Wings: Classic or Dud?

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Provoked by Macca's latest media reappearance and seeming ongoing or imminent rethink. I'm not sure what to think. What about you?

― the pinefox, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They're only the band the Beatles COULD'VE been...er, ah-haaa.

― Alan Partridge, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I wonder about Macca's reissue obsession. If it was email, I'd call it spam.

― Stevie Nixed, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have never received an unsolicited Wings album. If someone wants to redress this then feel free. D'oh!

― Nick, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Okay okay, I ain't a nerd so my knowledge of cyber-terms isn't that great. What about "virus"?

― Stevie Nixed, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'd liked an uncolicited Wings Best Of.

Or, of course, The Best Of The Beatles. That's my favourite Beatles LP.

― the pinefox, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yellow Sub = Mull of Kintyre. Both make me sick.

― Stevie Nixed, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Stevie, the "D'oh" was directed at my own self-defeating request, not you. I have no idea what a computer even is.

― Nick, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Maybe it's the equivalent of sending some crappy joke to everyone in your address book and asking them to pay for it .

btw - Wings - DUD. Except for 'Jet'

― Nick, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

if the beatles were somehow forced to do everything that paul said, they would've been wings. dud, no exceptions.

― fred solinger, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

wouldn't 'maybe i'm amazed' count as an exception? i heard that if you play it backwards you'll hear a recipe for a really ripping lentil soup.

― ethan, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

fer goodness sake, ethan, i know it's hard to resist a simpsons joke, but the version of "maybe i'm amazed" that paul performed with wings is flatulent and obscene. i can practically TASTE the sweat.

― fred solinger, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am completely perplexed by Paul McCartney. On et hone hand he gave us "For NO ONe" and "Elaneaor Rigby". Yet he also gave us "we're SImply Having a Wonderful Christmasd timne", and "I lOve YOu " or whatever that blasted song is that nearly drove me insane one day when I was stuck on some bridge in the bronx going insane. I think he needed JOhn to make him feel intimidated and insecure. Yes, Wings was too secure, that the problem. Paul I think bought into the idea that he was a hard rocker and didnt need to prove himself anymore with either creative hard rock or justified soft rock. He just began oozing a sort of lethargic 70 s Punk bait.

― Mike Hanley, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Gotta get me some of that 'justified soft rock'!

― andrew l, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't think he really considered himself some kind of hard rocker. The whole vibe of Wings seemed to be based around pop melodies and an *attempt* to recapture some of the innocent excitement of the Beatles (although the results obviously reflected the airbrushed studio techniques of the 70's - no bad thing in my opinion).

― David, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I was actually having a record store conversation about just this the other day, because the clerk had put on Wingspan (dud for the lack of chronological order right off the bad, even more dud when you consider the fact that McCartney feels that this schlock somehow qualifies as "best" in a world that featured the Beatles). I was also tempted to say that everything was dud except for "Jet", as well, but it only took a couple of flips through the store to realize that it was just an excuse to sing the word "suffragette", which Bowie had successfully done a year earlier. So dud, dud, dud.

― Sean Carruthers, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I wondered when someone would make that Partridge joke ...

Contrary to Stevie's suggestion, McCartney's only released three post- Beatles "best of" albums: 1978's "Wings Greatest Hits", 1987's "All The Best!" and the current "Wingspan". 3 compilations in 31 years is infinitely *less* exploitative than the endless repackagings of virtually every other artist / band of his generation. Got to give him credit for that, at least.

Wings are dud in a very definitively provincial-English-70s way, hence Partridge liking them (and also his love for ELO, his playing Mike Oldfield's "Portsmouth" on his radio show, Steeleye Span's "Gaudete" in his car to chat up women, etc. - Iannucci et al are v. good at ensuring that a character will have *exactly* the musical taste that fits his / her personality). But I can't bring myself to *hate* them because they have a certain reassuring quality of a nice, vanished world not entirely unlike Daniel Boone's "Beautiful Sunday" - but obviously very cosy and retreating within itself compared to the soaring forward-looking internationalism of the best Beatles singles. It's obviously a cliche (but a v. true one) to say that they're the opposite of the Beatles, in this respect; all McCartney's small-time niceness, and nothing else.

