Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
whoa - sorry I missed this
will definitely catch up ...just haven't logged in here for a few days.
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In this thread I rank my favorite post-Beatles Beatles songs: 291-1. (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter krista4
- Start date
will definitely catch up ...just haven't logged in here for a few days.
krista4
Footballguy
---INTERLUDE – Wings – Wild Life (1971)---
I considered not giving this album its own ---INTERLUDE---; after all, I’m only going to have one song from it on this countdown. Hell, I’ve got five Ringo albums with more than one song, and none of them got an interlude. But I vowed (to myself – no one else could possibly care) to give each of the other three Beatles interludes for their albums, so here we are.
Wild Life is not a great record. This is Wings in its formative stage, with only turned-out-to-be-mainstay Denny Laine and shorter-stay Denny Seiwell completing the band along with Paul and Linda. Paul had been inspired by a conversation with Bob Dylan about his recording style, and he decided to do a “spontaneous” record with quick one-take performances and little or no production; this album was recorded in the space of about a week. The rush of the recording shows, with the songs seeming thrown together and lightweight at best. Even the one song I’m choosing from the record wasn’t a thought-out endeavor – I just like it as a jam. On the plus side, the record only has eight songs.
Somehow this album reached #10 in the US despite uniformly unfavorable reviews, but it remains the Wings lowest charting album. Rolling Stone called it, generously, “vacuous, flaccid, impotent, trivial and unaffecting.” It’s been mostly forgotten since. Luckily, it got much better for the band from here.
Paul followed this album with his oddball tour of a dozen UK colleges, where Wings (now with Henry McCullough in tow as well) debuted itself by just showing up in university towns and offering to play. They loaded the band members, wives, kids, and dogs into a caravan and would just roam around, and if a band member saw a place that intrigued them, they’d stop and find a university official to see if they wanted a concert. It was through this method that the first official Wings public show – the first live appearance for Paul since Candlestick Park in 1966 - was for several hundred people at Nottingham University. Looking back, the kids at these college shows must be blown away that they experienced something like this, even though Wings weren’t exactly a hit at the time. On the flip side, some universities said “no” to the offer; I’d have demanded a tuition refund!
I couldn’t have this summary without mentioning Paul’s “John Barron/John Miller” moment on this record. In the liner notes for Wild Life, a gentleman named Clint Harrigan hyped the production, describing how the band was formed and the album recorded. Mr. Harrigan also showed up in the liner notes for Thrillington, an album I’ll discuss later. Years later, Paul admitted that Mr. Harrigan was, in fact, Paul himself.
Pretty picture on the cover is the highlight of the record for me.
Track listing:
I considered not giving this album its own ---INTERLUDE---; after all, I’m only going to have one song from it on this countdown. Hell, I’ve got five Ringo albums with more than one song, and none of them got an interlude. But I vowed (to myself – no one else could possibly care) to give each of the other three Beatles interludes for their albums, so here we are.
Wild Life is not a great record. This is Wings in its formative stage, with only turned-out-to-be-mainstay Denny Laine and shorter-stay Denny Seiwell completing the band along with Paul and Linda. Paul had been inspired by a conversation with Bob Dylan about his recording style, and he decided to do a “spontaneous” record with quick one-take performances and little or no production; this album was recorded in the space of about a week. The rush of the recording shows, with the songs seeming thrown together and lightweight at best. Even the one song I’m choosing from the record wasn’t a thought-out endeavor – I just like it as a jam. On the plus side, the record only has eight songs.
Somehow this album reached #10 in the US despite uniformly unfavorable reviews, but it remains the Wings lowest charting album. Rolling Stone called it, generously, “vacuous, flaccid, impotent, trivial and unaffecting.” It’s been mostly forgotten since. Luckily, it got much better for the band from here.
Paul followed this album with his oddball tour of a dozen UK colleges, where Wings (now with Henry McCullough in tow as well) debuted itself by just showing up in university towns and offering to play. They loaded the band members, wives, kids, and dogs into a caravan and would just roam around, and if a band member saw a place that intrigued them, they’d stop and find a university official to see if they wanted a concert. It was through this method that the first official Wings public show – the first live appearance for Paul since Candlestick Park in 1966 - was for several hundred people at Nottingham University. Looking back, the kids at these college shows must be blown away that they experienced something like this, even though Wings weren’t exactly a hit at the time. On the flip side, some universities said “no” to the offer; I’d have demanded a tuition refund!
I couldn’t have this summary without mentioning Paul’s “John Barron/John Miller” moment on this record. In the liner notes for Wild Life, a gentleman named Clint Harrigan hyped the production, describing how the band was formed and the album recorded. Mr. Harrigan also showed up in the liner notes for Thrillington, an album I’ll discuss later. Years later, Paul admitted that Mr. Harrigan was, in fact, Paul himself.
Pretty picture on the cover is the highlight of the record for me.
Track listing:
- Mumbo
- Bip Bop
- Love Is Strange
- Wild Life
- Some People Never Know
- I Am Your Singer
- Tomorrow
- Dear Friend
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
wow - looks just like our Kevin (tabby)
krista4
Footballguy
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
krista4
Footballguy
Wake up! Paul wants to mumble-shout at you!
202. Wings – Mumbo (Wild Life, 1971) Spotify YouTube
(Paul #90)
This was just a spontaneous jam that got recorded (though some overdubs were later added) – Paul’s “Take it, Tony!” at the beginning was his direction to the engineer in the middle of the jam to start recording, but Tony (Clark) had been a step ahead and already begun the recording when he heard the jam getting good. The song not being a fully formed song is evident from the lyrics…or whatever they are. It’s more a series of grunts and mumbles. I’m writing up my #90 Paul as if I don’t like it, when clearly I do; it’s a great rock jam with a bunch of interesting guitar riffs, good organ parts, and a strong gritty vocal. If it were a fully realized song, it could be much higher. Great fun, though; turn up the volume for this one.
