Too Much of a Reach, Paul

Paul McCartney closed the SNL special that focused on 50 years of musical guests.

Makes sense. He's a Beatle, for Christ sake - one of four from whom all good music is derived.

The special is excellent, by the way. Find it.

But Paul overreached, he chose to perform a portion of the Abby Road medley - specifically Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, and The End.

I know he wanted to close out on a rockin' note, and I don't blame him, but he couldn't pull it off. He couldn't do the power, he couldn't handle the range. The man is 82 years old. His voice was strained, it cracked here and there - it was not powerful.

There are a million Beatles' songs and his own songs he could choose from, songs he can probably sing beautifully - many he can even probably, maybe, still rock out on, but he chose these three.

It was painful to me.

I hate that all these people who I worshiped as a kid, still do, are clawing their way to the grave. I fucking hate it. Because in large part it means I have plenty of dirt under my fingernails too.

You gotta be selective about what you choose to perform as an octogenarian. Especially if you are Paul McCartney, the man with such a beautiful voice over a lifetime.

Paul Simon opened the special. He is 83 years old. He sang Homeward Bound, such a beautiful, atmospheric song. But he sang it with Sabrina Carpenter - they split the load, which was smart. And even when Paul sang solo, he was restrained - he did not overdo it. Even then it was a little painful to listen to, but it was not horrible.

I see a lot of these people perform, and why not? They are icons, they have earned the right, they deserve the respect. But most of them make adjustments - they don't go for the high notes, they don't go for maximum volume. As professionals, they know how to recognize their limits and stay within them.

And still create beauty, still bring tears to your soul.

Broke my heart a bit to listen to Paul McCartney straining. It wasn't pretty. I know I sound like a hypocrite - I have shit on him a lot in here. But I also know that I will wake up one of these days to the headline "Paul McCartney is dead at the age of --. Maybe, hopefully, ---.

And on that day I will be crushed.