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I'm so far behind that I forgot where I left off. Why wouldn't it have been at 42? So here we go with some Hippling.
I was joking about the No-no song. For Ringo It Don't Come Easy. If I were guessing for you I would guess Maybe I'm Amazed for Paul. You are a big All Thing Must Pass fan so I would guess What is Life for George and Watching the Wheels for John.
This reminds me of ... Jeff Lynne. Seriously, it sounds a bit like something you'd find in ELO's 1979-81 work, when they got less ornate.
Of course it's about Yoko, it's on the Creepy Yoko Mountain Face album.
That's all I can figure. The album itself fell off the face of the Earth, and the song along with it.
Sorry I forgot to warn you. No more of these to come.
I've always loved this one. The fast parts are like a '70s update on the frantic R&B styles Paul employed in the early Beatles material. And his vocal is every bit as strong as it was on that stuff.
This rocks and I took it in the Beatles/solo Beatles draft. I don't really have anything else to say, so I'm typing idly while I listen to it again.37. Paul McCartney and Wings - Jet (Band On The Run, 1973) Spotify YouTube
(Paul #15)
Let's stay in the same neighborhood; on any given day, I might switch my order of preference between this and "Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five." What I like better about this one is (1) that buzzing Moog held on one note that creates a bassline and makes it sound dark and foreboding, (2) the deep, more complex and harder-rocking sound, (3) Paul's vocal isn't using a weird affect, and (4) the fact that it was named after his Labrador puppy. What I like less about this one is (1) nonsense lyrics that aren't that fun, (2) that sax-out-of-nowhere ending, and (3) woo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo. Either way, these are a couple of Paul's most powerful rockers, and this one hit #7 on the US charts as the first single from Band On The Run.
This song was everywhere in late 1980/early 1981. Probably the first time I remember a song being that pervasive in the culture at large. Next time it happened was the big singles from Thriller.
OK. Playing the live version first because that's what I know, and it'll ease me into the what-everyone-says-is-weird studio version, which I don't think I've heard before.35. Coming Up (McCartney II, 1980) Spotify YouTube
(Paul #14)
A song even John loved! After publicly criticizing most of Paul’s post-Beatles work, John called this one “a good piece of work” and that it stuck in his head and drove him “crackers.” As far as John’s concerned, I think that means he loved it. Paul, as he is wont to do, took the praise even further: “ heard a story from a guy who recorded with John in New York, and he said that John would sometimes get lazy. But then he’d hear a song of mine where he thought, ‘Oh, ####, Paul’s putting it in, Paul’s working!’ Apparently ‘Coming Up’ was the one song that got John recording again. I think John just thought, ‘Uh oh, I had better get working, too.’ ”I mean, it could be true.
As we previously discussed, the version that most of us might remember from childhood is not the album version that I’m selecting here, but a live version performed by Wings in 1979. The solo album version was released as the single in the UK, but after a few weeks with that version as the a-side in the US, it was replaced in airplay with the b-side live version. Oddly enough the live version replaced the album version in the US as #1 on the charts, the only time that had happened, and remained at the top for much longer than the album one had been there. I have charts and graphs available for a small fee if any of this is too confusing.
The live version many of us grew up with in the US is richer and not quite as wacky as the studio version, which due to my unnecessarily complicated, self-imposed rules is the one I am selecting here. But still wacky. This song is wacky! One of the wackiest bits, of course, is the use of the vari-speed machine to speed up Paul’s vocal, and then he also added an echo to give it that crazy effect. The use of these processes on the vocal are the stated reason that Columbia wanted the live version instead for the US single, claiming that “Americans like the sound of Paul McCartney’s real voice.” I don’t want to imply, though, that the wackiness of the song is its only or greatest appeal. This a fantastic song musically with inventive guitar and bass lines that combine with Paul’s better-than-usual drumming to provide a deep and satisfying groove, especially in the connections between each chorus and the next verse. And the lyrics are upbeat and fun, with a purpose rather than simply silliness.
Paul matched the wackiness and whimsy of the song with the wackiness and whimsy of the official video for it, where Paul and Linda play a dozen different roles, some of them meant to be stereotypes and some based on real musicians such as Ron Mael of Sparks and Paul McCartney of the Beatles. The “band” in the video was called the “Plastic Macs” in tribute to John.
OH has mixed feelings on this one: "That song is so weird. The varied speed vocoder thing. They make those machines, where it will take any signal now, that can speed it up – I mean, you can probably do all that just on your phone now, but in analog-type studios it took some extra effort and maybe a new box. I more admire it than I enjoy it. I don’t like listening to it, except as this complex, layered thing with really weird noises. I have no idea what it’s about other than Paul McCartney ####### around with a bunch of #### in his studio. But it doesn’t have to be more than that, and it’s kind of amazing to me that the guy who was in one of the best rock combos of all time was like '#### it, I’ll do this bedroom, home taping studio, synth pop, new wave stuff.' It was a really poppy Tubeway Army. Gary Numan is essentially deemed a genius for using a lot of those same techniques. It feels very accomplished and actually sounds good for what it is."
