"All We Are Saying is Give Peace a Chance!" Paul McCartney Now and Forever

As he finished singing, 'A Day in the Life' Paul led the group in an old John Lennon cover. "All We Are Saying Is Give Peace!" he screamed.  We all screamed.   It wasn't usually a part of his set, Sir Paul confessed last night at Barclays Center.  But with all that is going on now, he thought it was appropriate.Of course, the crowd sang a lot more for "Obladi Oblida."

"How many of you are from Brooklyn?" he asked.  People screamed.
"How many are from somewhere else?" he asked. People responded.
"You'd better make sure you have your papers."

The whole show was not political.  It was Paul. But there were a few other moments.
Paul talked about the civil rights years in the US when the band refused to play in segregated venues.
The group wanted to offer some kind of support for those struggling.

"This song was about, you know, the black people's struggle in the southern states, and I was using the symbolism of a blackbird."

But it was a sweet sound, freeing sound. 

Alternating between newer and older songs, he also played tribute to his former band-mates, performing 'Something" by George Harrison on ukulele.

"Its always more poignant to play this song about John here in New York" he explained, referring to John's assassination here in 1980.  "Guys usually don't say the things they need to say before someone is gone.  Here is a song about a conversation i never had with John.  You guys know John right?

The room roared.  And he sang about John and his departure thirty-seven years ago:

"Here Today"

And If I Say I Really Knew You Well
What Would Your Answer Be.
If You Were Here Today.

Ooh- Ooh- Ooh- Here To - Day.

Well Knowing You,
You'd Probably Laugh And Say That We Were Worlds Apart.
If You Were Here Today.
Ooh- Ooh- Ooh- Here To - Day.

But As For Me,
I Still Remember How It Was Before.
And I Am Holding Back The Tears No More.
Ooh- Ooh- Ooh- I Love You, Ooh-

What About The Time We Met,
Well I Suppose That You Could Say That We Were Playing Hard To Get.
Didn't Understand A Thing.
But We Could Always Sing.

What About The Night We Cried,
Because There Wasn't Any Reason Left To Keep It All Inside.
Never Understood A Word.
But You Were Always There With A Smile.

And If I Say I Really Loved You
And Was Glad You Came Along.

If You Were Here Today.
Ooh- Ooh- Ooh- For You Were In My Song.
Ooh- Ooh- Ooh- Here To - Day.

Number one wore an "I Love Paul" pin to the show, getting dressed up in sparkles.

 She brought her buddy from school.  They are both 14.  I have been loving Paul's music since I was about their age, a year or two earlier. The music has been a soundtrack for much of my whole life. I was surprised to find out he was in a band before Wings.  I was sad when Wings broke up after Paul's bust in Japan in 1980.  Some people are John fans; I've always been a Paul person, not that i don't love john.  But songs such as Eleanor Rigby pointed toward thinking and writing about peoples' lives.  I put the hey jude lyrics into my senior page.  Its homage to the sadness of divorce and singing one's way through it; that's been a lament for years and years.  We listened to it on road trips to and from New Orleans, growing up. Dad and his best friend Fred said it most represented the 1960's for them.  Its always a joy, singing it along with several thousands of people.

At 75, Paul still has his old voice, leading us all as we sing it with him. Johns gone; George is gone, and Paul is still around playing, moving closer and closer to them.  He's a consummate performer.  His show today was considerably better than the last time i saw him play in 1990.

"Sargent Peppers was 50 years ago.  That's before my time," Paul laughed, playing a few of the songs from the epic album, in between Wings songs, new songs, stories about Jimmy Hendrix and friendships with the Rolling Stones.

And finished with the Abby Road medley.

"hands in the air hands in the air ...and in the end the love you take is equal to the live you make."

Thank you Paul.