202. Wings – Mumbo (Wild Life, 1971) Spotify YouTube
(Paul #90)
This was just a spontaneous jam that got recorded (though some overdubs were later added) – Paul’s “Take it, Tony!” at the beginning was his direction to the engineer in the middle of the jam to start recording, but Tony (Clark) had been a step ahead and already begun the recording when he heard the jam getting good. The song not being a fully formed song is evident from the lyrics…or whatever they are. It’s more a series of grunts and mumbles. I’m writing up my #90 Paul as if I don’t like it, when clearly I do; it’s a great rock jam with a bunch of interesting guitar riffs, good organ parts, and a strong gritty vocal. If it were a fully realized song, it could be much higher. Great fun, though; turn up the volume for this one.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
This is often how Neil recorded. Some of his albums are even less structured than that. He was constantly recording at his ranch and sometimes would take bits and pieces from those endeavors to put together an album; Crazy Horse or whoever was with him would have no idea that the songs that ended up on an album together were ever intended to be, as they may have been recorded months or even years apart from each other. Albums pieced together this way include Harvest, On the Beach, Zuma, American Stars N Bars, Hawks & Doves and Freedom.
However, as I've mentioned before, Neil is a musician who thrives on lack of structure. Paul has never struck me as being the same way.
Well, the song titles certainly exemplify all that. I don't think it's possible to put less effort into song titles.
Shaft41
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
And yes, this means I like it even less than the song about the piano keyboard, oh lord.
Raging weasel
Footballguy
I've never heard of the Wildlife album before but doesn't sound like I missed out on anything.
Listened to Red Rose Speedway and London Town today. Don't think I ever heard LT album before and it was okay. Nothing terrible and some decent tunes besides the hit- With a Little Luck.
Used to listen to RRS quite a bit back in the day when I owned it on vinyl . Think it was 89 when I sold my turntable so 30+ years since I last heard it. I don't mind My Love but prefer the live version. Even tho it's been awhile I still really like this album.
Listened to Red Rose Speedway and London Town today. Don't think I ever heard LT album before and it was okay. Nothing terrible and some decent tunes besides the hit- With a Little Luck.
Used to listen to RRS quite a bit back in the day when I owned it on vinyl . Think it was 89 when I sold my turntable so 30+ years since I last heard it. I don't mind My Love but prefer the live version. Even tho it's been awhile I still really like this album.
krista4
Footballguy
---INTERLUDE – Walls And Bridges (1974)---
Walls And Bridges was written and recorded in New York during John’s split from Yoko, but after the worst of his infamous “Lost Weekend” had passed, with the musicians having now been put on strict orders to record professionally rather than with the drinking and drug use that had characterized the beginning of this period. The record was a hit with the public, reaching #1 and hitting Gold status in the US powered by John’s first #1 single as a non-Beatle (and his only solo #1 during his lifetime), “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night,” and (appropriately) #9 hit “#9 Dream.”
Contemporary critic reviews were all over the map, with several deeming it superb while others thought it pedestrian and mediocre, but some retrospective reviews have considered this John’s best album other than the original Plastic Ono Band. John’s usual disdain for his own works also seemed to have been heightened for this album, possibly because, after reconciling with Yoko, he didn’t appreciate the reminders of this time in his life. I fall closer to the positive end of the spectrum on this record, with six of the album’s songs on my countdown. The other Beatles agree with me, as they all had positive public proclamations about this record, with Ringo even calling it the best album any of them had put out for five years.
Even critics who disliked the album generally praised its versatility, evidenced by a wide range of musical styles, from blues to jazz to dance to power-pop to “Sinatra-esque” (John’s term) to the usual highly personal ballads. The album even contains an R&B-inspired instrumental, extremely rare in John’s catalogue. The variety of musical styles is in many ways parallel to its variety of lyrical content, which mourns the breakup of his marriage while also embracing the hopefulness of a different life, striving for healing while also questioning whether what he was using to “heal” (drugs/alcohol, relationship with Pang, etc.) are really what he needs.
The success of the album could be attributed to strong songwriting, to cohesiveness in its theme (and avoidance of the purely polemic), and to excellent, focused production from John, which one of the participants described as follows: “The Walls And Bridges sessions were the most professional I have been on. He was there every day, 12 o’clock to 10 o’clock; go home; off the weekends; eight weeks; done. John knew what he wanted, he knew how to get what he was going after: he was going after a noise and he knew how to get it.” It was also aided by the usual cast of John’s musicians – including Voormann, Hopkins, and hey-look-it’s-Jim-Keltner – working together seamlessly once again. In addition, John added some new elements that enhanced and modernized the feel of the record, including significant contributions from Elton John, Ken Ascher (best known to me as the guy who wrote “The Rainbow Connection”), and the Little Big Horns on brass. One interesting tidbit on the vocal sound: John recorded on an old beat-up stage microphone that had been lying around the studio for years, giving the mic sound a dullness that contrasted interestingly with John’s vivid vocals.
The title of the album came from John’s belief that he had put up walls between himself and others, but hoped to take those down and form bridges instead: "Walls keep you in either protectively or otherwise, and bridges get you somewhere else," he said. Returning the favor for John’s voice-over on Ringo’s Goodnight Vienna ad (which I linked previously), Ringo provided the voice-over for John’s promo ad for Walls And Bridges.
The art for this one is one of my favorites, with the fold-out cover comprising photos of John that can be mixed and matched, plus reproductions of some of his childhood drawings on the front cover. The drawings had originally been intended to be part of what ended up as Rock ‘n’ Roll – the oldies theme of that record tying into what he was listening to at the time he drew them – but when that was temporarily shelved he decided to use the art for this record instead.
Track listing:
Walls And Bridges was written and recorded in New York during John’s split from Yoko, but after the worst of his infamous “Lost Weekend” had passed, with the musicians having now been put on strict orders to record professionally rather than with the drinking and drug use that had characterized the beginning of this period. The record was a hit with the public, reaching #1 and hitting Gold status in the US powered by John’s first #1 single as a non-Beatle (and his only solo #1 during his lifetime), “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night,” and (appropriately) #9 hit “#9 Dream.”
Contemporary critic reviews were all over the map, with several deeming it superb while others thought it pedestrian and mediocre, but some retrospective reviews have considered this John’s best album other than the original Plastic Ono Band. John’s usual disdain for his own works also seemed to have been heightened for this album, possibly because, after reconciling with Yoko, he didn’t appreciate the reminders of this time in his life. I fall closer to the positive end of the spectrum on this record, with six of the album’s songs on my countdown. The other Beatles agree with me, as they all had positive public proclamations about this record, with Ringo even calling it the best album any of them had put out for five years.