Remembering that Harold Wilson was PM when the Beatles got their MBEs (though McCartney, curiously, got his knighthood in the last honours list of the Major era, and probably the last for a *very* long time under a Tory government), it's appropriate that there are similarities between McCartney and Wilson's careers, in that they both went from Symbols Of The Future in '63 to washed-out pale shadows in '75.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You took the words right out of my mouth, David.

I love the airbrushed studio technique on something like "Listen To What The Man Said"; it's what makes it a great guilty pleasure. Better than "Mr Blue Sky", at least.

"Jet", on the other hand, sounds like shit when you hear it on the '74 Radio 1 medium wave frequency next to The Sweet's "Blockbuster" and T.Rex's "Get It On" (as I - and this is not a confession I make easily - did on Virgin Radio on Saturday night).

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Howabout a search & destroy........

Wings/McCartney SEARCH: "Band on the Run, "Live & Let Die," "Maybe I'm Amazed," even "No More Lonely Nights" (though more for Dave Gimour's guitar at the end), "My Love," and yes...."Jet"

DESTROY: "Coming Up," "Pipes of Peace," "Ebony & Ivory," "Bluebird," "Say, Say, Say", "With a Little Luck," "Give Ireland Back to the Irish," and the absolutely lamentable theme from "Spies Like Us."

― alex in nyc, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think I'd stick up for 'Maybe I'm Amazed'. I've never heard the Irish song, always wanted to. 'Spies Like Us' - JEEZ, it's been a while!!

As people have been implying, there seems to be something VERY 70s about Wings - which is almost interesting.

The other thing is, I really like the Venus & Mars LP.

― the pinefox, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Give Ireland Back To The Irish" is a jolly, insubstantial song which goes like this: "Give Ireland back to the Irish/Don't make them have to take it away/Give Ireland back to the Irish/Make Ireland Irish today." It's like "Power To The People" by John Lennon. It's absolutely dreadful, but it has an appalling charm. It also goes "Great Britain, you are tremendous And nobody knows like me But *really*, what are you doing In that land across the sea?" Appropriately enough, it has a kind of country guitar solo, which would please the Irish band playing in the Archway Tavern last night, who did a long introduction to one of their songs, clearly audible from the bus stop across the road, about 1916: "we must always remember these men, and they were men of peace!!! They did not want conflict!!! Pearse!" - huge cheer - "Connelly!" - huge cheer, and so on, before they finally struck up a fast-pickin' hoedown. They weren't half funny. The sheer weirdness of Wings is what makes them so good. Musically, the best analogy is that their songs meander wildly (and often get locked into circles) like the stoned brain of the supine Macca, watching lambs gambol through the window, knowing he'll see to it that they get to grow pointlessly into sheep. Given his incredible musical fluency by this point, his equally incredible lack of discipline and his total control of Wings, it might be not so much an analogy as a simple description of how they worked. Like any marijuana daydreams, then, often the songs were dull and doughy and stunted and utterly self-absorbed, occasionally they were fabulous, rich and strange. "Girls' School" - the only *really* shocking omission from "Wingspan" - was written as he leafed through a catalogue of porno films whilst puffing away in his private jet, and is irresistible 70s raunch; "Rock Show" is funny for the same reasons, "behind the stacks, you glimpse an axe...the tension mounts, you score an ounce," and so forth. Other than a squeamishness about sweat, there's no good reason to dislike "Maybe I'm Amazed".

Unlike The Beatles, Wings have no fundamental, unimpeachable "quality" to justify anything they ever did. Listening to them is really just to explore one man's personality, and happily, it's a fascinating personality. Just not for any of the reasons Paul McCartney would think or hope, which is why the experience is so frustrating.

― Taylor Parkes, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lennon had a gift for picking unlike partners who'd challenge and fascinate him: in order (kinda) (and let not the word "promiscuous" sully yr hostile mind) McCartney, Epstein, Martin, Ono, Spector. Hey, he's the Courtney Love of the Beatles...

McCartney — technically a far superior musician-mimic, in any field you care to call — has no such gift. Wings (as a result) is a lumbering longform disaster of (unbelievably) isolated amazing moments... for example, the bassline on 'Old Siam Sir' (a totally negligeable song in any other respect).

