It’s not much of a confession to say you’re a Beatles fan; they’re just about the most famous and influential rock band on the planet, and if you’ve never heard of them, your parents just aren’t spinning the right records around the house. That’s my humble opinion, at least, as a 38-year-old Saratoga native.
I still remember when my mom bought me and my brother the cassette tapes for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the US version of Rubber Soul, probably at Strawberries record store on Broadway. My brother and I listened and re-listened to those tapes on the way from Saratoga Springs to grandma and grandpa’s house in Schenectady what seemed like a million times—and I can still revisit those albums today and be transported to that cold, pleather-y backseat in my parents’ Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (what an ugly car that was!).
So when I noticed that Late Late Show host James Corden had landed Beatle Paul McCartney for his Emmy-winning “Carpool Karaoke” segment, I had to carve out a little more than 20 minutes of my morning to watch it. It doesn’t disappoint. You get to hear the pair sing several Beatles classics, including “Drive My Car” (obviously) and “Blackbird,” as well as a new solo number from Macca. Corden even brings McCartney back to his childhood home for a tour—and to a local pub, where the pre-fame Beatles used to gig, to give some very lucky Liverpudlians the surprise of a lifetime.
I strongly urge you to set aside 20 minutes right now to watch the video above.
