вЂњThey canвЂ™t take it from me if they try/I lived through those early days,вЂќ he sings. ItвЂ™s not like it fades.вЂќ This highlight from 2013вЂ™s New, he explained, is rooted in that same sense of frustration at revisionist Beatles histories. I still have very vivid memories of all of that.

вЂњI can see every minute of John and I writing together, playing together, recording together. вЂњI know my memory has got chips in it that still can go exactly back to two guys sitting in a room trying to write вЂI Saw Her Standing ThereвЂ™ or вЂOne After 909,вЂ™вЂќ he told Rolling Stone in 2014. You might think of McCartney as being beyond the old debates over who wrote what in the Beatles, but if so, you donвЂ™t know Paul. I donвЂ™t think thatвЂ™s corny.вЂќ Even though it was PaulвЂ™s 1970 solo debut that marked the end of the Beatles, it was PaulвЂ™s post-Beatle career that was truest to the bandвЂ™s world-hugging, happiness-spreading vision, as he channeled his own changing inspirations and desires into beloved hits like вЂњMaybe IвЂ™m Amazed,вЂќ вЂњJetвЂќ and вЂњBand on the Run,вЂќ as well as genius obscurities like вЂњMonkberry Moon Delight.вЂќ Our ranking of his 40 greatest solo songs is sure to start some arguments (his banned stoner-anthem rocker вЂњHi, Hi, HiвЂќ makes the top 10 and his radio-dominating global smash вЂњMy LoveвЂќ isnвЂ™t here at all), and the picks run from pop to folk to punk and disco and beyond, as well as a few silly love songs - some of the greatest of all time, in fact. вЂњIt was great, and I can go along with all the people you meet on the street who say you gave so much happiness to so many people. вЂњIвЂ™m proud of the Beatle thing,вЂќ Paul McCartneyВ told Rolling StoneВ in 1978.

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