Paul McCartney: All The Songs

As humanly possible, this book attempts to evaluate every track that Paul McCartney has released on a major label.

Thus, the premise of this book: to sift the gems from the chaff and examine what's driven McCartney up and down for fifty years.

There are plenty of tracks suitable for casual fans, adolescents, even pre-schoolers.

But there are tracks for an older audience too, tracks so good they can supply grown-ups with a rewarding soundtrack for a lifetime.

It's these that make for a playlist worth keeping. From 1970 and beyond, the songwriting McCartney seemed to be saddled with a rickety who-cares system that generated iffy results.

Gone were 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Penny Lane'. Instead, came the thought-free 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' and 'Bip Bop', songs The Beatles wouldn't have considered for a second. Troubles swarmed around him as he searched for his place.

The Beatles had theirs - where was his? Was he overly obsessed with perfection? Maybe. Or was it insecurity? His next record couldn't be a forward-thinking experiment, with sales falling wherever they may.

It had to - had to - be achart topper adored all over the world.