― mark s, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i should add that i do love "maybe i'm amazed" but not the live version with wings, lest i be misinterpreted.

talking with mike earlier in the day, i decided that the path each solo beatle took was determined by their drug of choice, that is lennon: heroin; ringo: alcohol; mccartney: weed; and harrison: religion.

― fred solinger, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Largely a dud, the music of a bored and bonged-out hippie surrounded by studio hacks and without anyone to call him on his BS. Occasionally some nice pop touches but largely dreck.

Secret and shameful Wings pleasure -- "I'm Coming Up." Dumb and dull, but I've always loved the tinny-sounding studio version for some strange reason. And Paul's "The Girl Is Mine" duet with Michael Jackson is so bad that it's ... well, it's.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like your meandering / lambs gambolling analogy, Taylor.

I obviously agree with our Foxy friend that there is something quintessentially 70s about Wings. The Huntsman (obvious joke to get those two in the same paragraph, I'm sorry) might remember that the first time I heard his "88 Point 6" it reminded me of "Let 'Em In", but not as much as it reminded me of Oldfield's "Portsmouth". It's way beyond either of those Partridgean comparisons for me now, though. And it reminded Tom of Dead Can Dance.

But Wings's 70s-ness makes them more than "almost" interesting for me, but viewed objectively it doesn't save them from dud status. But it comes close. I find them far more interesting, in a curious way, than either classic nor dud, if I'm honest with myself.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"either classic nor dud" - "either classic or dud"

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Forgot to say, that mention of 'Rock Show' above was ace. I mean, what a name for a song - talk about 70s WINGS, as Sister Disco would say. Add 'Venus & Mars' (2 versions) and 'Magneto and Titanium Man', surely one of the best superhero songs ever.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 23 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

To anyone who was confused about the whole 'Maybe I'm Amazed' cthing - the first album McCartney released after the Beatles was a solo album, not Wings. And it's pretty good. Although I don't really see what all the fuss about 'Maybe I'm Amazed' is. It's quite nice, but I don't like the rock yelp voice he puts on as it progresses. That spoiled a few Beatles tracks too. My favourite track is 'Every Night'.

Solo McCartney fans often say the best Wings tracks are hidden on B-sides, but then that's the kind of thing insane late-Morrissey fans say too, and they're wrong. Except in the case of 'I Can Have Both'.

― Nick, Wednesday, 23 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Maybe Mozzer and Macca can team up and do a double b-side.

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 23 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Never mind lambs and their compulsive gambolling. My hamster's just died. She fell asleep at the wheel.

"Coming Up" is a disco gem. Even if the sax solo is played by him out of the Muppet Show band.

"Pipes Of Peace" is the best song ever to have a video with WWI chic. I was hoping it would set a trend. Mr Paul is, if nothing else, a man who looks good in uniform. See also Beatles at Shea Stadium.

"Jet" - I thought John Major was a lady suffragette.

Poor old suffragettes. All that hunger striking and chaining themselves to railings, all for the right for future generations to be vote. The generations of 2001 would vote if they could, but ballot boxes don't take text messaging.

― Dickon Edwards, Wednesday, 23 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nick: oh, 'I Can Have Both' isn't that great. Like I keep saying, 'Lost' is the one you want.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 24 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hi Dickon,

Your words on voting are a sad but true reflection of why I'm embarrassed to be a first-time voter. But I would doubt whether any of those of us born between 4th May 1979 and 7th June 1983 will vote Tory.

I'm voting the unfashionable way round here (but the fashionable way in neighbouring seats) for deep-rooted moral reasons. I hope my contemporaries do, but I fear otherwise.

― Robin Carmody, Thursday, 24 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Votes for moral reasons can go both ways. I remember reading something about how in the US, among people who claim that their vote was partially influenced by morals, twice as many voted for the Republicans.

― Patrick, Thursday, 24 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

To clarify: the unofficial propaganda here is to vote for one progressive party, but I'll be voting for another (much more) progressive party which I feel a greater affinity with. I can barely begin to speculate on the mental state of anyone who'd vote Republican / Conservative on moral grounds, except to say that they are often the ones who lived somewhere the size of a matchbox and never did manage to get out the other side and survive. The ones who never recovered.

