Paul McCartney dedicates Beatles' classic 'Michelle' to first lady Michelle Obama

[BlueJessamine]

Source: Politico

Music superstar Paul McCartney is rocking out at FedEx Field Saturday night and, since he's near the White House, Sir Paul gave a special tribute to first lady Michelle Obama: Before playing the Beatles classic, "Michelle", McCartney told the packed audience that he was dedicating it to the first lady.


Considering that the song's lyrics include "I love you, I love you, I love you / That's all I want to say" and "I need to make you see / What you mean to me", it's high praise indeed.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/25691.html

---

NBC Bay Area

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/politics/Paul-McCartney-Dedicates-Song-to-Michelle-Obama-52293152.html

excerpt:

The ex-Beatles crooner has just dedicated romantic love song "Michelle" to the wife of the most powerful man in the world.

"I love you, I love you, I love you. That's all I want to say," Paul McCartney sang before a crowd of more than 60,000 fans Saturday at FedExField in Maryland, with the singer's heart pointed east toward Michelle Obama about 13 miles away.

Too bad for him -- the Obamas already left the White House Saturday for a Camp David vacation.

McCartney has made no secret of his affection for President Obama and his wife. Back in November, the starstruck Brit told media backstage at the MTV Europe Music Awards that he had kept his fingers crossed Barack would win the presidency.

"I hope to get the opportunity to sing ... to his wife," he also said, according to People. "I have a little song ready for him."

[Glorfindel]

1. Sir Paul is a class act, in addition to being a musical genius

and a genuine, decent human being. I wish HM the Queen make him a peer of the Realm: Lord McCartney of Kintyre sounds so nice!

[Paladin]

2. Well Done, Sir Paul. (n/t)

[CBHagman]

3. It's about time someone did that!

I had been thinking the other day how cool it would be if Sir Paul ever had reason to sing that in the Obamas' presence -- at the Kennedy Center Honors, say, or a state dinner for Gordon Brown. I'm glad P.M. went ahead and made the dedication.

[Raschel]

4. Lovely!

I love how he calls his works "a little song"

And it's amazing how humble he is considering he's one of the most famous people in the world.

[tocqueville]

82. Michelle, my belle. Sont des mots qui vont trés bien ensemble, Trés bien ensemble.

this will add to the RW rage...

[lame54]

114. OMG it's French...

:grr: :nuke:

[catzies]

5. I'm kvelling over here! That is so sweet and warm and touching

:loveya: Sir Paul!

Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble!

[Deja Q]

6. Who?

I know, and appreciate who the First Lady is, Michelle is the best we've had in decades... But who's this singer guy? Isn't he in that start-up band, "Oasis" or something?

[BlueJessamine]

24. . . .

:spank:

:hi:

[polmaven]

87. Well, you know...

he's the guy who had a little band with Pete Best and the boys.

[felinetta]

106. He needs this for attention. Please.

[Frank Booth]

7. Has there ever been anyone more desperate for attention than Paul McCartney?

[Botany]

9. desperate for attention?

so that is why he lives in the country and has tried to keep a low profile for years?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWVKQoRXhk&feature=related

[katandmoon]

11. Sure -- Sarah Palin.

Not that I consider Paul McCartney to be at all desperate for attention.

[katkat]

12. sure

Well, I guess when you're counting up your billions of dollars and you can't set foot in public without being mobbed, you get to feeling a little neglected.

[Strong Atheist]

45. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[jeanmarc]

14. Probably you, in this post[nt]

.

[Cha]

38. You. There's lots of attentionwhores on the

Planet but Paul McCartney is just an ex Beatle who's made in the music scene after they broke up.

This isn't about Paul McCartney..it's about Michelle OBama.

[paulsby]

70. paul mccartney's musical contributions since the beatles (suck)

have been practically non-existent. i like paul a lot. he was part of a very good band (i'm not a huge beatles fan. i think their music doesn't stand up nearly as well as most rolling stones or the who does, but i recognize their innovative music as important), but SINCE the beatles he has produced largely pretty schlocky music. live and let die is about the only mccartney song i can hear w/o changing the channel. seriously, it's pretty clear that his talent worked as part of a greater whole. iow, the 4 were far greater than the sum of their parts. heck, the same is true of the who. neither townsend or daltrey did much of anything when they were solo artists.

michelle (the song) is right up there in shlockitude with "i just called to say i love you". i frigging LOVE stevie wonder, but even he produced some serious junk,and that song is one of them. when you compare it to stuff off "hotter than july" or "songs in the keys of life" it's pretty sad.