Even critics who disliked the album generally praised its versatility, evidenced by a wide range of musical styles, from blues to jazz to dance to power-pop to “Sinatra-esque” (John’s term) to the usual highly personal ballads. The album even contains an R&B-inspired instrumental, extremely rare in John’s catalogue. The variety of musical styles is in many ways parallel to its variety of lyrical content, which mourns the breakup of his marriage while also embracing the hopefulness of a different life, striving for healing while also questioning whether what he was using to “heal” (drugs/alcohol, relationship with Pang, etc.) are really what he needs.
The success of the album could be attributed to strong songwriting, to cohesiveness in its theme (and avoidance of the purely polemic), and to excellent, focused production from John, which one of the participants described as follows: “The Walls And Bridges sessions were the most professional I have been on. He was there every day, 12 o’clock to 10 o’clock; go home; off the weekends; eight weeks; done. John knew what he wanted, he knew how to get what he was going after: he was going after a noise and he knew how to get it.” It was also aided by the usual cast of John’s musicians – including Voormann, Hopkins, and hey-look-it’s-Jim-Keltner – working together seamlessly once again. In addition, John added some new elements that enhanced and modernized the feel of the record, including significant contributions from Elton John, Ken Ascher (best known to me as the guy who wrote “The Rainbow Connection”), and the Little Big Horns on brass. One interesting tidbit on the vocal sound: John recorded on an old beat-up stage microphone that had been lying around the studio for years, giving the mic sound a dullness that contrasted interestingly with John’s vivid vocals.
The title of the album came from John’s belief that he had put up walls between himself and others, but hoped to take those down and form bridges instead: "Walls keep you in either protectively or otherwise, and bridges get you somewhere else," he said. Returning the favor for John’s voice-over on Ringo’s Goodnight Vienna ad (which I linked previously), Ringo provided the voice-over for John’s promo ad for Walls And Bridges.
The art for this one is one of my favorites, with the fold-out cover comprising photos of John that can be mixed and matched, plus reproductions of some of his childhood drawings on the front cover. The drawings had originally been intended to be part of what ended up as Rock ‘n’ Roll – the oldies theme of that record tying into what he was listening to at the time he drew them – but when that was temporarily shelved he decided to use the art for this record instead.
Track listing:
- Going Down On Love
- Whatever Gets You Thru The Night
- Old Dirt Road
- What You Got
- Bless You
- Scared
- #9 Dream
- Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox)
- Steel And Glass
- Beef Jerky
- Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down And Out)
- Ya Ya
Shaft41
Footballguy
Good stuff, as always, Krista. This is one album I'm going to listen to all the way through, as I'm not familiar with a lot of it, and #9 Dream is a winner. Looks like he was stuck for a title for the 12th track and must have asked Paul to chime in.
krista4
Footballguy
That was a cover. It's the snippet where little Julian is playing drums. Then John re-recorded it as a "real" song on Rock 'n' Roll.I'll be eager to hear your thoughts. Like I said, I have many of these on my list, so I'm a big fan of this one.
Shaft41
Footballguy
I should have known that already. I should start reading your posts.
I'll be eager to hear your thoughts. Like I said, I have many of these on my list, so I'm a big fan of this one.
krista4
Footballguy
201. Old Dirt Road (Walls And Bridges, 1974) Spotify YouTube
(John #41)
With John having pulled back from the debauchery of the Lost Weekend, he and Harry Nilsson had returned to NY to complete Nilsson’s ##### Cats album as well as to begin recording of John’s Walls And Bridges. While writing this song, John asked Nilsson for “an Americanism.” Nilsson came up with “trying to shovel smoke with a pitchfork in the wind,” and a shared songwriting credit was born. In addition to “co-writing,” Nilsson provided backing vocals on this track. This mellow number is perfectly lovely in every way, but the highlights for me are the electric guitar work and, even more so, the beautiful piano parts from Nicky Hopkins.
(John #41)
With John having pulled back from the debauchery of the Lost Weekend, he and Harry Nilsson had returned to NY to complete Nilsson’s ##### Cats album as well as to begin recording of John’s Walls And Bridges. While writing this song, John asked Nilsson for “an Americanism.” Nilsson came up with “trying to shovel smoke with a pitchfork in the wind,” and a shared songwriting credit was born. In addition to “co-writing,” Nilsson provided backing vocals on this track. This mellow number is perfectly lovely in every way, but the highlights for me are the electric guitar work and, even more so, the beautiful piano parts from Nicky Hopkins.
Last edited by a moderator:
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
For some reason I had never listened to this album. I did today while walking my dog. Wacky is correct - perhaps the strangest thing is of course I new the hit Coming Up, but even that seem wackier than I remembered it. I liked it overall, even the much maligned Temptorary Secretary in some way. I give him credit for trying something new when he was already so accomplished at that part of his career.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
krista4
Footballguy
I feel the same way about "Coming Up"! It is much wackier than I remembered it from when I was a kid. Maybe everything was wacky then.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
His voice was very different - but I thought as a kid it sounded like Paul always did. Odd recall. But the latter works for me as well.I feel the same way about "Coming Up"! It is much wackier than I remembered it from when I was a kid. Maybe everything was wacky then.
heckmanm
Footballguy
Apparently OH is yet another Tanner alias?Exactly what DOES he like anyway? All I read are the scathing reviews...does he have anything nice to say about any artist? person? place? thing?
krista4
Footballguy
---INTERLUDE – Living In The Material World (1973)---
After the blockbuster success of All Things Must Pass, George began to devote his time to charitable projects, including the immensely successful Concert for Bangladesh, and as a result, his next studio album, Living In The Material World, was not released until 1973. Given the pent-up anticipation for George’s follow-up, the album quickly reached #1 in the US (knocking off Wings’s Red Rose Speedway – eek) and went Gold within two days of its release and Platinum in short order thereafter, in part behind the success of #1 single “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” (which knocked Wings’s “My Love” off the top spot – double eek).
