I think if there was a crooner in the Beatles it was Paul, but the last time I heard him on television it was clear to me that his voice hasn't held up terribly well.  It may not have occurred to him that those old songs (sometimes classified today as 'easy listening') are not simple to sing.  You would think more care would have been taken to nudge the arrangements into Paul's current singing range, however.  If McCartney is at a stage of musical knowledge that brings him a greater appreciation of songs from the 1930-40s, I think that is a good thing.  A few years ago Rod Steward built some tours around that sort of music, and despite his gravelly voice, seemed to have had some success.  I believe that even elderly rockers can play a role in reminding the younger generation of classic songs and singers.  And then the greatest positive of this venture of Paul McCartney's is that now, when someone criticizes Bing for having attempted recording the Beatle hit, "Hey, Jude," we can point out that Paul wasn't entirely adept at singing "Accentuate the Positive," a song which Bing sang with great deftness and ease.




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Last edited by Steve Fay (17/2/2012 6:46 pm)

I have to agree that Paul's voice has not aged well. However, while his voice may have deteriorated over the years and perhaps the album suffers because of it, I still applaud his effort. McCartney is one of the most influential musicians in the history of rock and I think it's a rather amazing statement that someone of his background is paying tribute to the songs of the era that came before him, music that when The Beatles first rose to prominence was being labeled by some as passe.

I personally think that almost anything the brings more attention to the music of Bing and his contemporaries is a good thing. It shows that this genre of music hasn't slipped from the public consciousness and that there is indeed still an audience and appreciation for it.