Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now
by Barry Miles
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Book Summary Information
Author: Barry MilesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-10-15
ISBN: 0805052496
Number of pages: 720
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Book Reviews of Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now
Book Review: Riveting, I Love It
Summary: 5 Stars
I probably can't improve on Amazon's editorial review on the first page of this site, because it says it all,but I will try anyway. This is the most revealing book I've ever read about any aspect of the Beatles, probably because it is told in Paul's own words, in that honest, matter of fact way that all four of them always had. And that's one of the reasons we love em. It really is more of an autobiography. There are three outstanding things about Many Years from Now. One is Paul's recollections about almost every Lennon McCartney song; who wrote what,and each writer's contribution. He even remembers where he was when he wrote each song,and he remembers smells and other people in the room,or what was happening in his life at the time. Very vivid memories. It's incredibly exciting to have this written down in a book that you can refer to any time. Also,his recollections match John's for every song except just two, In My Life and And I Love Her. That's amazing considering John did his song by song thing back in 1980, and Paul deliberately didn't look at it just to see if their memories matched, and they do. Speaking of John, the second wonderful thing about this book, is the facinating, personal info. that Paul brings to light about his best friend and song writing partner. It's obvious that Paul's feelings for John are deep and complicated and tied up with very strong emotion. He goes into a lot of detail about this. I don't understand some reviewers' remarks that Paul is somehow petty because he claims to have written the music to In My Life. Why is this so difficult to believe? Are some people so enamored by John Lennon that they can't imagine that he might have made a mistake? And why do they seem to think that Paul is the one who's lying here? Paul's been saying that he wrote the melody since John's 1980 interview came out. Why would he keep saying it if he didn't feel it was the truth? All through the 70's John was given to mood swings about Paul. Sometimes he loved him and sometimes he said the most outragiously rude things about him. Also, not for anything but how many acid trips did John take in the 60's? Not to mention his heroin use. Can't be so good for the memory. They are actually believing every word that this man says instead of someone who took only a few acid trips and never used heroin. John's feelings often changed with the wind. How could people have missed that? Anyway the third lovely thing about this book is Paul's candidness about everything. For instance, he talks about how he once became sexually aroused at the sight of his mother in her underwear. One reviewer was discusted by this but wait a minute. How many guys would ever admit something like that? Anyone who's read the Kinsey Report about human sexuality will know that there is nothing abnormal about this. But no one would ever admit it. To say the least there was certainly an oedipal thing on Paul's part,concerning his mom. This book is filled with no holds barred,honest stuff like this, and I found it refreshing. No one can ever again, say that Paul holds anything back. He also speaks very candidly about his drug use,revealing a few startling surprises. There is a section about the recording of each album which was wonderful. He talks about his early relationship with Linda,which I enjoyed. What I didn't like is that he dismisses two very important ladies, Dot Rhone and Jane Asher. I guess he has his reasons but I would have liked to see his candidness about these two for a change. I think it is because he didn't want to trespass on their privacy and also, Linda was pretty jealous especially about Jane. This book covers only his youth and the Beatle years, so Wings fans won't find anything here. He also tells the facinating story about his near nervous breakdown after the Beatles break up. The first time I read this book was when it first came out and I was really bowled over by it. At the time I didn't know much about McCartney. What an eye opener. I read it the second time just recently, and I had the same reaction. So I bought it. I will read it again because I love it and want it in my collection. If you only read one McCartney book it should be this one, but there are others that I recommend if you are so inclined: Paul McCartney the Definitive Biography by Chris Salwicz is very good. And of course the Anthology book, and Hunter Davies' authorised biography. Also Ray Coleman's Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today about Paul's music, mainly Yesterday. Even McCartney, the new one by Chris Sandford is not bad, but it is the weakest of the ones mentioned here.But this book, Many Years From Now is the BEST McCartney book, bar none. It is essential reading for not only Paul fans, but Beatle scholars as well. Even casual fans will enjoy it.
Summary of Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now
During the past year Paul McCartney has been in the public's eye more than at any time since the peak of Beatlemania over thirty years ago. His fans have been treated to the best-selling Flaming Pie and Standing Stone albums, a full hour of Paul on "Oprah," and this thoughtful and comprehensive biography that brings us closer to the man than ever before. Based on hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews over a period of five years, and with complete access to Paul's own archives, Barry Miles has succeeded in letting Paul tell the story of his life as a Beatle in his own words. It includes Paul's recollection of the genesis of every song that he wrote with John Lennon and the fascinating details about their remarkable collaboration.
If you think John Lennon was the smart, arty Beatle while Paul was an empty head twittering prettily, this book will hip you to the facts. While John sat in the suburbs getting stoned to numb the pain of his imminent divorce, bachelor Paul was feeding his head by immersion in the London avant-garde. He pioneered the Beatles' experimental stuff, though his witty song-by-song account proves that it really was a 50-50 partnership--and some of the best innovations, like the snarling 1964 feedback intro to "I Feel Fine," happened by pure accident. Paul's insight into John's genius, which sprang from howling paranoia and a stark childhood, is still deeper than his insight into himself, but the book's true glory is its inside info on all those songs--the six tunes about John's marriage on A Hard Day's Night; Paul's heist of the "I Saw Her Standing There" bass line from Chuck Berry's "I'm Talking About You" (found on Berry's The Chess Box); the true meanings of "Norwegian Wood" (pine paneling, which the song's narrator burns to avenge the girl's refusal to have sex with him), "Got to Get You into My Life" ("you" is marijuana), and "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da" ("life goes on" in Yoruba). This book is even better than A Hard Day's Write: The Stories Behind Every Beatles' Song and Revolution in the Head. Here is the last word on the Beatles, inevitably slanted toward McCartney but generally more convincing than Lennon's own recollections. --Tim Appelo
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