Critical response was mixed, with Rolling Stone calling it a “pop classic” that was the best conceived work by a former Beatle since John’s Plastic Ono Band, while many objected to its overtly religious content, with one calling it “turgid, repetitive and so damn holy I could scream” and another referring to its “didactically imposing said Holy Memoirs upon innocent record-collectors" and calling the album as offensive in its piety as John’s Some Time In New York City had been in its political statements. Response to George’s vocals on the album was also mixed, with some citing his singing and phrasing as a highlight, while one said that “Harrison sings as if he's doing sitar impressions.” (Personally I think his plaintive vocals are perfect.) Critics seemed to be unanimous in their praise of the musicians on the record, including not just George’s excellent guitar work but the contributions by, say them with me: Voormann, Hopkins, Wright, Keltner…and Ringo! Retrospective reviews of the album have been more favorable.
Unquestionably this was George’s most clearly religious work, bringing the broader context of some of his messages in All Things Must Pass into a more personal depiction of a struggle between the spiritual and the “material world.” George’s already-strong devotion to Krishna consciousness had grown significantly during the period after All Things Must Pass, but his temptation by the rock-star accouterments also continued mostly unabated. While actively and genuinely involved in spiritual pursuits, George was simultaneously spending lavish amounts of money, continuing with his drug use, including a growing interest in cocaine – his close friend Chris O’Dell joked that you couldn’t tell if he was reaching into his coke bag or his prayer bag – and cheating on his wife continually, including the affair with Maureen Starkey that I previously discussed as well as numerous one-night stands. He wasn’t touring and was recording at home, meaning that he had few musical outlets for his increasingly difficult relationship with his wife; the song “So Sad,” which would show up on a later record, was recorded during this period as a reflection on the end of his marriage. On the other hand, he would spend days or weeks on long drives by himself just chanting the hare krishna. He was, as Voormann described him at the time, “an extreme character,” which Pattie Boyd echoed: “always extreme.” The music director for the album described George as being “seriously stressed” and in crisis at this time, ping-ponging back and forth between the extremes of both the spiritual and the mortal realms.
It might be this struggle that critics objected to, either seeing his religious exhortations as hypocritical, or longing for the more purely positive and upbeat spiritual notions of All Things Must Pass. Maybe because I have the benefit of George’s later works to consider, but I think the personal quality of the conflict that George was facing is what makes this album even better. I don’t see these songs as “preachy” so much as longing, hoping that he can make it to the spiritual plane that he is seeking, while still acknowledging his imperfections and his struggles to let go of the pleasures of his past (and current) activities. I’d like to think that – however poorly his lyrics might have expressed it (better use of pronouns could have helped!) – he isn’t telling us what we must do, but assuring himself publicly that the path is there for him, if he can get himself to commit to it. And he does it with messages that are musically and lyrically gorgeous. Not being much a fan of Spector’s Wall of Sound (with the exception of its use in All Things Must Pass), I appreciate the toned-down, low-key, and contemplative nature of this record, and being also a fan of heartfelt, pained works, the sadness of this record appeals to me. I prefer its untidiness to an album that purports to have resolution of these issues.
The album might also have come when times were almost imperceptibly but definitively changing. The charitable notions that had spurred the Concert for Bangladesh were giving way to a desire for escapism. Glam rock and prog rock were on the rise, which were two musical ideas that George had no understanding of. This was a bit of a last gasp for an era that desired spiritual enlightenment, with music instead moving into a period based on throwing off the “tyranny” of established rock and roll. As I’ve described in prior write-ups, it was at this point that George began to lose his connection to and appreciation for what was culturally relevant, and combined with his lack of connection to the outside world, was the beginning of his “old-fogeyism.”
Even the less charitable of reviews generally praised the production quality and musicianship of this record. George initially intended to have Phil Spector produce this, as he had All Things Must Pass, but Spector’s increasingly erratic behavior, frequent absences, and alcohol abuse led George to minimize his participation in the end, with George instead taking on the production and post-production. The team consisted of the intimate group of musicians I listed along with a few others – no Eric Clapton to overshadow George, no Billy Preston to compete with Hopkins, no cast of thousands. As a result, the album has a much less grand, quieter feel than All Things Must Pass, and in particular the production allows George’s guitar work to shine, including his slide-playing style that was like no one else’s.
Having faced tax hurdles to getting the Concert for Bangladesh charitable funds to their intended recipients, George set up the Material World Charitable Foundation and assigned the copyright for the vast majority of the songs on this record, including the hit “Give Me Love,” to that fund. The organization continues to operate today, and in 2002 the proceeds from the Concert For George were donated to the fund, as are the continuing royalties from a wide variety of George’s works.
Cover art! Cool stuff here. The front is a Kirlian photo (don’t worry, I had to look it up, too) of George’s hand holding a Hindu medallion. There’s also a lot of back and inner packaging that you can read about on Wikipedia as well as I can. Most notable, though, is that the back cover refers to the ability to join a (fictitious) Jim Keltner Fan Club, if you send a "stamped undressed elephant" to a certain address. Sign me up!!!
Track listing:
After the blockbuster success of All Things Must Pass, George began to devote his time to charitable projects, including the immensely successful Concert for Bangladesh, and as a result, his next studio album, Living In The Material World, was not released until 1973. Given the pent-up anticipation for George’s follow-up, the album quickly reached #1 in the US (knocking off Wings’s Red Rose Speedway – eek) and went Gold within two days of its release and Platinum in short order thereafter, in part behind the success of #1 single “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” (which knocked Wings’s “My Love” off the top spot – double eek).
Critical response was mixed, with Rolling Stone calling it a “pop classic” that was the best conceived work by a former Beatle since John’s Plastic Ono Band, while many objected to its overtly religious content, with one calling it “turgid, repetitive and so damn holy I could scream” and another referring to its “didactically imposing said Holy Memoirs upon innocent record-collectors" and calling the album as offensive in its piety as John’s Some Time In New York City had been in its political statements. Response to George’s vocals on the album was also mixed, with some citing his singing and phrasing as a highlight, while one said that “Harrison sings as if he's doing sitar impressions.” (Personally I think his plaintive vocals are perfect.) Critics seemed to be unanimous in their praise of the musicians on the record, including not just George’s excellent guitar work but the contributions by, say them with me: Voormann, Hopkins, Wright, Keltner…and Ringo! Retrospective reviews of the album have been more favorable.
