Maybe I'm amazed that Paul McCartney is still touring. Maybe I'm amazed he's still touring without a walker.
He's 72.
That's eight years past from when he was 64.
The cute one? Oh, it's so cute when Ensure runs down your chin.
It was big news when it was announced McCartney will play at Petco Park on Sept. 28, the first time he's played in San Diego since 1976. Even San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer commented, saying "Paul McCartney’s upcoming show may be the most memorable yet” for Petco Park.
But can McCartney really still be fab? If he shouts out, "Well, she was just 17 and you know what I mean ..."
Seventeen? Why, she's young enough to be his granddaughter.
If he sings, “If I Fell,” I worry he's going to fall and break a hip.
Now I know that's actually a John Lennon-written song. Yes, I am big Beatles fan. I saw McCartney twice, in fact. The first time was in 1976, near D.C. The second time was many years later in Philadelphia.
It was after the Philadelphia show I swore I would not see him live again.
I thought he was too old then.
I think he's way too old now.
Don't get me wrong. I do admire him for having the energy to still be doing this. He certainly isn't doing it for the money. Obviously, he still loves it. And it's great that fans get the chance to see a living legend.
But …
This is rock 'n' roll, baby. If he tries to belt out “Oh! Darling,” there better be paramedics standing by.
If he sings “Hey Jude,” will he make it through all seven minutes?
I've heard stories about how it was tough to see Willie Mays, the great Giants outfielder, play past his prime.
And I got to see Michael Jordan actually play past his prime when he came back with the Washington Wizards. Instead of “Air Jordan,” people were calling him, “Floor Jordan.”
The great Baltimore Colts quarterback John Unitas played his last season with the San Diego Chargers and was benched after the team started 1-3. Benched!
And let's not forget a bloated Elvis Presley ...
Look, I know it's got to be tough to give up doing something you once did so well. And few, if anybody, did it better than Sir Paul. When I saw him in '76, it truly was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. His voice was strong. He rocked the house. He played “Yesterday” and I cried a tear.
But he's not the man he used to be. His performance at the 2012 Olympics, held in London, was panned by many. "For McCartney to lose his majestic vocal power is an even greater tragedy, for him and for us," wrote Christopher Wilson in the Daily Mail. "We want to remember him as a hero, not a man with suspiciously deep brown hair and a voice that can no longer carry a tune with clarity and conviction."
I'm not saying that people, as they age, can't continue to do the things they did in their youths. It just gets tougher and tougher to do it it as well. And there is a point when they can barely do it at all.
And it can be hard to watch.
So what I'm really saying is just let it be, already.
