After all the new Beatles content we’ve been treated to in the past few years, Paul gets some solo time in the spotlight, with new documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run. But this is nothing like the Beatles content we’ve had previously, and that is a good thing. This motion picture is about a guy named Paul, a man in the middle of something, something that he doesn’t quite understand. It’s rediscovery. This film gives us, Paul and those closest to him, the chance to perceive him as another relatable human, having an innately shared experience. It attempts to strip back all the fame palaver and just get to the core of who this wonderful guy is. The documentary allows us to empathise with Paul, he shares the same emotions and difficulties making sense of the world, as any one of us does. Yes, he is one of the greatest songwriters of all time, but at the end of the day, he’s a person. Paul McCartney: Man on the Run is a refreshing take on artistry, expression and identity. It’s inspiring in a way that feels as if anyone could do it, we are all our own unique story with depth, and a whole lot of colour.
As one of the former Beatles, Paul’s life has been incredibly well documented, and this movie capitalises on some beautiful archival footage from the first post-Beatles decade. It recalls a personal journey of transcending public perception and finding his own artistic style as an individual and as part of a new band, Wings. The film is about play and growing up simultaneously. Director Morgan Neville applies a McCartney-esque lens, adopting scrapbook style edits and a curated selection of songs to support Paul’s story with pride and much excitement. In the end we find a generally upbeat, quick-witted, quirky and whimsical narrative that feels true to who McCartney is.
The film begins by immediately encouraging us to consider something we likely haven’t before (especially if you’re one of the more recent generational fans) … what it must’ve been like coming to terms with life after the Beatles. Paul, in a way, was going through a similar reconciliation process as the world was, in coming to terms with a new reality. The film opens directly after the band’s secret split, where Paul seemingly disappeared from the public eye. He retreated to a Scottish farm near the coast, with his newly wed wife, Linda. Linda’s strength and assured nature is a mainstay in the story of Paul’s solo career. Her influence and legitimacy cannot be understated. This film does a lovely job in shining a light on their relationship in a warm and endearing way. A highlight would have to be the selection of ‘Silly Love Songs (Demo)’ for the soundtrack. The song features an intimate take, Paul adlibbing the percussion, then singing with just a piano backing, and Linda joining him soon after. Their love and connection through song is tender and palpable, it’s simply wonderful.
On the farm, day in and day out, the pair along with Linda’s first child, Heather, begin to find joy in a normal quiet life. Since Paul was a young lad, he’d only known life as a famous musician, so he was eager for reprieve. Paul admits through a voice over that he wasn’t even sure if he’d write a single song again – what a crazy notion! But within the solitude and self-imposed doubt, McCartney found himself retreating to an old therapy – songwriting. He often wrote in a room alone, perhaps even a toilet, a place where Paul says is free from all the ‘noise’. It’s during these early days on the humble farm stay, where Paul pens ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, unmistakably his best song from what would become his first solo, self-titled record. The song famously expresses reverence for his life partner, an emotion not often conveyed so aptly, and for this, we’re reminded of Paul’s mastery. Paul wrote and performed everything entirely on his own for this first endeavour – you can’t help but wonder if anyone needs any more convincing evidence of his legacy?
The solo record was largely a commercial flop on release, but with time it gained notoriety. It’s a unique position to be hearing these very well-known singles in the film and learning that they weren’t well received upon release. The same could be said for the follow-up, Ram, a seemingly ‘very uncool’ record for the early seventies, when harder rock was seen as the panacea for all social struggles. Again, over time, it has become relevant and appealing to new audiences, Sean Ono Lennon calling it a masterpiece during the documentary. McCartney was all about experimenting, taking risks and being true to himself. Some now say the birth of low-fi music occurred with Paul’s homecooked recording features, showcasing what’s possible with a 4-track and some other DIY production wizardry. The payoff wasn’t immediate. For a lot of us, we’ve only ever known Paul as one of the most successful artists of all time, and to see there was a period when the world was questioning him, is astounding. That’s where this film becomes motivational.
Ultimately Paul’s story is about perseverance. It seems every turn there’s something in the way, whether it’s the Beatles’ slimy new manager Allen Klein, John Lennon’s pointed release of the single ‘How do you sleep’ or two of the Wings band members quitting the night before leaving for Africa, to record what would become Band on the Run. The odds were continually stacked. Wings’ first record as a band also failed to resonate far, and people couldn’t help but view the band’s lineup as a former Beatle plus some new faces. There was also some rough public sentiment flying around about Linda’s legitimacy singing in the band.
However, Paul was all about keeping it fun, when the rest of the world was focused on revolution. He wanted to keep it light, and to some that might have been naïve. But in the long run, it created something timeless. Timelessness is the overarching theme of this documentary. It builds subtly throughout the runtime, before it becomes undeniable. One could argue the film’s peak is when ‘Mull of Kintyre’ is introduced, with its bagpipe based crescendo heralding Paul’s art in a way that feels infinite. It’s just one of those instruments that sounds larger than life. Objectively, what was Paul thinking making a Scottish folk song? Bagpipes were hardly seen as a driver for listenership. But it turned out to be the best-selling single ever in Britain. Truly a feat to be marvelled at, one which Paul states was the marker of the journey from square one to one hundred, just as he’d set out to achieve. Once Wings reached grandeur on the stage, things settle back down, and Paul returns to a place of uncertainty around his future. It goes full circle when he reacts instinctively, and creates the wacky, ‘Coming Up’, which ironically gets the attention and approval of none other than John Lennon. Another tangent that seems quite risky, but at this point, he’s made it. He’s his own artist, in as much right as he was a Beatle. That’s a resume that can’t be argued with.
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run tries to put us in the shoes of someone who’s just found himself without his three best friends. Paul was 27 when the Beatles broke up, 27! How young, yet so experienced in ways most of us can’t imagine. For McCartney to be seeking the ordinary and reflecting that back into the world in such a way that it reminds us to have fun, play, imagine, try, and let the oddball nature of ourselves free, makes this documentary the ultimate reminder to be yourself. While sometimes appearing risky, it is perhaps the most empowering and valuable thing we have. Paul’s discography and legacy is therefore timeless, because it’s authentic and uniquely him. Perhaps that is just one of the ingredients in what makes some music stand the ultimate test of time. Of course, one of the great things about music being timeless, is that it’s a bit of a mystery formula. But we can find a lot of joy and wonder in attempting to understand it, especially with McCartney’s discography. Paul’s music is so full of life and energy that it can’t help but be relistened to, over, and over, and over again. All thanks to Paul recognising how he was perceived, and having the strength to say, I know who I am, here he is…
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run is available to watch on Prime Video now.
