I didn’t see anyone else mention this, so I thought I should. On The Late, Late Show with James Corden, one of the regular segments is “Carpool Karaoke”, in which James picks up a celebrity guest and they drive around Los Angeles singing the celebrity’s songs.
Well this week, he was presenting the show from London and on Thursday, the guest for the segment was Paul McCartney and James and Paul drove around Liverpool, singing Beatles songs while Paul pointed out places that were mentioned in his songs, or with which he had a personal connection. “That’s the church where I sang in the choir.” “This is the barbershop mentioned in Penny Lane.” And he told the story of how he came to write Let It Be. It was really great. Here’s a link to the YouTube video.
That pub scene was amazing. Especially the very early looks on the faces of the audience when they heard that first Hard Day’s Night chord and realized who was behind the curtain.
mmm
Paul lost his mother when he was 14. Of course he has emotions over the place he grew up–how in God’s name would money have anything to do with a longing for childhood and the love he knew at that time?
It’s literally impossible to discount how much nostalgia has been a major part of Paul’s makeup–consider Paul’s output as both musician and lyricist, which has reflected influences from his parents’ generation (even as he also looked to the future via his innovative use of technology in, for example, Tomorrow Never Knows).
Just as not-quite-as-wealthy-but-not-exactly-skint Sting more and more finds himself composing music that shows him emotionally processing his younger days in Newcastle-upon-Tyne–even though they weren’t happy ones–Paul likely feels the same about the Liverpool of his youth.
The part I didn’t like was the part that nothing can be done about. it’s the times…
Everyone who sees him has to video it on their phones. No one can just enjoy the moment. And you know the reason there was a huge crowd outside his childhood home was social media. (and no one cared about James Cordon! )
Was his house a museum? because it seems unlived in.
I kept meaning to watch this as it showed up in my YouTube feed. (I love Carpool Karaoke.) But I’d somehow not watched it before seeing this post. So thanks.
I liked it. Though it did bug me a bit that they had James up a bit loud–until they got to the bar where I could really hear Paul sing, and he can still sing.
And I’m fine with videoing things, and find it weird that people care. I’m fine if you want to just enjoy the moment. But I very much enjoy the times when I have captured the moment, and find it’s easier to enjoy later if I at least film a little bit of it, so I can refresh my memory–just like you do when you see an old photo. And, well, it doesn’t really take me out of the moment–knowing I have nothing to remember it by does.
It’s a painted sign on a pretty substantial brick wall. Difficult to nick, though I’m sure that there have been previous attempts. (It’s also at the “wrong” end of the street. The street is fairly long and all the references in the song are from the other, northern, end.)
There’s a whole extra level to it if you’ve lived in Liverpool and know the city, of trying to spot the locations outside the car.
For the record, the pub is The Philharmonic, which is simply one of the great hostelries in the land. Famously has to do an annual open day so that women can inspect the grandeur of the mens’ bogs. Not necessarily the pub in the area with the strongest Beatles association - John and Paul went to the Art School nearby, so everything in the neighbourhood is thick with claims to them.
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