― Robin Carmody, Thursday, 24 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

errr...yes.

Anyhoo, Paul McCartney should be beaten with slabs of frozen meat. He's an idiot, and his music is equally idiotic, including the stuff that is clearly "his" with the sainted Beatles. He's just awful, but then again, that's a good point about the drug of choice thing - weed, yo.

Ringo is the best solo Beatle BECAUSE he was a funny ass drunk, hello. That's a thread, we should argue over best solo Beatle. Except no one would vote for George because he's awful, and I'd feel bad.

― Ally, Tuesday, 29 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

Great Macca solo melody: 'Tug of War'.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

In fact, I have half a mind to make the insupportable, purely gestural suggestion that 'Tug Of War' is THE GREATEST MELODY OF THE 1980s. Just think of the complex yet natural way it rises and falls - such an instinct still there, as late as 1983 (?).

Other great Macca rediscovery: VENUS AND MARS. Always my favourite solo Macca LP, but re-listening for first time in 15 years shows that the opening (title) track is (not merely for 'nostalgia reasons') magnificent. Acoustic textures / flute (keyboard?) / melody / atmosphere / even the lyrics (!!). In a way (esp. as the rhythm, altered towards the end) it reminded me of Tom E's faves Radiohead, but with immeasurably better melodic grasp, of course. Not much between this and Beatles Band.

Then 'Magneto & Titanium Man' - once again, a childhood favourite that turns out to be REALLY GOOD! And yet another 'Boy With The Arab Strap' precursor - how could I have forgotten this?

― the pinefox, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

When I first heard Nirvana (it was the nervermind album) I told my friend who'd given me the cassette: "This sounds like 'Junior's Farm.'" I couldn't think of any higher praise.

― Mr. Mark Lerner, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the only toon of his that still does it for me is "Coming Up"

― tarden, Sunday, 8 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two years pass...

No other place to post this ... What the hell is Magneto and Titanium Man about? Do those characters represent someone real? I got that song in my head yesterday & I got to wondering if it was just total nonsense or if was about something I'm unfamiliar with..

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 1 March 2004 17:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... If it was "John Lennon & The Frog Chorus", all you hipsters would be hailing it as a work of genius!!!!!!!!

― Old Fart!!! (oldfart_sd), Monday, 1 March 2004 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a well-known fact that McCartney only started Wings so he could keep all the money. The Beatles wouldn't let him, and he even tried dressing up in a wig and glasses to collect Lennon's royalty cheques.

For some strange reason though, a band made up with only one of the Beatles should suck less, but Wings only sucks more.

― Sasha (sgh), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 07:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't actually know as a fact but I guess it's just a variety of comic book stuff mixed together, X-Men etc, with no real meaning behind it. Bit like Rocky Raccoon.

― mms (mms), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 09:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, if no-one else is going to say it, then I'll say it.

Goodnight Tonight: classic.

As a former pubescent Wings fan (oh yes), I could mount a reasonable defence of a fair-sized proportion of their work from c.1972-76 - but perhaps not.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

All the hits compilations are duds as they have to include the big hits that were dud tracks. Is there a Macca/Wings "Rough Guide" that includes all the cool stuff? "Goodnight Tonight" 7 min version, "Girls School", "Helen Wheels" "Little Woman Love" etcet keep going?

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Vicar to thread! I think we analyzed this in detail c. 2 years ago.

Perhaps I am getting mixed up.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 2 March 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah. Would that be here or here?

I may be new, but I'm learning.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

It would be here. If you look at the dates of the first posts...

But anyway, I just wondered if the "Crimson Dynamo" repsresented someone in English politics or if it was just some stupid song.

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 16:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Had some good songs and one pretty decent record (Band on the Run), but on the whole, dud. Actually my two fave Paul McCartney solo outings are just that, his two s/t solo records (s/t & II).

― dleone (dleone), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

eight months pass...

wings is worse than beatles but better than his solo stuff

― salamander boy, Sunday, 28 November 2004 05:39 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 39 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

...Chris Thomas behind the desk.

― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 16 June 2013 04:10 (twelve years ago)

what the eff? 'old siam sir' is fantastic

― Autumn Almanac, Sunday, 16 June 2013 04:58 (twelve years ago)

unless you mean the lyrics, but i mean ~it's mccartney~

― Autumn Almanac, Sunday, 16 June 2013 04:59 (twelve years ago)

There's the love! And yes, OTM on Getting Closer -- far better then Band on the Run.

Always had a oft spot for Spin it On, and Baby's Request is another one of those love songs that is secretly addressed to John ("my baby said that she knows how it goes but you're the one who really knows")

― Marcus / Xgau - Whose Century? (broom air), Sunday, 16 June 2013 06:23 (twelve years ago)

what the eff? 'old siam sir' is fantastic

Yeah, and not that I've ever listened to them, you're not allowed to count lyrics. This is McCartney for chrissakes.

― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 16 June 2013 12:38 (twelve years ago)

I'm not even counting the lyrics. I love "Press," remember.

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 16 June 2013 12:49 (twelve years ago)

(And I still insist that the lyric on "Rockestra Theme" is "I have not had any dinner!")
― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 16 June 2013 02:50 (16 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

So do I, why, what does it say elsewhere?

― Mark G, Sunday, 16 June 2013 19:46 (twelve years ago)

I quite like the lyrics of "Old Siam Sir":

http://www.paulmccartney.com/albums/songs/16430-old-siam-sir

― timellison, Sunday, 16 June 2013 20:07 (twelve years ago)

So do I, why, what does it say elsewhere?
― Mark G, Sunday, June 16, 2013 2:46 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

There was a bit of a discussion in the Worst McCartney Lyric thread. Amazingly, if you Google for the lyrics, this shows up on several websites: "With a bird in the hand he says, 'Why no dinner?'"

― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 16 June 2013 23:22 (twelve years ago)

http://www.paulmccartney.com/albums/songs/16328-rockestra-theme

― timellison, Sunday, 16 June 2013 23:46 (twelve years ago)

We all right yeah

― Autumn Almanac, Monday, 17 June 2013 00:26 (twelve years ago)

Hmmmm.

― Hideous Lump, Monday, 17 June 2013 02:10 (twelve years ago)

Never read this before - John Mendelsohn's Wild Life review:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/wild-life-us-bonus-tracks-19720120

― timellison, Monday, 17 June 2013 03:57 (twelve years ago)

Well, for an "at the time" review, that's not bad for calling it..

I don't think he's right about Wild Life the song, but apart from that, hmm yeah.

― Mark G, Monday, 17 June 2013 06:43 (twelve years ago)

back to the egg, easily one of my favorite mccartney albums. venus and mars is the one I go back and forth on; loved it when I first heard it courtesy of a pretty young lady who was a housemate of my cousins when I was a teenager, then later it just seemed kind of limp. Now I think it stands up pretty well except for spirits of ancient egypt which is shitty, much shittier than denny laine's song on back to the egg which I really like (again and again and again).

london town is weak, speed of sound is week.

― akm, Monday, 17 June 2013 18:17 (twelve years ago)

I bailed after "w/over America"

― Mark G, Monday, 17 June 2013 22:22 (twelve years ago)

'cook of the house' is the 'the room' of music

― Autumn Almanac, Monday, 17 June 2013 22:35 (twelve years ago)

I like 'Again And Again And Again'. I like it a fucking lot.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Monday, 17 June 2013 23:36 (twelve years ago)

are there plans for a post-Fabs McCartney poll?

― piscesx, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 00:22 (twelve years ago)

have we done one?

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 00:30 (twelve years ago)

It's vast enough that we'd need to subdivide.

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 00:30 (twelve years ago)

- pre-wings solo
- wings
- post-wings solo
- weird aor diversion
- 21st century mojo years

― Autumn Almanac, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 00:55 (twelve years ago)

POLL OF DELIVERANCE

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 00:56 (twelve years ago)

- pre-wings solo
- wings
- post-wings solo
- weird aor diversion
- 21st century mojo years

― Autumn Almanac, Tuesday, June 18, 2013 12:55 AM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yes, and his classical albums, his work as The Fireman, one-off projects like Thrillington...

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 01:02 (twelve years ago)

Ballot poll on the whole catalog would be fun imo.

― timellison, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 01:09 (twelve years ago)

yeah a poll of his whole back cat would be sweet.

xxp lol at 'poll of deliverance'.