[Cha]

78. Whatever..I wouldn't expect

some people to understand the Beatle music of that era and what it meant to us.

[paulsby]

83. it just doesn't stand the test of time

imo, the most overrated album of all is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band...

compared to rubber soul, or the white album, it just pales.

magical mystery tour was mediocre, but didn't get the hype that sgt. pepper's did.

i probably listened to the white album hundreds, if not over a thousand times. i grew up with the beatles, even though they were mostly before my time, because i was amongst beatles lovers.

i don't think (of course this is subjective) that there is any beatles album that is nearly as good as, for example, quadrophenia. much of their "innovation" seems relatively simplistic. yea, i get it. 'back in the USSR', hey they can do the beach boys, etc. so what?

is there ANY beatles song that has the power of baba oriley?

i can't think of one.

yea, revolution is cool, come together is a nice groove, happiness is a warm gun is ironic and fun, etc.

the rolling stones i think are also an underappreciated band in that their lyrics and meaning are often downplayed. the "it's only rock and roll but i like it" thang. i still get chills when i hear heartbreaker.

i cut my teeth on punk, not rock, but i'm not going to put the ramones or social distortion on the same plane as the beatles or the who. i recognize the limited scope and lesser influence.

and don't get me started on the pearl jam remake of love reign o'er me. to redo a song that sounds almost exactly the same as the original? what's the point. it's as pointless as the remake of behind blue eyes. if you are going to remake, then REmake, a al devo's "satisfaction". now THAT's a remake.

quadrophenia and who's next (imnsho) blow away any two beatles albums as well. they just can't compare imo

[Cha]

88. Love the Beatles and loved

"Across The Universe" as well.

[paulsby]

91. never saw across the universe

might be willing to give it a trial as a free rental.

otoh, if i want hippy dippy sentimentality, i can always rent "hair", which i loved.

[Cha]

100. You wouldn't like it..it's all Beatles

songs set to a story during the Vietnam War era.

[City Lights]

113. I *loved* that movie too!

:fistbump:

[Cha]

117. City Lights!

All my friends loved it, too, whom I loaned it to after I bought it online before even seeing the end of it. I couldn't believe how creative they were with the Beatles' lyrics.

Julie Traymor was the director who created The Lion King on Broadway.

:fistbump:

[City Lights]

118. I heard only rave reviews before I saw it, but was still surprised at how good it was.

:hi:

I keep telling all the Beatles' fans I know to watch it. :D

I'd like to find time to watch it again myself.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

56. yes, DU flamebaiters like you

Paul rocks

[goclark]

80. Paul is sensational!

That was very classy of him to dedicate the song to Michelle.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

102. Beatles (together and solo) forever!

[WolverineDG]

58. Yeah, what a loser! Never accomplished anything in his life

:eyes:

dg

[LaurenG]

81. What a strange thing to say, it makes me wonder about why you'd even think that?

I know with some people no good thing can just be praised or appreciated at face value.

edit typo

[grace0418]

109. I think you hit the nail on the head. Some people just always have to shit

in the punch bowl.

[carlyhippy]

96. of all people why would Sir Paul crave attention?!

people who want to be in the spotlight constantly are trying to do so because they want to be at the top....I believe this man has been at the top for over 40 years, he doesn't need attention, he IS attention.

[Skittles]

108. has there ever been anyone more wrong than Frank Booth?

[dmr]

110. Nope

A kind and classy dedication to our First Lady is rather sweet and telling.

But I'm partial, I was going to grow up and marry Paul, even if he was dating Jane Asher.

[Skittles]

119. argh, Paul

first I was too young for him, then I was too old :o

[dmr]

120. Know what you mean, but he hasn't aged that well, so maybe

I shoulda swooned over Ringo.

"baby you can drive my car" ... "beep-beep, yeah!"

:hi:

[Skittles]

121. he should have aged naturally

I think it's obvious he had his eyes "done" and, like many plastic procedures, it does not enhance but detract

[Gregorian]

8. This is the world I asked for.

Thank you! Today I will go about my tasks with a glow and a smile.

This is really wonderful.

[BlueJessamine]

25. . . .

