Pot Pourri

What is it with Paul McCartney and grass? The weed has such a hold on him that even today, some 42 years after he probably smoked up for the first time, he continues to espouse it. Even the man who had allegedly rolled it for the Fabs in 1964 seems to have given up the joys of the weed. And though Paul's ouvre or his appeal will never be on the counter-culture scale of Dylan's, none can accuse him of being a conservative or a sell-out either. Important as his music has been, its those little quirks about him that still endears him to the young turks and makes him a godfather and not a grandfather. Let me try to put this into some perspective.
Paul was late to the scene in the 60's. Lennon and Harrison beat him to mind-expanders. But once he got there, he fell in love for life. First grass and then acid. It was Paul who actually wrote that famous ode to pot- 'Got To Get You Into My Life'. And again, it was he who went public with acid first in '68. In between, The Beatles were the biggest name to sign a landmark petition to legalise and de-criminalise marijuana. Well, those were the days, and it seemed natural that the fabs would be involved neck-deep.
What's intriguing is that despite McCartney's long creative slide since the demise of the group , and his percieved 'square'ness among hip circles, his fondness for the radical smoke of choice never wavered. He ambitiously, and injudiciously, planted cannabis plants inj his Arizona ranch, only to be busted. Then in 1980, he was arrested in Tokyo airport for carrying grass on his person. Following that particular peak, no more was heard of his fondness of the weed. Linda being as much part of the 60's set as Paul, it seemed unlikely that she would do something as square as banning the dope. Come to think of it...vegetarianism, peace, love and grass...sounds familiar, doesn't it? Only, McCartney wrote 'Silly Love Songs' to make the point where he had written 'Here There And Everywhere' before. Just a slight decline in standards, not in faith. Then, after a long lack of any news on McCartney's smoking habits, comes this big one in 1997.
The recently knighted McCartney, in the wake of the immense successful Beatles Anthology and the acclaimed solo album Flaming Pie, goes and marks the 30th anniversary of the Summer Of Love by saying that he still thinks cannabis should be legalised, at least decriminalised! Furore furore everywhere! A knight of the British Empire? Unthinkable! Simplify man!
But all things must pass. Around 2000, McCartney falls in love with Heather Mills. Heather is no hippy, and so McCartney has to choose between love and the drag. He opts for love, and makes an announcement about it. Why not? Such long relationships don't just end, and that too without fanfare. As is his wont, McCartney's pot references have been missing for some time now...but Heather Mills too is gone...now, erm, matey...could I have a drag? After all, his latest album does have a sweet song about, ahem, English tea...

A minor aside. When McCartney quit, it caused many around the world to shed a tear or two. Message boards on countless green sites were full of heated discussions about whether this was right, or whether Heather was jealous or if Paul had a supplier or grew it himself. If he grew it, then, as one punter said, the plant should be procured and put o good use. After all, as he said, he would be honoured to smoke the leaf from the plant that supplied Macca's tokes... here's the link:
boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=49112