from: CNN
Subject: New song reported by CNN
BROWN: It was February 7, 1964 when the Beatles arrived at New York's
Kennedy Airport: hundreds of screaming fans. It was September 11, 2001 when
one of them had another memorable but very different experience at Kennedy.
Sir Paul McCartney was grounded on a runway and saw the World Trade Center
in flames that day, clearly moved by what he saw.
He's now organized an all-star concert at New York's Madison Square Garden
for this Saturday night, wrote a new song in tribute to New York's police
and fire departments, and today sat down with CNN's Laurin Sydney.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAURIN SYDNEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paul, I want to take you back to September
11th. Like everybody, you were devastated, you felt helpless, and you were
actually right here in New York City. PAUL MCCARTNEY, MUSICIAN: Yes, I was
at JFK on the runway waiting to take off, a few planes ahead of us, when the
captain made the announcement that there had been a terrible accident in New
York. Nobody knew what it was. But we could actually see it from JFK. And
then I stayed for the week following that, and the whole sort of drama
unfolded, you know, so I felt very much a part of it.
SYDNEY: So much so, as a side note, your dad was actually a volunteer
fireman in Liverpool during World War II, so you've lived with a hero.
MCCARTNEY: Yeah, I must say I never really thought of him like that. Well,
he's your dad, you know, and you hear he's a fireman, and you just sort of
think, oh, that's pretty good. Well, I must say this really brought it home
to me. I was like, "Wow, you know, he's a fireman." That's a dangerous job.
And you know, like you say, I saw the news and saw the guys who had to go
back into the building. It was very heroic, to say the least.
SYDNEY: And then you decided that you truly wanted to do something to honor
the heroes, and you're lending your name and your talent this Saturday night
to VH-1 and AOL, a concert for New York.
MCCARTNEY: Yeah, I was planning to do a concert of my own. Originally, I was
due to go back to England and then start planning a concert in Russia. That
suddenly seemed not very appropriate, so I thought, well, I'd like to do a
concert here. And it was just going to be me. Then I heard that there were a
lot of other concerts, a lot of efforts that were being mounted. And a
friend of mine persuaded me to do this one. So we've all pooled our
resources. We're just going to do one big show instead lots of little ones.
SYDNEY: There are lots of unconfirmed reports that perhaps George and Ringo
are going to join you on Saturday night. Is there...
MCCARTNEY: Unfortunately, whenever we -- whenever I do anything, there's
always that. If you check back your records, it happens every time I go out.
No, we've said to people we won't get back together again, because there's
one very important person missing: ie, John. When I look over to my left and
he's not there, something I don't want to do, and the others agree. So you
won't ever see the Beatles reform.
SYDNEY: One thing we can confirm is that you are donating the proceeds of
your single to the firefighters fund.
MCCARTNEY: Uh-hmm, and the proceeds of the night, the concert. So, you know,
we're going to raise an appreciable amount of money, which is a good thing.
SYDNEY: Paul, you are known and have been known as the poet laureate of
perhaps one generation, maybe even two generations. Have you written
anything since September 11th?
MCCARTNEY: Yes, I wrote a little song that was just about freedom. It seemed
to me that what the attack was on, besides the physical things of the
buildings, was on the freedom that you enjoy in America. After World War II,
you know, give me your huddled masses: This is where people came for a new
life and for this freedom. You talk to women, women are equal here.
Sometimes more than equal. Well, that's great. It's based on merit, this
country.
But the main thing is it's freedom. So, yeah, I wrote a song about freedom,
about how it's my right, and anyone who would take it away would have to
answer. And it's not a sort of war song in as much it's a defense of
democracy and freedom.
SYDNEY: Could you possibly share a couple of lyrics with us?
MCCARTNEY: Yeah, this is my right, a right given by God to live a free life,
to live in freedom. Those are a couple.
SYDNEY: OK, and I appreciate it. And one last question, we turn to music now
for strength. Some of us turn to music to escape. Who do you turn to?
MCCARTNEY: In music?
SYDNEY: Just in life, in devastating times, just to...
MCCARTNEY: I have very, very wide tastes. It depends on the mood. A song
I've been playing recently is Brian Wilson's Beach Boys, "God Only Knows,"
which I find a very emotional piece. There's also a record that I was part
of and it was made for the American Cancer Society, a CD called "Music for
Hope," which is very appropriate in these times. And a bunch of other stuff.
Like I say, it depends on what mood. If I want to be uplifted, it might be
something more modern, a little bit more funky.
SYDNEY: What are you going to do Saturday night?
MCCARTNEY: I have a few songs picked out and I hope will be a surprise.
SYDNEY: Obviously then you're not going to share them, but thank you so much
for sharing the time today.
MCCARTNEY: It's a pleasure.
SYDNEY: Sir Paul, thank you.
MCCARTNEY: Thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Tremendous buzz in the building today when he was here. We'll be
right back.
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