Handle with Care and All Those Years Ago are probably the only non-ATMP songs that would have a shot at my George top 10 if I made one. As I explained elsewhere, 1983-88 were pretty awful years for those of us who liked '60s and '70s music but not the styles that everyone was forced into in the '80s. (I do appreciate some of those songs more now, which you will see whenever the 80s on 8 channel gets rolled in Genrepalooza.) Handle with Care, coming after the Cloud Nine stuff, was an answer to our prayers, and shows off all five guys in top form. It is an immensely important song in the development of my musical taste.
This is nice and bouncy. I love how Paul sings "is all ... she gets." He uses that inflection a lot and it always gets me.
I knew this was one of Paul's '70s hits but I was so unaware of what came when, especially the non-album singles, that I had no idea this was his first post-Beatles single (and hit) and that it prompted vitriol from John.
I agree with all of this.
This is the part I don't like!
Didn't mention that but it kind of bothers me. It is an inflection he uses - I always picture it as his pursing his lips - and I usually don't like it. It didn't bother me as much in this song, but still it stand out to me when I listen.
Holy hell, it's like we're listening in on a therapy session. I have JL/POB so I knew that, but it still feels uncomfortable every time. "Excruciating and brilliant" is exactly right.
Paul refused to let any song from McCartney be released as a single, which was befuddling since "Maybe I'm Amazed" was getting a lot of airplay anyway. I don't recall why he did this; maybe Morton will know. But it meant that all that earlier work went by the wayside and this one became the first official single.
I was certainly surprised to learn from one of the Rolling Stone rock history books or whatever that Maybe I'm Amazed wasn't a hit single until the live version from Wings over America. The radio stations I listened to in the '80s played the studio version all the time so I just figured that was what made an impact on the charts.
LOVE this. It's in the 4-5-6 mix from ATMP for me along with Let It Down and one that hasn't come up yet. The Wall of Sound does exactly what it's supposed to do, and doesn't overwhelm the cool shuffle beat that George came up with. The rare song that makes you dance and think to the extreme.
I remember my friend who was pushing me on this album really touting this song. There's a lot of late-period Tom Petty to the sound of this one. It would fit in perfectly on Echoes (sonically, that is; most of those songs were about his divorce).
This is so gloriously haphazard and weird -- only an ex-Beatle soon after the breakup of the Beatles could have taken this to #1. The Uncle Albert part is very much a continuation of the sounds he'd developed with George Martin starting with Sgt. Peppers. The voiceover strikes me as very Monty Python -- sounds a lot like John Cleese. The Admiral Halsey part takes things up in tempo but remains all over the place. I'm convinced that parts of Genesis' Supper's Ready (particularly the Willow Farm section) were inspired by Paul's vocal stylings here. I love the power chords that come after "heads across the sky."
This is gorgeous, though one has to be in the right mood for it. It's SO slow and meditative.
I don't know that Paul has ever addressed this and if he has I am unaware of the details, but I have always chalked it up to three things - any one of which could be the reason, but more likely it was some combo of all three:
This is very much a British mentality, and was not only true of many of the Beatles' UK contemporaries, but was a practice that continued well into the 80s (maybe longer) in some cases. Try keeping track of the Smiths' discography. It's not easy, and they were only around for 5 years.
Like Jet, this is awesome and everyone already knows everything about it. So I'm just gonna listen to it.
It is hard to guess individual taste but they are 3 great songs. I personally would put Band On The Run at the top but I have loved that song since I was about 5 but Maybe I'm Amazed seems to be most people's favorite.You're in the majority on each of these three.
Agree - the vocal is BY FAR the worst part of the cover. To the point that I can't even listen to it to assess the rest of it.
Fabulous analysis. I'd assumed it was the third point, but I might have been too generous in my thinking.
I don't actually know anything about Pure McCartney, so I just looked it up. The Wiki says it includes songs from each of his albums up to that time except Снова в СССР, Flowers in the Dirt, Run Devil Run and Driving Rain. I can understand the Russian album and Run Devil Run since they were all or mostly covers, but I don't know why the other two were left out. That must mean that even includes songs from, egads, Press To Play.
Fittingly, this song, which was released on his ninth non-Beatles album and in the ninth month of 1974, reached #9 on the US charts. It was said to have come to him in a dream, including the non-singalong line “Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé,” which had to be clarified (changed?) to indicate he was saying poussé rather than “#####,” which would have given the censors fits. Initially the song was called “So Long Ago,” and then “Walls and Bridges,” which as I mentioned in my ---INTERLUDE--- for the album was a reference to John’s wanting to be close to people yet repelling them, building walls and bridges simultaneously.