Unquestionably this was George’s most clearly religious work, bringing the broader context of some of his messages in All Things Must Pass into a more personal depiction of a struggle between the spiritual and the “material world.” George’s already-strong devotion to Krishna consciousness had grown significantly during the period after All Things Must Pass, but his temptation by the rock-star accouterments also continued mostly unabated. While actively and genuinely involved in spiritual pursuits, George was simultaneously spending lavish amounts of money, continuing with his drug use, including a growing interest in cocaine – his close friend Chris O’Dell joked that you couldn’t tell if he was reaching into his coke bag or his prayer bag – and cheating on his wife continually, including the affair with Maureen Starkey that I previously discussed as well as numerous one-night stands. He wasn’t touring and was recording at home, meaning that he had few musical outlets for his increasingly difficult relationship with his wife; the song “So Sad,” which would show up on a later record, was recorded during this period as a reflection on the end of his marriage. On the other hand, he would spend days or weeks on long drives by himself just chanting the hare krishna. He was, as Voormann described him at the time, “an extreme character,” which Pattie Boyd echoed: “always extreme.” The music director for the album described George as being “seriously stressed” and in crisis at this time, ping-ponging back and forth between the extremes of both the spiritual and the mortal realms.
It might be this struggle that critics objected to, either seeing his religious exhortations as hypocritical, or longing for the more purely positive and upbeat spiritual notions of All Things Must Pass. Maybe because I have the benefit of George’s later works to consider, but I think the personal quality of the conflict that George was facing is what makes this album even better. I don’t see these songs as “preachy” so much as longing, hoping that he can make it to the spiritual plane that he is seeking, while still acknowledging his imperfections and his struggles to let go of the pleasures of his past (and current) activities. I’d like to think that – however poorly his lyrics might have expressed it (better use of pronouns could have helped!) – he isn’t telling us what we must do, but assuring himself publicly that the path is there for him, if he can get himself to commit to it. And he does it with messages that are musically and lyrically gorgeous. Not being much a fan of Spector’s Wall of Sound (with the exception of its use in All Things Must Pass), I appreciate the toned-down, low-key, and contemplative nature of this record, and being also a fan of heartfelt, pained works, the sadness of this record appeals to me. I prefer its untidiness to an album that purports to have resolution of these issues.
The album might also have come when times were almost imperceptibly but definitively changing. The charitable notions that had spurred the Concert for Bangladesh were giving way to a desire for escapism. Glam rock and prog rock were on the rise, which were two musical ideas that George had no understanding of. This was a bit of a last gasp for an era that desired spiritual enlightenment, with music instead moving into a period based on throwing off the “tyranny” of established rock and roll. As I’ve described in prior write-ups, it was at this point that George began to lose his connection to and appreciation for what was culturally relevant, and combined with his lack of connection to the outside world, was the beginning of his “old-fogeyism.”
Even the less charitable of reviews generally praised the production quality and musicianship of this record. George initially intended to have Phil Spector produce this, as he had All Things Must Pass, but Spector’s increasingly erratic behavior, frequent absences, and alcohol abuse led George to minimize his participation in the end, with George instead taking on the production and post-production. The team consisted of the intimate group of musicians I listed along with a few others – no Eric Clapton to overshadow George, no Billy Preston to compete with Hopkins, no cast of thousands. As a result, the album has a much less grand, quieter feel than All Things Must Pass, and in particular the production allows George’s guitar work to shine, including his slide-playing style that was like no one else’s.
Having faced tax hurdles to getting the Concert for Bangladesh charitable funds to their intended recipients, George set up the Material World Charitable Foundation and assigned the copyright for the vast majority of the songs on this record, including the hit “Give Me Love,” to that fund. The organization continues to operate today, and in 2002 the proceeds from the Concert For George were donated to the fund, as are the continuing royalties from a wide variety of George’s works.
Cover art! Cool stuff here. The front is a Kirlian photo (don’t worry, I had to look it up, too) of George’s hand holding a Hindu medallion. There’s also a lot of back and inner packaging that you can read about on Wikipedia as well as I can. Most notable, though, is that the back cover refers to the ability to join a (fictitious) Jim Keltner Fan Club, if you send a "stamped undressed elephant" to a certain address. Sign me up!!!
Track listing:
- Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)
- Sue Me, Sue You Blues
- The Light That Has Lighted The World
- Don’t Let Me Wait Too Long
- Who Can See It
- Living In The Material World
- The Lord Love The One (That Loves The Lord)
- Be Here Now
- Try Some, Buy Some
- The Day The World Gets ‘Round
- That Is All
Morton Muffley
Footballguy
have been silent too long, but have caught up over the last 24 hours after having been away from this wonderful thread for far too long. Anyway, am starting to develop the idea that @Pip's Invitation doesn't like My Love. It's subtle, but I'm pretty perceptive.
Morton Muffley
Footballguy
you are ALL correct about Coming Up seeming wackier than you remember. The single that was released was recorded live at Glasgow. In the McCartney community the two versions are distinguished from one another by being called, respectively, the "live version" and the "freak version"I feel the same way about "Coming Up"! It is much wackier than I remembered it from when I was a kid. Maybe everything was wacky then.
I like both as well as Temporary Secretary.
I will also later tonight being mounting a mini-defense of Wild Life...well, maybe not the whole album, but 2 songs that made my Paul 100 anyway.
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krista4
Footballguy
Well, the single that was released was the album version, but the b-side was the live version and got the most airplay in the US, so you're right that we would have heard the live version more. In the UK, the studio version was the hit.
I am willing to be persuaded by your Wild Life mini-defense, and I look forward to it!
