She Loves You Yeah, Yeah, Nah!!

When I was in fourth grade way back in 1964, there was only ONE Paul. That would be Paul McCartney. Although media and news were downright primitive back then, I saw him on enough magazine covers, Ed Sullivan appearances, and then in the Hard Day’s Night movie to decide I was in love. I played him singing on my Beatles records on a crude children’s turntable without speakers until they wore out. In the days before video players, cable TV and movies on demand came out, I paid my 50 cents dutifully each and every weekend while A Hard Day’s Night played in my local theater, and stayed for two and sometimes three showings of it.

Paul mesmerized me because of that adorable mop-top haircut, which was in the era of shorter hair on boys, because of those big hazel, expressive eyes of his, and of course his voice – that British accent and the beautiful singing voice.

He was different than anything in my world at the time and despite my very young age, I pretended I was Jane Asher, his girlfriend at the time. My friends would play-act with me and one would be Patti Boyd, George Harrison’s girlfriend, and one would be Cynthia Lennon, while the short straw would have to be Maureen Starr.

We faked our British accents and had a blast pretending those gorgeous, famous boys were all ours.

It seems I never got over that huge Paul crush, continued buying every record and magazine cover of his through my teens and early adulthood. I had a Paul doll too which I still display in my family room.

For some of my biggest thrills ever, I was fortunate enough to see him multiple times in concert, (starting in the 80’s before he would play any of his Beatles stuff,) during his tours for his solo stuff, and enjoyed him singing the Wings stuff too. The last several concerts I saw, he started getting more sentimental and playing quite a bit of the old Beatles catalog. Those were even more special – that same beautiful singing voice never seemed to age.

During one memorable concert, I was high on life for days after seeing him from the 8th row center at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was my most intimate peek at the man I always idolized.

Now of course, Paul is a grandpa and an older man. He just doesn’t do for me what he once did, I am sad to say. It is the same strange feeling I get when I see my first steady boyfriend, who in my mind’s eye is always the same handsome 17 year old he was when we started dating, only now he is an older man and hasn’t aged particularly well. It is just not right.

Paul Mac’s concession to old age seems to be dying his hair and remaining slender. But it is still not the same.

My Paul will always be the young Paul. Seeing him on Saturday Night Live with a young actor named Paul Rudd, I found myself crushing much more on the Rudd guy.

What a cutie! I have been following him since his role on Clueless, and boy has he aged well. Paul’s voice seemed aging too – he strained on his notes. The glory days are gone for good it seems.

I guess it was about time I outgrew my Paul McCartney crush anyway, don’t you think?

3 comments

  • I can relate to this “Paul-mania” since I now have the 24 hour Serius Radio, Paul Mcartney station in my car! Last nite they played a life Paul concert from NYC and I actually sat in my car, in my garage, to listen to this music. (Does anyone know a way to access Serius Radio from outside of the car???)

  • Paul was always my favorite too, but he’s turned me off over the years, with his political comments. I wish these entertainers would just stick to entertaining!
    Paul Rudd is adorable, loved him on Friends!

  • I was the oddball in my crowd, evidenced by my only answer when asked who my favorite Beatle was..I’d always say”John”..always picked the brains over beauty! And even back in junior high I wasn’t bowled over by Paul’s over simplified lyrics, but I remain a rabid Fab Four fan to this day.

    As for Paul Rudd..I so much wanted to be Cher in “Clueless.” Paul Rudd’s “Josh” was the qunitessential definition of “my type.”

    I could watch that movie forever…

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