Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Sorry, I didn't mean to single anyone out here. I read and hear Macca bashing everywhere.

In everything I read about him or from him, he still conveys a love for Lennon.

In many Lennon books and articles, Macca is treated like a smelly fish.

He was Lennon's equal in the Fab 4

How can there be any sort of positive debate when so much mud is slung in the opening salvos against anyone who does not agree with the apparently popular consensus.

Consider these inflammatory remarks posted in this thread:

"Now a famous guy is being critized because, what, he seems callous and indifferant to his friends tragic death. rubbish! Those critics need to get a life"

"Paul replied quickly and moved on. Anybody who criticizes his reaction is a doofus."

"Anyone who sees him as "callous" because of this is certainly an idiot."

Lets not worship at this mans throne. He is after all, only a man and full of imperfections just like we are. Yes he is a very good bass player, songwriter, singer and he was one of the best in the business at one time at his craft. But he is not infallible.

Lets agree to not put labels on people who have different opinions and move on with the debate.

That sums it up well, Brian.

If there's anything to be learned from this, whether one is 'famous' or not, it's to be careful what you say and how you say it when there's a camera pointed at your face...(the same is true when posting to a public Forum such as this).

Having said that...a "drag"??? John's murder was a "drag"? Man, that's just so lame...a paper cut is a "drag"; a stronger term is really what's required here, and I'd let Paul off the hook if working with words wasn't such a crucial ingredient in his chosen career...

FWIW, when I was a teenager, my grandmother died. When I heard the news, I didn't look up from watching a 'Gilligan's Island' rerun. Does that make me callous? I frankly didn't know what to say or do. Besides, I was intently trying to figure out exactly why I prefer Mary Anne to Ginger...

As incisive as a paper cut, Dane! Well said, as has been well said here before.

Ya know what I mean?

I just think it is unfair to form an opinion about what someone is all about based on one sentence he uttered under extreme duress.

Obviously he held John in very high esteem and cared about him as a person, and was very saddened by what happened. Let's also remember he is British and the whole "stiff upper lip" thing might have been in effect, maybe he just wanted to get out of there ASAP and not have to talk about it. Who knows?

But for us to make generalizations about him based on this is absurd. If someone asked me how I felt when my brother died last year at age 38, on the day it happened, might have caught me at a very bad moment because I was a wreck. It would also be unfair of them to judge me because of that one moment in my life.

I'm not bowing down at the altar of McCartney, I'm just saying let's cut the man a little slack over this.

The whole 'stiff upper lip' thing is what got Scott's men killed on the way back from the Pole...and as much as I think we 'Americans' need to re-examine elements of our culturally reinforced behavior, I think the Brits need to look at some of their 'tendencies' as well...

...as do all the 'peoples' of the world. It just doesn't do any good to sing 'All You Need Is Love' in the studio if you can't bring some of that to bear in 'real life'...

My opinion of McCartney is based on 43 years of observation. Not just one isolated incident.

As has been touched upon on this thread, people tend to leave a pattern that is clearly distinguishable from their public persona.

Paul certainly has left some interesting clues that underscore who he really is and the evidence suggests that he is quite different from the fabrication that has been formed into his public front.

As long as we're reading into the personalities of people we don't know, let's speculate what Lennon might have said should the situation been reversed. Something like "Well, he never liked Yoko anyway" perhaps?

Come now, Jerry...it's difficult enough to discuss things that actually took place...

What if Napoleon had had a B-52 at the Battle of Waterloo?

How do you know that Lennon might not have said: "This is one of the worst days of my life...how about getting that camera out of my face?"

I like my Lennon non-quote better.

What if Napoleon had a B-52? He probably would have crashed. Couldn't see over the controls, I speculate.

No, that's not right. He couldn't have taken off, they had no runways.

A B-52 at Waterloo? Interesting. What if he'd had the B-52's at Waterloo?

You've identified the main problem with historical 'speculation'...

Perhaps Lennon would have just sunk down into the bath water sputtering the phrase "Helf uns!"

Dane: I think it's safe to say that Mothra would have destroyed the B-52 before it could reach the target zone. But what if Wellington had had a thirty-foot-tall electronic penguin with green tentacles that could sting people?

Why then, we'd all be speaking English today!