The Cute Beatle Is 83 Years Old

 

And what better way to celebrate the man than by drawing attention to a song that most people don't like.

The third track on Side One of McCartney's 1983 release "Pipes Of Peace" is a song that will forever be remembered (or forgotten) for the following lyric:

"I know I was a crazy fool/for treating you the way I did/but something took hold of me/and I acted like a dustbin lid." 

That song is "The Other Me, which All Music calls a "synthesized, soft-rock lark." But aside from that "dustbin lid" line, I think "The Other Me" is genius record making.

Here's why: 

First, it's hard to beat the melody of the verse, which ends with a lovely four note guitar accent. 

The chorus too, has a hook to die for.

Next, Macca utilizes a number of Paulie tricks thoughout, such as that sweet "ooh, WOO hoo" that ends the second verse, or that incredibly confident "hmm uh heh uh" that ends the third right at the 2:45 mark. Or, how about that high harmony on the bridge? He saves more harmony for the third verse. Then, right after the false ending...and who doesn't love a false ending...he takes that confidence to new heights with a couple of "bow de dow, chk, bow de dow, chk, bow de dows" instead of lyrics for the last chorus.

Whimsical? You bet. Maybe a bit too cute, even for Paul? Sure! But these are pluses in my book. It's masterful, and again I'll say, confident record-making. 

Few, if any songwriters could get away with a song this lightweight. But it is by no means fluff. In a world of "Yesterdays" and "Hey Judes," we need songs like "The Other Me." Actually, I'm sorry I'm comparing songs. The heaviness of "Yesterday" or "Hey Jude" should have no sway over the brilliance of a pop record like "The Other Me." The latter is by no means a throwaway. It's entirely possible that McCartney tossed that one out while eating a salad, but the mere fact that he could is the point.

Happy Birthday, Paul!