That Was Me: Paul McCartney's Career and the Legacy of the Beatles explores the impact of Paul McCartney as a musician outside the Beatles, identifying the continued excitement in generations of fans and listeners, and his perennial efforts to perform and record music. Though rooted in biographical details of Paul McCartney, the book identifies a historical placement of musicians since World War II that makes those performing for decades since the 1950s and 1960s significant. Richard D. Driver shows how McCartney's solo career is multi-faceted and extremely diverse, ranging from breaking sharply with the style and output of the Beatles to experimenting in orchestral and operatic music and returning to music designed to emulate and reproduce the style, success, and popularity of the Beatles. Through McCartney we can literally and symbolically view and revisit the popular music phenomenon that was the Beatles, and popular music from the 1950s to today.
Richard D. Driver is faculty member at McLennan Community College, where he teaches courses in United States history.
Acknowledgments Introduction: That Was Me: Paul McCartney's Career and the Legacy of the Beatles Chapter 1: The Beatles and Paul McCartney: A Historical and Cultural Legacy Chapter 2: McCartney in the Wake of Let It Be: The Legacy of the Beatles Chapter 3: McCartney on the Run with Wings: The Career of Paul McCartney Chapter 4: Tragedy and Reunion for McCartney: "I Still Remember How It Was Before" Chapter 5: Re-Meet the Beatles: McCartney and the Anthology Chapter 6: McCartney and the Beatles Legacy: "The Same Me That Stands Here Now" Chapter 7: McCartney at Egypt Station: Anniversaries, Experimentation, and Rejuvenation Chapter 8: Made in Rockdown: McCartney III and Paul McCartney's Legacy Conclusion: McCartney Live: His Legacy in Concert, 2002-2022 Appendix: Selected Discography Bibliography About the Author
That Was Me is an engaging and insightful journey through the prolific and awe-inspiring career of Paul McCartney. With focus on Sir Paul's post-Beatles years, Richard Driver explores the vast output of McCartney, from his homespun solo albums to his more elaborate compositions and productions, and from his videos and tours to his collaborations with his former Beatles and a multitude of other pop stars. The result is a rich history of a pop music master and a fascinating guide for music fans and a highly useful resource for scholars. -- Thomas Kitts, co-editor of Popular Music and Society and Rock Music Studies
