Beatles for sale

The long and winding road to old age takes its toll on some, but not on Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Looking fit and trim as ever, the surviving Beatles — 69 and 71, respectively — have new albums arriving within one week of each other. Starr’s “Ringo 2012,” a collection of straight-forward rockers, came out last week, and McCartney’s “Kisses on the Bottom,” a set of jazz vocal standards, drops on Tuesday. Here’s how the two releases carry the weight of Beatles fans’ expectations.

RINGO

Cheese factor: Song lyric: “If I had the wings of an eagle, over these broken dreams I would fly.” (“Wings”)

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Paul McCartney

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Ringo

Awkward style choice:Reggae (“Wings”), samba (“Samba”)

Close friend called in to jam on a track:Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, who is also Ringo’s brother-in-law

Beatles rewind:“In Liverpool,” Ringo’s 897th song about growing up in Liverpool with his mates

Would make John cringe:“Anthem” lyric: “This is an anthem for peace and love.” Sorry, Ringo — just singing it doesn’t make it so.

All too revealing song lyric: “No man ever made it on his own.” How many times a day does Ringo give thanks for Paul, George and John?

Conspiracy fodder: A song called “Wings.” A signal that maybe Paul didn’t really lead that band . . . because he was already dead?

PAUL

Cheese factor: Album title: “Kisses on the Bottom.”

Awkward style choice: Jazz (the entire album — his poppy voice, amazing for rock hits, just doesn’t serve the style)

Close friend called in to jam on a track: Former bandmate George’s wife-swapping pal Eric Clapton

Beatles rewind: “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” as silly a song title as “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”

Would make John cringe: Song titles: “My Very Good Friend the Milkman” and “It’s Only a Paper Moon.” Oh, hell — Paul singing jazz standards? The whole thing would make John cringe.

All too revealing song lyric: “You say that you love me, I’m yours to command, but your kind of loving, my heart couldn’t stand.” Paging Heather Mills?

Conspiracy fodder: A song called “We Three” — because there were only three Beatles, because one had already died?