“Who you think is the most successful artist of our times?” Ken asked.

“By what standard?” I said.

“Everything,” he answered. “Not just hit records or sales or critical praise. Career satisfaction, respect, longevity.  Somebody who fame hasn’t made too crazy to enjoy the ride.”

“McCartney?” I guess.

“I’m thinking our era is more MTV and on.”

“Hmm….”

“Besides — John, Yoko, Linda, Heather. Drugs,” Ken said, shaking his head. “‘Say, Say, Say’….”

“Oh, yeah,” I told him, singing the hook to McCartney’s ‘82 duet with Michael Jackson. “Who then?”

“I’ve been thinking lately…,” Ken told me, looking a bit like Droopy, that sleepy dog from the old cartoons.  I thought he had nodded off but then he spoke again. “Probably Al Yankovic.”

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