When all is said and done, I think there will be lots to write about Paul McCartney's post-Beatles career which has seen its ups and downs over years. You could fill up a box set with all of his songs about his early days in the Beatles, and you could fill up a telephone booth (probably) with the DVDs and CDs of his near-constant tours. In many ways, Paul McCartney feels like the Dave Matthews of aging pop music gods.
But in his decades-long post Beatles career, one thing you really have to admire is his constant exploration of what is the new thing. (Come to think of it, his album that was released this week is called New.) Remember that thing McCartney did with Jay Z and Linkin Park on the Grammys? Whether or not that was musically successful, that took some balls.
McCartney is anything but irrelevant, and he's proven that a few times in the last 10 years by making some great music videos. Today let's take a look at one of my favorites, 2007's "Dance Tonight", directed by Michel Gondry.
The video starts off with Mackenzie Crook as a post man who is driving out to the country and complaining about having to do it in an English guy sort of way. He is delivering this package to (of course) Paul McCartney, and he invites himself in for tea in a funny little comedy scene between the two.
McCartney opens up the package, and it turns out to be a mandolin, which McCartney starts playing. It is at this point tha we go full Gondry, and a ghost (Natalie Portman) comes out of the box. Soon, more ghosts come out of all sorts of different places, including the kitchen drawers and the fridge. McCartney is not phased by this at all, and walks through his house with the mandolin, singing the song.
It should be noted that these are not scary ghosts - they are more your Disneyworld haunted mansion style ghosts who like to cause mischief. They do scare the driver though, who takes off, leaving the ghosts and Paul McCartney to hang out in what I hope sort of resembles Paul McCartney's actual place.
The video ends with a look inside the box that reveals that there is a swingin' party inside featuring all the ghosts (now as real people), and even the post man. The entertainment is a drum and bass combo and hey, that is Michel Gondry pounding out a beat on the skins with Paul McCartney on bass. The last shot is of the post man's truck, empty on the side of the road. The ghost mandolin got him, we suppose. Nobody escapes the ghost mandolin.
Sidenote: I'd like to think that Michel Gondry sold McCartney on this idea and then on set said "okay, now you and me will be in a band together for the end of the video" and McCartney was too polite to say no.
But in all seriousness, this is a great video. Gondry's style feels right at home in the world of an English house in country, and Natalie Portman seems to be having a lot of fun playing the role of her flapper-style ghost. Most importantly, this video really reveals McCartney as relevant - someone who is, thankfully, not on his 6th reunion tour but someone who is making good music and being part of good accompanying music videos.
Actually, now that I've had some time to think it over, I'm sorry for calling you the Dave Matthews of your generation, Mr. McCartney. I take it all back!
You also should check out this behind the scenes piece where McCartney does an excellent impression of Gondry.
