Rocker Tips his Hat to the Pop Music of his Parents' Generation
Michael Bolton sang opera. Rod Stewart did an album taken from the Great American Songbook. Now, Sir Paul McCartney has recorded a collection of standards he called Kisses on the Bottom. (Yes, even at the age of 69, he's still a bit cheeky.) My musical taste is as wide as anyone's...and if someone wants to hear any of the aforementioned performers do the aforementioned things, I have no problem with that. I always thought McCartney's take on Till There Was You from Meredith Willson's The Music Man was perfect. However, I guess there were two things I thought would remain constant...my 56 mph fastball will never get me to the majors and Paul McCartney will just keep on singing rock 'n' roll. I mean, what's next? Mick Jagger does Monteverdi? AC/DC: Pounding out the Paganini? When the London Symphony played Jethro Tull, it had its moments, especially because the group actually played with the LSO. Beatles go Baroque? Peter Breiner's arrangements were fun and listenable, but a little bit goes a long way. Paul McCartney singing Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive? Where's my copy of Sgt. Peppers? Paul, I hope you had fun, but please...put together a hot band and play the Beatles Songbook. Watch Sir Paul in a recent performance of Till There Was You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NvIn17rIJk