― piscesx, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 01:34 (twelve years ago)

73 today. (The singer, that is.)

― clemenza, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 21:57 (twelve years ago)

71?

― Autumn Almanac, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 21:58 (twelve years ago)

Yes--was looking at a Facebook post, and one of the comments had it wrong.

― clemenza, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 22:05 (twelve years ago)

I'm wondering how long he's going to be able to keep doing this... maybe another 10 years at the very most, but I keep picturing McCartney outlasting us all for some reason or other, playing rock'n'roll classics at 112 or something.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:26 (twelve years ago)

Would be willing to get in line to run a Macca ballot poll if people think there would be enough respondents to make it interesting.

― timellison, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:36 (twelve years ago)

can we limit it to a certain period? Otherwise the results will diffuse.

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:38 (twelve years ago)

I would definitely participate in a Macca ballot poll, just as long as his Beatles songs are disallowed. Putting a ranked list together of my favourite McCartney solo tracks is going to be absolute agony, mind!

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:38 (twelve years ago)

i think there's a general solo beatles poll on the list, if the ballots are long enough i think that'd do

― balls, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:50 (twelve years ago)

The only problem I'd have with a general Beatles solo poll is that I can the results would be much less interesting. There's hidden gems and deep cuts which are bound to get lost... I mean, McCartney's discography is big enough on its own without having the others in there!

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:53 (twelve years ago)

Further, I'm not debating the merits of "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" and Elephant's Memory.

― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:54 (twelve years ago)

Checked - I don't see solo Beatles on the most recent list.

― timellison, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:55 (twelve years ago)

or of "Wrack My Brain"

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:55 (twelve years ago)

Only one Ringo song would really make it onto my general Beatles solo ballot, anyway: 'It Don't Come Easy'.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 02:59 (twelve years ago)

"Photograph" would be high on mine ("It Don't Come Easy" too).

― clemenza, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 03:00 (twelve years ago)

Ringo on guitar and Paul on drums

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfob62DHM40

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 03:01 (twelve years ago)

totally down with a 1970-2013 poll.

― piscesx, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 03:15 (twelve years ago)

Would definitely vote in a Wings Poll. I mean, "With A Little Luck" is pretty great, right?

― jetfan, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 03:19 (twelve years ago)

I have a lot of time for 'With A Little Luck'. Must be the full length album version, though.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 03:54 (twelve years ago)

six years pass...

Some cool footage released with the recent Wild Life reissue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxQT32Fkl90

― timellison, Sunday, 29 March 2020 03:50 (five years ago)

I'm not a fan of 'Wild Life' or 'Red Rose Speedway,' but the studio outtake of "The Mess" along with "Hi Hi Hi" are definite keepers. Wings made at least an LP's worth of truly great pop ('Wings' Greatest' isn't it), and when I listen to their best stuff, I can see why someone would think they were underrated. But their albums are wildly uneven to me. The ratio of gems-to-chaff is often VERY low, and even 'Band on the Run' has a few awful tracks.

― birdistheword, Sunday, 29 March 2020 17:38 (five years ago)

four years pass...

This ‘One Hand Clapping’ album slams. Such a shame that Geoff Britton got the boot soon after as they were a really tight band on it.

― Dan Worsley, Friday, 21 June 2024 12:12 (one year ago)

I’m about half way through and really enjoying it. It’s nice to hear that whole repertoire being played in the same circumstance because the sound of their records was always evolving so much. What they were able to pull off live was really impressive. Could be the best Wings album!

― timellison, Saturday, 22 June 2024 19:44 (one year ago)

I don't know from Wings, but this is now one of my favorite post-Beatles Beatles albums.

― default damager (lukas), Saturday, 22 June 2024 20:38 (one year ago)

Let Me Roll It never fails to amaze in almost any rendition. In keeping with his writing of the time it’s barely a song – just a riff, pre-chorus and chorus repeated like a dozen times and the lyric is almost nonexistent. But the pre-chorus with the Farfisa (Mellotron on One Hand Clapping) is such an extraordinary build of tension and release it hits every time and may well be my favorite moment in his catalogue.

― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 23 June 2024 17:26 (one year ago)

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