The many musical faces of Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney is a man of many faces. Often described, sometimes derided, as the syrupy counterpart to the sharper bite of John Lennon, he’s displayed more personality – and personalities – over the years than most people give him credit for. Never forget: Lennon didn’t write “Helter Skelter.”

And so, as Sir Paul is poised to kick off his stateside tour with a show Thursday, June 25, at the Colonial Life Arena, let’s analyze and appreciate all his many moods as songwriter: with the Beatles, as a solo artist, with his own Wings and other collaborators.

And yes, some of his output contains a high syrup content. But most of it doesn’t. And the best McCartney songs, the ones we remember and hum and hum some more, have a sweet melodicism – and simple, effective poetry – that seem to say everything we’re feeling.

Rockabilly Paul: “Run Devil Run,” the fret-slamming title song from his 1999 solo album packed with rocking throwbacks.

Country-western Paul: “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” the infectious and galloping track off of 1965’s “Rubber Soul.”

Spiritual and reflective Paul: “Let it Be,” off the Beatles’ selfsame final album. “Mother Mary” might be the Virgin or his own late mum, but either way: the whispered wisdom haunts.

Old-dude oompah Paul (with clarinets): “When I’m Sixty-Four,” written by McCartney (at the advanced age of 16), it appears on 1967’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

Romantic Paul (youthful innocence edition): “All My Loving” the early, chipper 1963 Beatles tune, and one of the brightest and least-complicated rock-’n’-roll love songs ever set to vinyl.

Romantic Paul (self-aware edition): “Silly Love Songs,” the 1976 Wings tune that simultaneously mocks and celebrates the soupy urge to sing for one’s beloved.

Symphonic bombast Paul: “Live and Let Die,” McCartney’s gloriously overcooked, epically orchestral theme song to the 1973 James Bond film.

Randy motorist Paul: “Drive My Car,” off 1966’s “Yesterday and Today.” Did you know the title is blues slang for sex? Beep-beep-mm-beep-beep, yeah.

Socially conscious Paul (tasteful acoustic mode): The lovely “Blackbird,” off the White Album, using birds in flight as a metaphor for the rebirth of African-Americans.

Socially conscious Paul (schmaltzy pop mode): “Ebony and Ivory,” his 1982 duo with Stevie Wonder, using piano keys as a metaphor for racial concord.

Heavy-metal Paul: “Helter Skelter,” the noisy 1968 proto-slasher from the White Album. Go back and listen to it again. It’s scary.

Psychedelic Paul: “Yellow Submarine,” the whimsical 1966 Beatles song about merry times in a subaqueous banana-colored vessel. Paul wrote it; Ringo sang it. On the same 45 as “Eleanor Rigby.”

Beach Boys Paul: “Back in the U.S.S.R,” the White Album’s hard-driving tribute to Slavic ladies and “California Girls.”

New wave Paul: “Coming Up,” the bopping 1980 trifle off his solo outing “McCartney II.”

Bummer Paul (with string quartet): “Yesterday,” 1965’s melancholic, minor-key, minimalist post-breakup ballad. The most covered Beatles song ever.

Total bummer Paul (with string octet): “Eleanor Rigby,” the exquisitely beautiful 1966 downer of isolation.

Incomprehensible (but still weirdly upbeat) Paul: “Jet,” from the 1974 Wings album “Band on the Run.” Does anybody know what this song is about? And does anybody care?

Pleading, disconsolate Paul: “Long and Winding Road,” the lonely ode to unrequited love from 1970’s “Let It Be.”

Synthesized sleigh bells Paul: “Wonderful Christmastime,” his insipid, electro-plagued 1979 contribution to the Yuletide canon. OK. There’s no way around this one: Its toxic syrup content merits a warning label.

If you go: Paul McCartney, Thursday, June 25, 8 p.m. Tickets, $29.50-$252; VIP packages also available. www.LMCtix.com.

Albany Times-Union

This story was originally published June 23, 2015 at 12:24 PM with the headline "The many musical faces of Paul McCartney."