:loveya::pals:

[Cha]

39. It's a Beautiful

DayB-)

[YvonneCa]

63. ...

...;)

[CakeGrrl]

10. What a sweet gesture

You go, Paul!

[Kind of Blue]

13. That's beautiful! It's about time for some Obama Love. n/t

[provis99]

15. has that old coot written a good song since 1969?

[shadowknows69]

16. Yeah, quite a few.

[stlsaxman]

18. name one.

and if you say "band on the run" i'll know you're full of shit! :rofl:

[shadowknows69]

20. Ok, I'm full of shit because I liked that song.

I don't much any longer because I used to have to play it ad-nauseum when I was on the radio but there are plenty of solo Mac and Wings songs I enjoy. This is a subjective question and you know it, but thanks for being such a child about it.

[madmax]

21. Isn't it amazing

we Democrats have a way of always finding SOMETHING wrong about everything. WTF is wrong with us?

I think it's a nice gesture void of ulterior motives. Sheeesh, already.

Good retorts Shadowknow69 :fistbump:

[BlueJessamine]

27. 'Sheeesh, already'

:loveya::fistbump:

[madmax]

46. We hold the majority in

all 3 branches of government and we still can't get a damn health care package together. It's some sort of mental disorder. The Rethugs know how to do it. With Dems it's like herding cats.

:toast: :hug:

[elocs]

37. It's pretty typical of DU. If someone does something good,

others here will always find something wrong with it, will always be critical, or find some hidden ulterior motive. I agree with most here as far as politics go, but there are a good number here at DU who are simply sad excuses for human beings.

[madmax]

47. When I go slumming at

FreakRepublic I don't read any lengthy dragged out disagreements. Hell, barely any disagreement at all, and they calls us 'sheeple'!

Here's to better days :toast:

[elocs]

62. Why must there be disagreement when somebody tries to do something good?

Why should motives be questioned? This story is simply about a very famous musical artist dedicating a song to Michelle Obama. That's it. What could there possibly be to disagree about with that, but some people here always seem to be able to find something. It should have nothing to do with how many good songs he has written lately or anything else.

[Mad_Dem_X]

57. Sad but true.

For every positive post, there has to be a handful of responses that are negative. I feel sorry for those people.

Paul rox!

[PurpleChez]

93. So true, so true!

I've been saying for years that that is why we don't do better in elections.... Repubs convince themselves that whatever is put in front of them is wonderful. E.g. Sarah Palin. But liberal dems...we get into this crap like "sure, he's a vegetarian, but I'm a vegan...I could never support someone who eats eggs" or "as a transgendered wiccan I object that the candidate hasn't addressed the issues of transgendered wiccans."

Paul may have put out some shlock in the latter portion of his career but jeez.... All I know is that my daughter was born to Hey Jude... Love ya, Paul!

[stlsaxman]

60. sorry shadowknows... i've been captain snarky here and you've been my victim...

yes- and i know it- you can't get any more subjective about anything like music, art, etc..

i'm a "john/George fan" more than Mac but, for my money it was Mac that made the Beatles as wonderfully accessible as they were to the world. there could/would be no Beatles without him- you could say any one of them but to me HE made the Beatles. otherways it would be "the John Lennon Band".

hoping this doesn't make us mortal enemas...

stlsax

[shadowknows69]

77. No harm no foul. You just picked the wrong person to battle over Fab Four stuff with

I used to host a show called "Bedtime with the Beatles", featuring anything anyone would request by the band or any solo offshoots. I always did Beatles history and remaining member related news. I had a lot of programming freedom compared to most jocks these days. Good times. I preferred George and John and even some of Ringo's solo stuff over a lot of what Paul did, but Denny Laine was a vast joy to listen to. Some classic riffs. Yes, including "Band on the Run."

[stlsaxman]

90. very cool, sk69! was it internet radio or FM or what?

all the Beatles i used to hear was on AM radio, all replaced with hate-talk now, sadly.

last couple hours have found me watching "Help" from the link posted downthread...

"Look out- it's a fiendish thingy!"

[shadowknows69]

95. FM, a classic rock/classic hits station.

[stlsaxman]

17. no he hasn't.

:hi:

last song he wrote was "maybe i'm amazed"

[YvonneCa]

28. What a great song...

...from a talented man:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm2YyVZBL8U

[ima_sinnic]

22. nothing that a punk juvie like yourself would appreciate

his lyrics have actual words, his melodies have harmony, and the music is produced by musical instruments.