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Morton Muffley
Footballguy
Ah yes, forgot that both were released on the same single, but was trying to convey that people here weren't crazy to think this was wackier than they remember...because the live version is the one that charted to #1. In any case, I should know better by now than to put my imperfect memory up against your exhaustive research
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
When the time is right I’m gonna drop some of its italicized lyrics with a bolded ampersand.have been silent too long, but have caught up over the last 24 hours after having been away from this wonderful thread for far too long. Anyway, am starting to develop the idea that @Pip's Invitation doesn't like My Love. It's subtle, but I'm pretty perceptive.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
IIRC it is the only song — or at least was the first — to hit #1 with a studio version in one country and a live version in another country.Morton Muffley said:Ah yes, forgot that both were released on the same single, but was trying to convey that people here weren't crazy to think this was wackier than they remember...because the live version is the one that charted to #1. In any case, I should know better by now than to put my imperfect memory up against your exhaustive research
I’m pretty sure I only remember the live version that was big on this side of the pond, so the studio version may come as a shock to me when I hear it.
Raging weasel
Footballguy
This album was my 2nd pick in the album draft and this was one of the tracks I picked for the playlist. This is my fav Lennon album ,listen to it at least once a month.krista4 said:
krista4
Footballguy
I'm happy to hear this! I think you and I have pretty different taste a lot of time, so I'm excited that we agree on this one. What was your other song for the playlist?
krista4
Footballguy
I forgot I still owed one. And hey look, we're at the top 200!
200. The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord) (Living In The Material World, 1973) Spotify YouTube
(George #59)
This is one of the many songs on Living In The Material World that could be interpreted as an exhortation from George that we’d better get our #### together like he has if we want eternal life, but again I believe the better interpretation is one of the inner conflict George is himself facing and his fervent desire to reconcile his Earthly delights with his spiritual wants to find a higher level of consciousness. The lyrics in fact clearly denigrate George’s experiences themselves, speaking of the folly of being a celebrated rock star in the face of a relationship with God, this being the most important goal in life. The song’s focus on karma and the unimportance of human (rather than eternal) existence could be seen not as a warning to others, but as reminder from George to himself to uphold the spiritual teachings that he preached.
Whatever your feeling on the lyrics, this song is musically exquisite, with tasteful (not overbearing!) sax by the aptly named Jim Horn, rich organ parts by Hopkins, and terrific drumming and percussion by Keltner. But the stars of the show are first, George’s soaring vocal, and most especially George’s mesmerizing slide guitar. Those guitar parts literally give me chills, even after a billion listens. Together, these parts meld into a gospel-worthy but surprisingly upbeat confection.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I played some of my top George songs for OH just to see if he vomited on them (he did on some, but I included them anyway). His reaction to this one: “It’s pretty good. It’s like the theme song for a sitcom about Jesus.”
200. The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord) (Living In The Material World, 1973) Spotify YouTube
(George #59)
This is one of the many songs on Living In The Material World that could be interpreted as an exhortation from George that we’d better get our #### together like he has if we want eternal life, but again I believe the better interpretation is one of the inner conflict George is himself facing and his fervent desire to reconcile his Earthly delights with his spiritual wants to find a higher level of consciousness. The lyrics in fact clearly denigrate George’s experiences themselves, speaking of the folly of being a celebrated rock star in the face of a relationship with God, this being the most important goal in life. The song’s focus on karma and the unimportance of human (rather than eternal) existence could be seen not as a warning to others, but as reminder from George to himself to uphold the spiritual teachings that he preached.
Whatever your feeling on the lyrics, this song is musically exquisite, with tasteful (not overbearing!) sax by the aptly named Jim Horn, rich organ parts by Hopkins, and terrific drumming and percussion by Keltner. But the stars of the show are first, George’s soaring vocal, and most especially George’s mesmerizing slide guitar. Those guitar parts literally give me chills, even after a billion listens. Together, these parts meld into a gospel-worthy but surprisingly upbeat confection.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I played some of my top George songs for OH just to see if he vomited on them (he did on some, but I included them anyway). His reaction to this one: “It’s pretty good. It’s like the theme song for a sitcom about Jesus.”
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
haven't heard that in a long time - love it
OH nailed it on the sitcom ...Ravi could be the wacky next door neighbor who just walks in without knocking and cooks up get-rich-quick schemes
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Also, that Christmas song everyone hates? I like it better than My Love.Morton Muffley said:have been silent too long, but have caught up over the last 24 hours after having been away from this wonderful thread for far too long. Anyway, am starting to develop the idea that @Pip's Invitation doesn't like My Love. It's subtle, but I'm pretty perceptive.
Raging weasel
Footballguy
Whatever Gets You Through the Night
krista4
Footballguy
krista4
Footballguy
I'm just reading up on Jim Keltner. I've typed his name so many times now that he autofills with "K," but I just assumed that after his prolific 70s, he had retired into a charmed life as the most beloved session drummer on Earth. The shortest verse in the Keltner Bible should be that, after the 70s, "Keltner slept." But no, dude in his late 70s is still recording like mad. He was the drummer on the soundtrack for The Irishman, for goodness sake. And he's been on albums for some big indie acts like She & Him and Conor Oberst. @Pip's Invitation probably knows he was the drummer on Neil's Peace Trail in 2016, too. Guy just doesn't quit.
Has there ever been a documentary about him? Seems like he'd be a fascinating character. I want to interview him!
Has there ever been a documentary about him? Seems like he'd be a fascinating character. I want to interview him!
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Morton Muffley
Footballguy
In Defense of Wild Life, the first album from Wings:
Exhibit #1: Dear Friend, a song to John
Many people consider this to be an olive branch response to John’s How Do You Sleep? But as it was recorded about a month before the release of Imagine album (on which How Do You Sleep? resides), that seems highly unlikely. That is, unless John was sending Paul demo tapes of his upcoming musical assaults! Or maybe Paul got a decades early screening of the Imagine film in which John calls Paul the c-word on a rehearsal version of the song.
