Happy 70th Birthday to Sir Paul McCartney!

It seems like only yesterday that “When I’m 64″ became a reality for Sir Paul McCartney, but today, he hits an even bigger milestone: turning 70. I honestly didn't realize that he was hitting the big 7-0, so I had to look twice at the age on my list of birthdays. It's true! Happy birthday Sir Paul!

His music has been loved for half a century, but Paul McCartney has probably never been more admired than he is today – and with good reason. His performance at the Queen's jubilee concert earlier this month was not his best, but it was an unerringly powerful reminder of his unique and deserved status in the national culture. So, likewise, will be his place at the climax of next month's Olympic games opening ceremony. Paul McCartney is the top of the bill for a reason.

He has gone through periods of being uncool – but then McCartney is a working-class northerner in a London posh-boy dominated country and he has lived a long time. There was a time when the Stones had more attitude, then punk, then hip-hop. But whose songs will last longest? No contest.

The most talked about birthday present to McCartney came from PETA. They sent him a birthday greeting from the Abbey Road crossing. In the photo, a fish, a pig, a chicken and a cow are replicating the classic Abbey Road album cover crossing the road and carrying the signs 'Happy birthday Paul', 'Thank You', 'For Loving Us', 'Not Eating Us'.

We really don't care what you eat, and we aren't sending you a card, but a big happy birthday from us here at 94.3 MAX-FM!