C/D Paul McCartney Solo

I don't think I've even seen a copy of WINGSPAN in a record store.

I reminded my dad about the 'all the best'-for-christmas thing on friday night when we were in a car. he didn't really remember. he said "and why did she [my mum] buy you that instead?" and I told him again and he understood. then he asked "and why did you want 'faith'??" and the answer was...I was six...I had seen it advertised on television.

Yes, COMING UP is great.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0316860328/qid=1045408789/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_3_1/026-5101041-0610836

It's an intimate scrapbook.

Capitals are the new italics.

If that's not a special offer I'll EAT MY HAT. Note controversial opinion expressed herein: the best solo Paul McCartney work did not appear until FLOWERS IN THE DIRT. Before anyone rushes to order it, please note that it appears to be two-dimensional.

I used to listen to my mum's copy of "All The Best" all the time. On vinyl, too.

amazing.

Love Coming Up and C Moon too.

And then I wake up.

I had "All the best" on CD for many years, never listened to it, but I'll agree that "Venus and Mars" is a neglected classic, as is the first McCartney LP, very primitive but rather homely.

I had dreams about WINGSPAN last night. or it featured in my last night's dreams. I think it was really big and cost one hundred and twenty-five pounds or twenty-five pounds and was sealed in plastic and didn't tell me the tracklisting.

record shopping w/ allyC, yesterday, we saw many mccartney/wings albums. WINGS AT THE SPEED OF SOUND looked OK but was on cassette and three pounds fifty.

Does anyone else like 'Hope of Deliverance'? I think it has a haunting melody.

p.s. 'for your love'+'bus stop'=gouldman.

Dud: 'Wings at the Speed of Sound', 'Flaming Pie', 'Driving Rain' (a little better than 'FP'), 'Press to Play' (interesting yet not successful experimentation from Macca in 1986...) & 'Back to the Egg' (consistently average, only 'Old Siam Sir' makes any real impression).

Many albums of his i'm mixed about... yet, overall 'Classic', I maybe go towards this strongly as the general consensus is so unfairly a 'dud' opinion. You have to look deep into his work, and will find much that is good...

Too late, it was in the issue with Santana on the cover.

If one's scratching one's head about how badly Paul's solo cheese wears on the nerves, try the following experiment: program disc one of the white album to only play Paul's tracks. Starts off okay but the unrelenting 'Ob-la-di' to 'Martha My Dear' to 'Blackbird', by the time it gets to 'Rocky Racoon' you'll be clawing your face off.

It should be mentioned that it's the MCCARTNEY II version that should be considered "classic." The live version, which Columbia released as a single in the US, pales in comparison (though there's a very strange meteor-shower synth break toward the end).

Am I the only person who thinks BACK TO THE EGG is almost the equal of BAND ON THE RUN/VENUS & MARS? Probably.

Most obvious cases of search:
"Tug Of War", "Flowers In The Dirt", "Band On The Run", "Venus And Mars"

Destroy:
"Wild Life", "McCartney II", "Press To Play", "Wings At The Speed Of Sound", "Pipes Of Peace".

Other than the disastrous "Wild Life", even the worst albums contain at least one or two great tracks each though.

The production on that album is definitely classy, but the songs are just too weak for it to avoid the dustbin. "Tug Of War" has the same marvellous production, and contains almost exclusively great songs. (Yes, even "Ebony & Ivory" isn't that bad, really)

"Waterfalls" is the only really good song on that album. "Coming Up" is a dud IMO. Just because John Lennon liked it doesn't automatically mean it was good (in fact, most of Lennon's solo work sucked anyway)

'Flowers in the Dirt' has a far worse production than 'Pipes of Peace'; it really lacks focus and sympathy for the songs. There is some fine material on there, but much of it is middling.

Do *not* destroy 'McCartney II'... it's a revelation frankly! Such a massive step up from 'Back to the Egg' and more cohesive and compelling I believe than 'McCartney' (though 'Junk' & 'Every Night' are sublime). It is McCartney very interestingly going down the route of electronic music; which sadly he didn't continue so much on his next two (nevertheless good) albums. 'Summer's Day Song' is among McCartney's most beautiful, as is 'Waterfalls'... 'Frozen Jap' and 'Front Parlour' see a Kraftwerk-type influence beautifully used to make jaunty, expressively melancholic electronic pieces. 'Dark Room' is oddball in a great manner... 'One of these Days' is a masterful close to the album.

'Press To Play' possibly does... but it is mis-produced and really inadequate in its music and songwriting (will have to give it another chance, mind).
I fully agree on 'Wings at the Speed of Sound'; apart from 'Silly Love Songs' (a badly produced and sounding recording of it) and the towering pop of 'Le 'Em In', it is a seriously mediocre record and the one with the most detrimental influence of the other Wings members.
'Ram', 'Band on the Run', 'Red Rose Speedway' and 'Venus and Mars' are unreservedly recommended as an fine early quartet of albums.

Wouldn't call any of them awful. Although they are clearly tracks that seem like partly failed attempts to copy his duet partner's musical styles.

I love the production on that one too. But, then again, I enjoy most of what Mitchell Froom and Trevor Horn/Stephen Lipson have ever done sonically.

The hits are mainly produced by Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Suzanne Vega, early 90s Elvis Costello). But Trevor Horn produced "How Many People" and "Figure Of Eight"

i have heard neither, and know very little about mccartney solo. what are these songs like?

coming up!

I don't find any of the Beatles a bit attractive. Maybe young George? But he would've sulked me to death.

not sure why I posted that it seemed vaguely relevant to the fucking discussion

there are some really hot ones out there but this isnt a thirst trap thread unless the thirst traps are songs which he has plenty of

I find each of them attractive or unattractive at different times in different eras

pepper john is the hottest john not sure if that's a hot take or not

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/21/fireman-electric-arguments

apprently not his finest hour.

― titchyschneiderMk2, Friday, November 21, 2008 4:19 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

but close to it. "sing the changes"!

"fluid" on rushes is the nearest he ever approached bitches brew (released just a month or two before let it be)

This has been pegged by the more excitable tabloids as a hate rant against Heather Mills

lol i'm sorry but this word choice is a low blow

I always thought Junior's Farm was nonsense lyrics, but it's actually a clever little thing about capitalism, isn't it? Looking forward to One Hand Clapping coming out.

― timellison, Saturday, 4 May 2024 20:47

?? There's one line about inflation, that's all I can see. The poker stuff is about Beatle/Apple breakup negotiations, innit

― glumdalclitch, Monday, May 6, 2024 8:48 AM (six hours ago)

Yeah, but specifically about MONEY and how it's earned. Or not earned, you just have to play the game. And what happens in the seats of power - "We all chipped in for a bag of cement." And what someone is willing to do for a couple of pence.

Re. sexuality in his songs - "Alligator" on New.

coldblooded, that one

Actually, the next song on that album ("On My Way to Work") also.

Re. sexuality in his songs - "Alligator" on _New._

Actually, the next song on that album ("On My Way to Work") also.

are old people not allowed to be horny? or do you want more appropriate expressions of horniness whatever that would look like? I mean the queen is dead so what do you want from him

and he already made the most unsexy sexy song ever decades ago it's called temporary secretary

My nursing home crack probably made that sound more ageist than it was intended. I just don’t think either of those songs are sexy or carnal in any way. They’re mostly just kind of sad and lonely.

This catchy motherfucker OTOH …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWYlWvtEyio

(h/t Alba)

Great!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLncY7Q1hIQ