Last Friday I told you about a new record from an old artist, Tony Bennett’s Love Is Here to Stay.

Yawn.

Unnecessary and not up to Tony’s usual standard of excellence.

Not all old fogey musicians out there are resting on their laurels, however. I am pleased to note (get it? note?) that one Sir Paul McCartney surprised me in a good way with his latest effort, Egypt Station.

In two words… it’s good. Of course it’s not Abbey Road, but what is? This is good songwriting. And it’s the music that’s fantastic, even more than the words. Paul just knows how to write great music, much of it piano-led, which always makes me happy. (And like crazy jealous.) The chords are interesting; it’s not just I-IV-V-I or some similar rock ‘n roll monotony. And of course Paul surrounds himself with the best musicians on the planet–he can afford to–and that helps.

Most media attention concerning the record has centered around one particular track: “Fuh You.” As in, well, yeah, “fuh” is in fact the word you’re thinking.

*WARNING: ADULT CONTENT*

“Fuh” in this case refers to an intimate coupling of persons, and Paul’s lyric suggests taking this union casually.

Is it the most clever thing I’ve ever heard? Far from it. Is it Cole Porter or Oscar Hammerstein? Nope. Is it further evidence of society’s downfall? Probably not.

Critics have pointed to the 76-year-old McCartney’s choice of words and subject as a scandalous sign of the temper of our times. Was this not the man who in 1963 simply said, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”?

True.

But only five years later it was “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?”

And that was 50 years ago.