Beatles lovers rejoice! Fab Four song-writing maestro, musical genius and the grandpa we all wish we had, Paul McCartney, has a new album out and it’s pretty darn good for a man pushing 80-years-old.
Egypt Station opened for business just over a week ago, Sir Paul’s 18th solo release since his first effort by himself in 1970.
With Macca winning over fans both old and new with his latest release, what better time than now to look back at some of Paul’s biggest and best solo tunes, so you can fully educate yourself before taking a trip to Egypt Station. All aboard![/nextpage][nextpage]
10. Maybe I’m Amazed (McCartney – 1970)
Yes, ok, you’ve probably already heard this song, but there’s a reason its become a classic since its release in 1970.
Taken from McCartney’s first solo album – the imaginatively titled McCartney – ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ is a love letter to the woman in Paul’s life at the time, his first wife, Linda.
The song is a beautiful ballad featuring a memorable piano and guitar riff (all the parts on this song were played by Paul himself, then dubbed over one another in post-production), telling the story of a man so in love with his partner that even he is amazed by the lengths of his affection. The song was inspired by Paul’s real life love for Linda, who he credited as the biggest help when getting over the break-up of The Beatles.
The song is beloved by fans, critics and even the man himself, who called it “the song he would like to be remembered for in the future” in a 2009 interview.
The first glimpse into a post-Beatles world, the album that ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ comes from might not be the best of all time, but this song certainly stands out as one of Paul’s greatest musical triumphs. And having played the song backwards, there is no recipe for a really ripping lentil soup. Sorry.[/nextpage][nextpage]
9. Monkberry Moon Delight (Ram – 1971)
One of the reasons Paul is so beloved is because his songs don’t always make sense, but they are always good fun. This song is the perfect example of that.
Ram, McCartney’s second solo release (he shares credit on this album with Linda), came out in 1971 to little fanfare or praise, but, as time has passed, opinion has become more favourable towards the album.
‘Monkberry Moon Delight’, one of the album’s stand outs, is a hugely enjoyable, piano driven ditty, in the style of an old sit-around-the-piano sing-a-long. The song opens with the line “So I sat in the attic/Piano up my nose” which is one of the greatest opening lyrics in music history and if you disagree you have no sense of humour.
Adding to the insanity of the song is the fact that, alongside Linda, who sang backing vocals on every song on this album, ‘Monkberry Moon Delight’ also features vocal contributions from Linda’s biological and Paul’s adopted daughter, Heather, who was just eight-years-old at the time.
Whilst the song isn’t as heart-warming as ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ or as ground-breaking as some of Paul’s other songs, it is a total blast to listen to, something that embodies Paul’s work to an absolute tee.[/nextpage][nextpage]
8. Temporary Secretary (McCartney – 1980)
Three songs in and three totally different styles and genres. This is why we love Paul.
‘Temporary Secretary’ is, and you are about to read this correct, a synth-heavy, four-on-the-floor electropop song about a man looking for, well, a temporary secretary. Paul is mad and it’s brilliant.
Taken from the Liverpudlian’s third solo album (he’d been releasing music with his band, Wings, throughout the 70s), which is confusingly called McCartney II, ‘Temporary Secretary’ was written by Paul as an “experiment” and because he found the idea of the whole thing “funny”. God bless him.
The song is another example of Paul making a fun song for fun’s sake and he nails it. It’s also the perfect example of Paul’s incredible talent for taking seemingly-mundane topics and transforming them into the excitement through music.
It definitely divides opinion amongst fans and critics – some detest this song, whilst Rolling Stone magazine named it Paul’s best post-Beatles tune.
Regardless of what other people say, this song definitely deserves your attention. Just be prepared to give it a few listens to really get to grips with it, it’s a lot to take in in one go.[/nextpage][nextpage]
7. Here Today (Tug Of War – 1982)
https://youtu.be/eyxPR8M13SY
On 8 December 1980, Paul’s life and the lives of millions of music fans around the world were changed forever. Paul’s former song-writing partner and friend, John Lennon, was shot and killed in New York City by a lone gunman, Mark Chapman. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Roosevelt Hospital at the age of just 40.
Paul received word of John’s death midway through a recording session for his latest album and abandoned the project upon the news of Lennon’s murder. Two months later, he returned to the studio to record what would be his fourth solo album, the much-acclaimed Tug Of War.
On that album, alongside duets with Carl Perkins and Stevie Wonder, Paul included ‘Here Today’, his bittersweet tribute to Lennon.
The song is beautiful in its simplicity; Paul is joined by just an acoustic guitar, a string quartet and the spirit of Lennon, hanging heavily in the air of this brutally frank obituary. Paul himself admits that he cried whilst writing the song and even cries from time to time performing the song live.
For all the fighting and bickering, all the lawsuits and the slanderous songs, Paul and John loved each other and this song, Paul’s final farewell to his greatest partner, proves that without a shadow of a doubt.
(Excerpt) Read More at: WhatCulture.com[/nextpage]