More likely, Paul was simply responding to the many things John was saying about Paul in the press. In any case, the song is pretty clearly a heartfelt attempt to, if not reconcile, at least bury the hatchet. I write “pretty clearly,” because while the emotion and subject are obvious, the lyrics are not:
Exhibit #2: Wild Life, a song to people who don’t appreciate animals
Inspired by a trip Paul took to an African wild life sanctuary during which he saw a posted sign that read “the animals have the right of way.” It caused Paul to reflect that “we’re all so full of our own importance. It’s kind of nice, you know. You’re just a guy in a Land Rover. You don’t matter so much! So that was why I wrote that song. Man, you know, we’re the ‘top species,’ and yet we’re the ones who eff it up”
Ok, so that’s all well and good, but here’s what I really love about the song:
Exhibit #3: Some People Never Know, a song to @krista4
Ok, so maybe he didn’t have Krista in mind exactly, but he had people LIKE Krista in mind. This song is intended for all the people who don’t see Linda the way Paul sees Linda. Is it sappy? Well, it’s no My Love if that’s what you are asking @Pip's Invitation But as with Silly love Songs, Paul takes that cynicism on directly with lyrics like “some people can sleep at nighttime believing that love is a lie.” So, yeah it may be sappy to some, but I prefer to look at it differently. Paul was in a depression in the immediate break-up of the Beatles and Linda helped him out of that funk. In this song he expresses his immense gratitude. If you've ever been saved (in whatever small way) by another person…someone whose faith in you was greater than your own…someone who didn’t simply TELL you that you were good, but who lovingly MADE you a better person: then maybe this song will mean something to you. I have and it does all those things to me. Here’s what else I love about this song:
Exhibit #4: It was their first album, they recorded it in a week for crissakes. What happened to grading on a curve?
Ok, so it isn’t a great defense. And it’s admittedly not a great album. But it has it's charms and the above 3 songs plus the aforementioned Mumbo are several of them.
The defense rests [in hopes of at least one rogue juror who can hang this proceeding]
Exhibit #1: Dear Friend, a song to John
Many people consider this to be an olive branch response to John’s How Do You Sleep? But as it was recorded about a month before the release of Imagine album (on which How Do You Sleep? resides), that seems highly unlikely. That is, unless John was sending Paul demo tapes of his upcoming musical assaults! Or maybe Paul got a decades early screening of the Imagine film in which John calls Paul the c-word on a rehearsal version of the song.
More likely, Paul was simply responding to the many things John was saying about Paul in the press. In any case, the song is pretty clearly a heartfelt attempt to, if not reconcile, at least bury the hatchet. I write “pretty clearly,” because while the emotion and subject are obvious, the lyrics are not:
- “Throw the wine”? is that even an expression?
- “Are you a fool?” Umm, if you are looking to reconcile, maybe leave the name calling out of it
- “Does it really mean so much to you?” Paul, I’m not sure you understand quite how to do this
Exhibit #2: Wild Life, a song to people who don’t appreciate animals
Inspired by a trip Paul took to an African wild life sanctuary during which he saw a posted sign that read “the animals have the right of way.” It caused Paul to reflect that “we’re all so full of our own importance. It’s kind of nice, you know. You’re just a guy in a Land Rover. You don’t matter so much! So that was why I wrote that song. Man, you know, we’re the ‘top species,’ and yet we’re the ones who eff it up”
Ok, so that’s all well and good, but here’s what I really love about the song:
- Paul’s vocals. I love when he screams in tune and think he does/did it better than anyone else. This song has plenty of that classic screaming.
- The groove/vibe. He’s screaming, but it’s not a fast, rocking song. Some may even find the pace a bit ponderous, but I really like it. I’m admittedly not musically schooled, but I’d classify it as Jamaican Blues Pop. Does that make any sense? Does that sound appealing? Well, it is to me.
- That he recognizes the potential preachiness of the subject matter and so on at least two occasions changes “animals” to “aminals.”
Exhibit #3: Some People Never Know, a song to @krista4
Ok, so maybe he didn’t have Krista in mind exactly, but he had people LIKE Krista in mind.
This song is intended for all the people who don’t see Linda the way Paul sees Linda. Is it sappy? Well, it’s no My Love if that’s what you are asking @Pip's Invitation But as with Silly love Songs, Paul takes that cynicism on directly with lyrics like “some people can sleep at nighttime believing that love is a lie.” So, yeah it may be sappy to some, but I prefer to look at it differently. Paul was in a depression in the immediate break-up of the Beatles and Linda helped him out of that funk. In this song he expresses his immense gratitude. If you've ever been saved (in whatever small way) by another person…someone whose faith in you was greater than your own…someone who didn’t simply TELL you that you were good, but who lovingly MADE you a better person: then maybe this song will mean something to you. I have and it does all those things to me. Here’s what else I love about this song:- The simplicity: I am not a fan of big and bloated, something that will become increasingly apparent as we get to a few of the McCartney "classics." This song has a lot of what I love about Every Night (from his first album), but not quite as successfully…but close enough to land relatively high in my Paul 100
- The double meaning of the title: whether intentional or not, I find the title lyric to be sublime. It contains two distinct meanings: 1. Some people don’t understand what I see in you 2. Some people will never experience what I have
- The bongos. Every time I listen to this song I get to the end and I think “oh yeah, the bongos. Why the eff are there bongos in this song? Where did they come from? Have they been in this song the whole time? I need to listen to this song again to see when the bongos arrive because it feels like they just showed up for the last minute and that makes NO sense.” Truly, I feel like the bongos are the musical equivalent of that youtube focus test with the gorilla and the basketball passes. Does anyone have ANY idea what the eff I am talking about? Anyway, it’s late, I’m tired and I'm rambling…
Exhibit #4: It was their first album, they recorded it in a week for crissakes. What happened to grading on a curve?
Ok, so it isn’t a great defense. And it’s admittedly not a great album. But it has it's charms and the above 3 songs plus the aforementioned Mumbo are several of them.
The defense rests [in hopes of at least one rogue juror who can hang this proceeding]
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
His credentials with Neil go back further than that!
With Booker T and the MGs, backed Neil at Bobfest and the 1993 summer tour.
In 1999, he was the drummer for Neil’s Silver and Gold sessions. He played on every song on that album that had drums, plus Neil’s three acoustic songs on CSNY’s Looking Forward, which were taken from those sessions, with CSN harmonies added later.
With CSNY, the 2000 winter tour. Participated at Neil’s request.
With The Friends and Relatives, the 2000 summer tour and the resulting Road Rock Vol 1 live album and Red Rocks 2000 DVD. This lineup also backed Neil on SNL that year.
