It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.
Tonight Paul McCartney will be making his way to Seattle’s Safeco Field for a sold out show. It will be the first music concert at the field since its opening back in 1999. Preparations at Safeco for the music icon’s appearance began this past Monday and crews have been putting in long hours to make sure that everything is just right. Here is an audience member’s video footage from Sir Paul’s tour stop in Orlando from this past May to give Seattleites an idea of what they are in for tonight:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y3FD5Op4uY
Born James Paul McCartney on June 18, 1942 in Liverpool, England to a nurse and a cotton salesman who also was a jazz musician. McCartney originally learned music by ear and started out on Spanish guitar, trumpet, and piano. He formed the Beatles in 1960 with John Lennon, whom he met in at a church festival and childhood school friend George Harrison who McCartney met at the young age of 14. A few of the Beatles songs written by McCartney include “Yesterday” , “Let It Be”, “Paperback Writer”, “When I’m Sixty-Four”, “Hey Jude”, “Back in the U.S.S.R.” and “Eleanor Rigby” to name just a few. After the breakup of the Beatles, McCartney went on to form Wings with his late wife Linda McCartney in 1971. Wings had 14 top ten hits in the US such as “My Love”, “Live and Let Die”, “Uncle Albert”, and “Band on the Run”. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 1999 and the Guinness Book of Records even went so far as to declare him “The Most Successful Musician of All Time”. At the age of 54 back in 1997, McCartney was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. At 71 years young, he hasn’t slowed down and continues to tour. Although this current tour is in support of his 2012 release, Kisses on the Bottom, the majority of his live show includes the array of his vast songwriting collection.
And now, here are just a few all-time favorites written by Sir Paul himself...
The Beatles - Yesterday
The Paul McCartney penned song, “Yesterday” appeared on the album Help!, which was originally released on August 6, 1965. As performed during The Beatles’ fourth appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which took place on Saturday, August 14, 1965. Their six song set during this episode included, “I Feel Fine”, “I'm Down”, “Act Naturally”, “Ticket To Ride”, “Yesterday”, and “Help!”. “Yesterday” has been covered by well over 2,000 musicians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-1my_NSqrA
The Beatles - Hey Jude
Released August 26, 1968. McCartney wrote “Hey Jude” in order to help John Lennon’s son Julian during his parent’s divorce. It was the first single released by The Beatles’ label, Apple Records. The set for this video footage was designed by McCartney himself. Some of the background drama that was taking place during this time was that Ringo Starr was returning from a two week hiatus during which he had initially announced that he was leaving the band. This video shoot marked his return.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4MqYMXRqY8
Wings - Band On the Run
This video includes tons of footage of Paul and Wings together on the road for tours. The song was released on April 8, 1974 in the US and includes a three part medley about money and contracts in music, and then breaking free from the money and being more about the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5RGns2Ffdo
Honorable Mention:
Paul McCartney - Maybe I’m Amazed
McCartney wrote “Maybe I’m Amazed” back in 1969, just before The Beatles broke up. This single eventually ended up on the album McCartney, which was released in the US on April 20, 1970. This is a live version of the song performed by Paul McCartney and Wings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_FiIilTwIA
The Beatles - Let It Be
This one Sir Paul wrote for his mother, who passed away when he was only 14 years old. It became the title track for The Beatles’ final album which came out in 1970.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4zaofnVhps
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5. Today, Mick Jagger celebrates his 70th birthday, so we’re looking at our favorite videos from The Rolling Stones.
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.
Tune in this Friday, July 19th, as KEXP celebrates Six Degrees of Sharon Van Etten Day, a day of “on-the-fly” programming inspired by the musical collaborations of singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten. (Van Etten reports, “It's kind of freaking me out. Haha!”)
