world lost John in 1980, and George in 2001. But the hits have continued. From Paul: “Maybe I’m Amazed;” “My Love;” “Silly Love Songs;” and “Live and Let Die.” From Ringo: “Photograph,” “It Don’t Come Easy,” “The No No Song,” “Back Off Boogaloo,” and a cover of “You’re Sixteen.”

It’s this staying power that prompted us to purchase two new CDs this month. We hadn’t heard any of the cuts, but our sense of nostalgia was enough. They are:

  • Paul McCartney’s McCartney III.
  • Ringo Starr’s Zoom In.

Paul wrote and recorded III while sequestered on the farm facing pandemic impatience. Like McCartney (1970) and McCartney II (1980), III is a solo effort, i.e., “all Paul.” He sings everything (including harmonies) and plays everything. (Check out Youtube for “Find My Way” to see the variety of keyboards, percussion instruments, guitars and basses that he tackles.) Tracks are sweet or simple, or even a little “synthy” (yeah, there was a synthesizer on the farm, too). We found that the better cuts are mostly acoustic: “Long Tailed Winter Bird” and its mate, “Winter Bird, When Winter Comes.” That’s not unusual for Paul—he’s been a fan of “tin pan alley” and “pop” since he was a young lad. But we have two kvetches: We don’t hear a “hit” among the new material; and too many similar rhythms reveal that Paul essentially is a one-trick drummer.

As for Ringo—one of the bonafide greatest rhythm keepers in history—we’re happy to report that Zoom In is a “fun-guy-rockin’-with-fun-friends” collection. Ringo seldom writes his own songs; he counts on musical buddies to contribute, and often to play on them. His album starts with our favorite tune of the batch, “Here’s to the Nights,” written by Diane Warren. The cut features guest vocals by McCartney, Joe Walsh, Sheryl Crow, Dave Grohl, Chris Stapleton, Lenny Kravitz and…well, let’s just say Ringo has a lot of buddies. We have but one kvetch here: With only five songs, the collection feels short, and spins by a bit too quickly. Ringo should have called Diane one more time.

Kvetching aside, we love that these albums exist. And, as you know, love is all you need.