[Dangerously Amused]

23. And exactly how many songs that you wrote have gone platinum...?

[xxqqqzme]

32. 'Ebony and Ivory'

on Tug of War, released October 25, 1990.

And your contribution to the music world?

[LanternWaste]

40. I have little doubt the "music" you listen to

I have little doubt the "music" you listen to is much better than Sir Paul's stuff... at least to the trendy, cynical, South Park set of uber-cool youths. But who really gives a damn about that particular, ineffectual demographic... :shrug:

[Cha]

41. Jealous much? n/t

[dana_b]

44. "Maybe I'm Amazed"

maybe you don't like that one but I love it.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

53. apparently, you haven't heard his new album, "Electric Arguments"

which is garnering some of the highest praise of his career and is probably his most solid and inventive solo album since the beatles

[Mad_Dem_X]

54. Sure he has. But, even if he didn't

He could play a whole concert of Beatles songs, and nobody would mind. He's fucking Paul McCartney, for God's sake.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

66. And don't get me started on that slacker Mozart!!!

Beethoven? Handel?

Has-beens...

What a pathetic little turdling you are!

[zonkers]

73. Band on the Run, Venus and Mars, Ram. Red Rose Speedway. But that's about it for me.

[progressoid]

105. "Wonderful Christmas Time"

"Spies Like Us"

"Ebony and Ivory"

"Silly Love Songs"

"Let 'em In"

Oh, wait, you said a good song. That's a different list.

[madmax]

19. Sir Paul, whata guy!!

:toast: To First Lady Michelle

[YvonneCa]

26. I still love Paul! What a nice thing...

...for him to do.

[Zambero]

29. Kudos to Sir Paul

Hopefully the President and Michelle will enjoy a live performance of this classic at some point in the not-too-distant future!

[felinetta]

30. He's always been my favorite Beatle and he didn't disappoint again. Love to Paul and Michelle. But

now, he'll be on the 'Hate" list for Faux news and
freepers. I'm sure he would wear it as a badge of honor.

[CakeGrrl]

42. I'm sure he will. I hope this makes a few

Freeper heads explode. They've earned it.

;)

[cyndensco]

31. That is so cool.

:D

[orbitalman]

33. An example of heart-felt gratefulness...

we all have (the world) to be rid of Bush and have someone in the WH that is truly people-oriented.

[Cha]

34. It's the platonic love that

a lot of us have for the First Lady..only Paul McCartney gets to dedicate his Beatle Song, Michelle, to our FLOTUS..how tres cool is that!B-)

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cha]

43. WTF are you doing on this

thread?

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cha]

68. your idiot post sucks..

go suck somewhere else.

[Iggo]

48. Yeah, you're not very good at this.

Keep practicing, though. I'm sure some day you'll become a competent disruptor.

[BlueJessamine]

49. ?????????????????

Perhaps you should start your own thread?

[Name removed]

69. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jakes Progress]

74. They get pushed off

because there are a lot of thing being posted.

Sorry if no one wanted to say anything about what, if your posts here are any evidence, are stream-of-unconscience ramblings, incoherent with not particular point to discuss.

I've written a few of those too. They also sank like anchors.

Keep practicing. Communication is the art of communicating.

[Jakes Progress]

75. Wrong thread. nt

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mad_Dem_X]

59. FAIL.

[Politicalboi]

36. This is great

For anyone who has an hour and a half to watch "Help" here it is

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2243298924020075723&hl=en

[stlsaxman]

64. Thanks!

[amyrose2712]

50. I WAS THERE!!!! (yes, caps are needed) it was awesome!

I had goose bumps all night.

[BlueJessamine]

61. Cool!!

:party::fistbump:

[Geek_Girl]

71. Awesome!

That's really cool being part of something special like that.

[S_E_Fudd]

104. Ditto...

Best show I have ever been to...

[amyrose2712]

111. Only problem was the hour it took to go 7 mi after driving 3hrs to get there! nt

[Mad_Dem_X]

51. My sister was at that show.

She sent me a text message telling me that he'd dedicated the song to the First Lady. Very cool.

[tocqueville]

55. McCarney dedicates "I'm a loser" to Sarah Palin

"I'm a loser, and I've lost someone who's near to me. I'm a loser, and I'm not what I appear to be"

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

67. Going out the Rush Limbaugh - I Am The Walrus

Coo-coo Cachoo!

