Paul McCartney? Emitt Rhodes.

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a friend of mine when he mentioned a McCartney song he had stuck in his head: "Wonderful Christmastime." He sung the hook, and I had the song in my head for the next 48 hours. I hadn't even heard the track, just my friend's solo rendition as we walked through the supermarket.

I've always had something of a love-hate relationship with Paul McCartney. Not that I actually know the guy.

As a Beatles fan, I have been forced to reckon with Sir Paul's prowess as a songwriter. While the bulk (60% - 70%?) of my favorite tracks are Lennon compositions, there are moments when I have to tip my hat to Macca - most notably on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And "Yesterday." Much of Abbey Road. "I've Got A Feeling." Magical Mystery Tour... On top of his abilities as a songwriter, he's also perhaps my favorite pop bass player of all time outside of Motown. His melodic sense is nearly superhuman.

Nonetheless, I've always liked to believe that McCartney's success with the Beatles was a function of his being kept in check by Lennon. It's a claim I've always supported by rolling out Paul's solo records in comparison to Lennon's. While Lennon was exploring the darkest and most personal recesses of his soul ("God," "Mother," "How Do You Sleep," etc), McCartney played the role of candy-man, giving his audiences endearing pop music that was readily consumable. This is perhaps the worst aspect of Paul's songwriting - it's so sweet and so well done that you can't help but enjoy it. It's as if he's taunting us with his music: "Yeah. I know it's candy. See if I care. You're still going to eat it, and you're going to fucking like it."

I suppose my biggest problem with McCartney is that he strikes me as being entirely in love with himself to a degree normally reserved for the likes of Roger Waters. It makes me feel guilty for liking his music, almost to the point that it's painful for me to listen. "How can I possibly like this," I say to myself as "Band on the Run" plays. "The guy is such an overwhelming tool..." As a result, I've largely kept myself away from his solo records. They're the musical equivalent to McDonalds - easy going down, but ultimately leaving you unfulfilled and feeling like hell. Not to mention feeling guilty that you went there in the first place.

But I've found an alternative.

I recently read about Emitt Rhodes - specifically about his uncanny similarity to McCartney - and decided to give his 1970 self-titled record a listen. I'm very impressed. Everything about this record screams "McCartney" - the songwriting, the arrangements, even the guy's voice is a dead ringer for Paul's. New pastime: playing some of the Rhodes record to unsuspecting friends and convincing them that it's a lost Macca outtake. It's not a hard sell, either.

Finally, I can indulge my "sweet tooth" without feeling so damned guilty. This is a very enjoyable record, and it's more honest than anything Paul has done post-Beatles. Some of you may also recognize Rhodes' name from the Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack - his stripped down "Lullabye" (also from his self-titled record) is featured. I have uploaded my favorite track from Emitt Rhodes (1970), "With My Face on the Floor," for your enjoyment.

With My Face on the Floor