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krista4
Footballguy
I'm busy tonight writing up albums, so I'll focus on this tomorrow when I can check my notes as well. LOVE this post!!In Defense of Wild Life, the first album from Wings:
Exhibit #1: Dear Friend, a song to John
Many people consider this to be an olive branch response to John’s How Do You Sleep? But as it was recorded about a month before the Imagine album (on which How Do You Sleep? resides), was released, that seems highly unlikely. That is, unless John was sending Paul demo tapes of his upcoming musical assaults! Or maybe Paul got a decades early screening of the Imagine film in which John calls Paul the c-word on a rehearsal version of the song.
More likely, Paul was simply responding to the many things John was saying about Paul in the press. In any case, the song is pretty clearly a heartfelt attempt to, if not reconcile, at least bury the hatchet. I write “pretty clearly,” because while the emotion and subject are obvious, the lyrics are not:
Ok, so my defense isn’t going that well but hang in there because...
- “Throw the wine”? is that even an expression?
- “Are you a fool?” Umm, if you are looking to reconcile, maybe leave the name calling out of it
- “Does it really mean so much to you?” Paul, I’m not sure you understand quite how to do this
Exhibit #2: Wild Life, a song to people who don’t appreciate animals
Inspired by a trip Paul took to an African wild life sanctuary during which he saw a posted sign that informed everyone that the “animals have the right of way.” It caused Paul to reflect that “we’re all so full of our own importance. It’s kind of nice, you know. You’re just a guy in a Land Rover. You don’t matter so much! So that was why I wrote that song. Man, you know, we’re the ‘top species,’ and yet we’re the ones who eff it up”
Ok, so that’s all well and good, but here’s what I really love about the song:
- Paul’s vocals. I love when he screams in tune and think he does/did it better than anyone else. This song has plenty of that classic screaming.
- The groove/vibe. He’s screaming, but it’s not a fast, rocking song. Some may even find the pace a bit ponderous, but I really like it. I’m admittedly not musically schooled, but I’d classify it as Jamaican Blues Pop. Does that make any sense? Does that sound appealing? Well, it is to me.
- That he recognizes the potential preachiness of the subject matter and so on at least two occasions changes “animals” to “aminals.”
Exhibit #3: Some People Never Know, a song to @krista4
Ok, so maybe he didn’t have Krista in mind exactly, but he had people LIKE Krista in mind.
- The simplicity: I am not a fan of big and bloated, something that will become increasingly apparent as we get to a few of the McCartney "classics." This song has a lot of what I love about Every Night, but not quite as successfully…but close enough to land relatively high in my Paul 100
- The double meaning of the title: whether intentional or not, I find the title lyric to be sublime. It contain two distinct meanings. 1. Some people don’t understand what I see in you 2. Some people will never experience what I have
- The bongos. Every time I listen to this song I get to the end and I think “oh yeah, the bongos. Why the eff are there bongos in this song? Where did they come from? Have they been in this song the whole time? I need to listen to this song again to see when the bongos arrive because it feels like they just showed up for the last minute and that makes NO sense.” Truly, I feel like the bongos are the musical equivalent of that youtube focus test with the gorilla and the basketball passes. Does anyone have ANY idea what the eff I am talking about? Anyway, it’s late and I’m tired and I'm rambling…
Exhibit #4: It was their first album, they recorded it in a week for crissakes. What happened to grading on a curve?
Ok, so it isn’t a great defense. And it’s admittedly not a great album. But it has it's charms and the above 3 songs plus the aforementioned Mumbo are several of them.
The defense rests [in hopes of at least one rogue juror who can hang this proceeding]
P.S. I was certain Dear Friend would be on your list.
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Morton Muffley
Footballguy
It actually isn't. The other two are, but not Dear Friend. I am a stickler for lyrics, so it takes ALOT for a song to overcome a really bad lyric and this song doesn't have enough for me. It was borderline top 100, but ultimately never really in consideration. Paul has ALOT of songs with some horrific lyrics, but the songs that work well enough for me have a certain universality to them that I adore. There are a few songs in my top 100 that I probably doped 40-50 spots just because of one lyric I dislike (hint: there are NO castles in Versailles as far as I know...but if there are I'd love to hear about them so I can like that song more)
Take whatever time you need Krista. I've been MIA for the last week for several reasons and you have LOTS to do in this thread without getting sidetracked with my nonsense.
But we ARE gonna discuss your Paul #99...blasphemy and the lack outrage at that ranking was equally disappointing. Oh we are gonna talk about THAT!
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I've fallen behind on listening myself, but I'm off for the next 4 days so that should help get me caught up. Hence why all I've done lately is pontificate on Jim Keltner and trash talk "My Love."
Morton Muffley
Footballguy
This is SO interesting to me as I liked Lennon, but could NEVER get into this album. Maybe you and Krista will show you what I'm missing as we get further into the countdown as it sounds like Krista has several songs from this album on her list.
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
I am really bad at this so I have hesitated to plunk this out ...but here goes:
krista's fav individual beatles songs:
john - mind games (instant karma was a close second guess)
paul - maybe I'm amazed
ringo - it don't come easy (photograph was a close second guess)
george - what is life
krista's fav individual beatles songs:
john - mind games (instant karma was a close second guess)
paul - maybe I'm amazed
ringo - it don't come easy (photograph was a close second guess)
george - what is life
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Yes, even this is better than My Love. The doo-doo-doo-doo parts in the beginning alone clinch that.
College-age me would have hated this. Older me enjoys it, particularly the vocal arrangement. When Paul stretches lines like "how can I help YOUUUUUUUUUUUU", it recalls his vocal on Got to Get You Into My Life.
Now, keep in mind, I took a George Michael song in the jukebox draft, so I may be more tolerant of him than most on this board.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
This from the Lady Madonna/Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da school of bouncy Paul songs. It's fun. And hey, bongos!
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
Thanks that makes sense. It was driving me a bit crazy wondering how my memory let me down so badly.Morton Muffley said:
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
We are in "Paul sings the phone book" territory. His vocal is good. The rest of this is ... why?
A YouTube commenter provides a motive:
"In 1972, After the BBC had already banned "Hi,Hi,Hi" and "Give Ireland Back To The Irish", Paul McCartney half jokingly responded "What do they want me to record?....Mary Had A Little Lamb"? Several responded "Go ahead, see what they do with that song!" In almost no time, he did. The result, another top 20 hit in both the United States AND The UK!"