[conspirator]

84. Donny please! V.I. Lenin! Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov! n/t

[progressivebydesign]

65. Oh that's so sweet! I

[planetc]

72. Honorary citizenship for Sir Paul?

McCartney has let slip who he favors in American presidential elections twice now, once before Mr. Obama was elected, and in 2004, when he concluded a concert advising "Let It Be ... Kerry."

Then we have him in New York City in the aftermath of 9/11, becoming convinced he should do something to help the spirits of New Yorkers, and helping organize the Concert for New York City, to which he personally handed out some tickets to firefighters whose houses weren't yet represented in the audience. (His father was a fire fighter in Liverpool during the blitz, the toughness of which job was recognized by the FDNY.) He then came out of tour-retirement with a new band, and zipped around the country raising the spirits of anyone who could get a ticket. The song he wrote for a post-9/11 world, Freedom, was roundly condemned by fans and non-fans alike, as being, I forget, shallow or something like that. Others accused him of seeking attention, and all they usually accuse him of. He sat there and quietly said "I know why I did it."

Not only does he profess affection for America, he gets up and does something about it when things get tough here. He really believes that music can change the world, and he's a great communicator. Possibly he should have been invited to the Crowley-Gates beer bash. He'd have brought a guitar, and tried to find a song they all knew.

I recommend recognizing Sir Paul's contributions to American music and civilization in general.

[No Elephants]

115. The love of his life was American-born in NY and chose to die in Tuscon, Arizona. That means his

kids are half American, too, except his youngest.

Do we grant honorary citizenship, though?

[Jakes Progress]

76. Now, that's nice. nt

[GreenTea]

85. Truly an underrated bass player....I'm a big Lennon fan, But Paul heart & politics always

seemed to be in the right place, not as radical as my hero Lennon, but who was/is, that's why Paul is still alive.

Class act is always Sir Paul!

Cheers!!

[4lbs]

86. Some of the responses in this thread serves to show that no praise shall go unpunished (n/t)

.

[Zen Democrat]

89. Paul gave up lead guitar to George Harrison, took up the bass guitar, and revolutionized it.

His live concerts are exciting and amazing. He's written brilliant music both during and since the end of the Beatles, and many of my favorites have come in the past seven years. Some tracks from his most recent release as The Fireman (Electric Arguments) are in the top echelon. He's a genius.

And take this from someone who grew up with the Beatles and the Stones -- it wouldn't have been the 60's without both groups, but without Beatles there would have been no Stones. Guitar bands writing their own music and everybody plays and sings and writes -- they wrote the book.

Whatever riches Paul McCartney has amassed have been freely and happily given by fans. He, in turn, has always given back. And, what's more, he remains relevant.

I sincerely hope he has the opportunity to sing to Michelle in person. He did not accept a Kennedy Center Honor during the Bush Administration due to "logistical" issues. Maybe his schedule will allow it sometime in the next few years.

[S_E_Fudd]

98. And George became a top notch guitarist!!!

Rolling Stone ranks him 21 on its top 100 of all time...

[DoBotherMe]

101. George was brought in

The Quarrymen to be lead guitarist. John could have forced George to play bass, but he didn't did he? Paul said he was 'lumbered' with the bass. He didn't like the decision, but he accepted it. Dana ; )

[AsahinaKimi]

92. This should MAKE Rush's Head explode...

I am sure the right wingers will scream in agonying protest! Glenn Beck will be squeeling like a stuck pig over this, Good for you Sir Paul!

[stlsaxman]

94. Glenn Beck will be screaming- "Turn off his microphone!!!"

[S_E_Fudd]

97. Yeah I was there....

It was by far the best concert I have ever been too....

A 67 year old man with that kind of energy is just incredible...

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

103. I saw him in 1990 and in 2002; didn't make last night's show, but

he puts on a great show (gives it his all!).

[Window]

99. Simply lovely!

[Skittles]

107. lovely gesture

he's a sweet guy

[Vinca]

112. What a thrill for Michelle!

[junior college]

116. This is a good move by McCartney and it helps make up for the fact

that he has spent most of his post-Beatle years suing people over Beatles related stuff and lashing out at fans and fellow musicians. Had he no been so obsessed with money and himself over the the last 30 years, he might have been able to produce some decent music. So yeah, this is a step in the right direction