Thank you for humoring me over the weeks.
I liked this one a lot too and will start listening to the full album - incidentally, I listened to that Pure McCartney compilation on shuffle for about two hours this morning - and a few Flaming Pie songs came up and I enjoyed them even more over my JBL Flip 5 than through my laptop speakers.14. Souvenir (Flaming Pie, 1997) Spotify YouTube
(Paul #6)
As this is my ninth(!) and last song from Flaming Pie, I hereby give @Dr. Octopus and @prosopis full power and authority to go experience the album in full.
The key change/modulation at 1:15 and 3:05 in this song makes me inexplicably happy. I can't even put into words why I love it so much, but it's like the whole song changes for me in those moments. These "mood" songs aren't usually my bag, but this one's a winner.krista4 said:We move inexorably toward my top 10...
15. #9 Dream (Walls And Bridges, 1974) Spotify YouTube
(John #3)
I just realized I have one song from each of John, Paul, and George that I disliked for years and now love. For Paul, it was “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey,” and the George song is yet to come. For John, it’s this one (and by the way, OH still hates this one). Maybe it was too hippy-dippy dreamy, or maybe it was the whispered “John” that I thought for a long time was Yoko but was instead the much more palatable May Pang, or maybe it was the nonsense lyrics of the chorus that made it impossible for me to sing along. But like the others, one day it just clicked for me, and now it’s my third favorite of John’s post-Beatles works. And…I love the hippy-dippy-dreamy feel, and I love the May Pang whisper, though I’m still annoyed I can’t sing along to the chorus.
John had always been fascinated by the number nine: it was his birthday (October 9, 1940), his first childhood home (9 Newcastle Road), the Beatles first show at the Cavern Club (February 9, 1961), the first show at which Brian Epstein saw them (November 9, 1961), their first EMI contract (May 9, 1962), their first appearance on Ed Sullivan (February 9, 1964), the day he met Yoko (November 9, 1966, though that is subject of dispute), and later Sean’s birthday (October 9, 1975). He used it on “Revolution 9,” which appeared on the band’s ninth UK studio album, and “One After 909,” and as a big believer in numerology, he also pointed out the numerous instances in which notable people or events in his life contained nine letters.
The song begins with a George-like guitar intro (purportedly at the direction of John to “play like George”) and then becomes a rich, sumptuous sonic cornucopia of strings, horns, and layered vocals. John wrote the string arrangement, based on an arrangement he’d put together for Harry Nilsson’s cover version of “Many Rivers To Cross” on his ##### Cats album. The vocal is stunning, using echo, double-tracking and tape delay to create the ethereal effect. The song also features backward vocals in the Beatles vein, when Pang’s “John” is reversed to "Nhoj" after the words “music touching my soul” and "something warm, sudden cold" just before the final choruses. Altogether the depth and complexity of the production on this song makes its atmosphere a haunting, yet magical and soothing, experience for me.
Hi Krista, I used to be regarded as one of the resident Beatles experts around here but have clearly been eclipsed by you and others (though I bet I am one of the few that have heard nearly every song you've listed). I have been keeping mostly silent with both of your Beatles and solo Beatles lists but have been enjoying them immensly.
Hey there! I still consider you the expert here. I'm glad you've enjoyed the countdowns.
majestic.
Great song, but my simple ears can't take in all that stuff you and OH described. And while I really like Paul's version, I only ranked it at #47 - mainly because I prefer this version from EC. And #47 is auspicious rank since you know what I have at #46. On the plus side, I was wise enough to have it ranked ahead of the song I placed #48. But please don't ask me to reveal that song now, it's too embarrassing.
Let's give this wonderful song a chance to breathe here before I reveal the song that it JUST edged out. Perhaps it'd be better if I just went away for a few days and came back when you are better prepared to process the two songs that sandwich That Day is Done in my rankings.
And there it is.Pip's Invitation said:
As you probably gathered from a few of my comments I am a huge Elvis Costello fan. Some of you might find this Chicago Tribune interview with the 2 of them interesting. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-paul-mccartney-elvis-costello-interview-20170316-story.html
Nice! I'd read several interviews with each of them regarding the collaboration, but not this one. Interesting that this claims Costello came up with the New Orleans thing (which neither of them actually says), but in other interviews it's been clear that was Paul. I'd read the part about the Human League, which was interesting. Costello had described that as the biggest conflict they ever had, and that he was so upset with it because he had a very definite idea of the feel he wanted for a song about his dying grandmother, that he took a ten minute walk to cool off and avoid saying anything he'd regret. Then when he came back to the studio, Paul was recording the vocal for "Don't Be Careless Love," and Costello was so moved by it that all his anger fell away.
