Paul McCartney solo/Wings

[Gilly]

I think this is the first time I've ever heard Ringo praised for his drumming abilities. He wasn't bad like some people say, but excellent? I don't know about that.

[jed]

I actually think Ringo is awesome as a Beatle too and I think his drumming is great as a Beatle. I only brought up that awful song because I was so disappointed that he would stoop that low (especially after I knowingly went down to Bryant Park at 5:30 in the morning to hear him play it live, repeatedly, for Good Morning America a few Summers ago). The song is made up of Beatles lyrics strung together. And I thought we were talking generally about picking one to throw under the bus. Sorry to offend, I like Ringo too.

[Beth]

I actually think Ringo is awesome as a Beatle too and I think his drumming is great as a Beatle. I only brought up that awful song because I was so disappointed that he would stoop that low (especially after I knowingly went down to Bryant Park at 5:30 in the morning to hear him play it live, repeatedly, for Good Morning America a few Summers ago). The song is made up of Beatles lyrics strung together. And I thought we were talking generally about picking one to throw under the bus. Sorry to offend, I like Ringo too.

It's hard to pick your least favorite Beatle. They're all so wonderful.

I chose to go with Paul in part because I had recently heard "Memory Almost Full". Did anyone else get really uncomfortable when they heard that song "Vintage Clothes"?
 I did.

[dave from knoxville]

Agreed. You can't dislike Ringo (unless, perhaps, you know him personally,) but you don't go to him for music, at least not since 1972 or 3. But his first "best of" disc has one brilliant fun pop bit after another. Actually, I remember telling my college roommate when Madness got hot that I think I liked them because their attitude and sound reminded me of the post-Beaucoup of Blues Ringo singles.

[mike a]

LOVE McCartney II.  I'm on record as calling it the unheralded treasure of the Wings (well, just-post-Wings) era.

Is Run Devil Run any good?  I've heard conflicting reports.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Interesting.  I don't know diddly about musicianship but I always suspected that Ringo was better than most people gave him credit for.

[dave from knoxville]

LOVE McCartney II.  I'm on record as calling it the unheralded treasure of the Wings (well, just-post-Wings) era.

Is Run Devil Run any good?  I've heard conflicting reports.

I really like the takes on Run Devil Run; it may have been the last display of any spark in the old boy.

[Sloppy Joe]

I just noticed this topic. Last year my friend Furnstein decided to start a blog dedicated to discussing solo-McCartney gems. I wrote about "Power Cut" from Red Rose Speedway and I don't think anyone else has ever posted anything. If anybody is inclined, I'd love to keep this discussion going. There's lots to say. The blog is at

http://powercutpaul.blogspot.com/

Here is what I wrote:
 
The topic on the table is overlooked solo McCartney tracks, or particularly good songs on otherwise unexceptional records. My thoughts turn to "Power Cut," last track of the medley on the second side of Red Rose Speedway. Go get your copy off the shelf and drop the needle.

POWER CUT

There May Be A Powercut
And The Candles Burn Down Low
But Something Inside Of Me
Says The Bad News Isn't So

I May Never Tell You
But Baby You Should Know
There May Be A Miracle
And Baby I Love You So

Baby I Love You So
Baby I Love You So

. . . and then the phrase "Baby I love you so" repeats over and over again, over which Paul does his inimitable rock and roll shouting of incomprehensible non-words. He's always doing that over codas. Then, guitars come in with a reprise of all the previous melodies from the medley: Hold Me Tight, Lazy Dynamite and Hands Of Love.

A few thoughts:

- The simple, repetitive chord change that this song is built on is CLASSIC MCCARTNEY. Happy and sad at the same time. Catchy without being facile. Melancholy yet jaunty.

- The solo is played on what sounds like one of those little tiny toy kid pianos.

- The coda, with the shouting and the overlaid guitar melodies is INSANE.

- Paul's lyrics are meaningless, even if you are willing to work with him. This plays into the old McCartney stereotype (strong melody/weak lyrics), but only if you're looking for Lennonesque wordplay or candor. Why don't you just get off your high horse and admit that "There may be a power cut" is an amazing phrase.

WAIT A MINUTE! I just realized something for the first time. He's talking about the electricity going off, in a storm. That's what he means by "power cut." That's why there are candles burning down low. OK, so the lights go out, they put on candles, and then Paul just starts telling you (the listener?) that he loves you so.

I guess that doesn't redeem the song, but it's something I never got before. I thought when he said "Power Cut" he meant "great song." The lyric transcription above has it as, "There may be a power cut," but I'm pretty sure Paul sings "I may be a power cut." Listen and judge for yourself. I think he also says "I may be a miracle," which is certainly true.

Here is my transcription of the shouting at the end:
"Maybe I'm a miracle . . . and I love ya . . . and I love ya . . . and I do! yeah because . . . now maybe I'm a bongo . . . we'll a love you . . do babba do . . . maybe lunga . . . lunga bongo . . . YEAHHHHHHHH! YEAHHHHHH! Oh yeah!! . . . [incomprehensible]"

This is a great song! I love it.

-Doug O'Donnell

[dlobro1080]

LOVE McCartney II.  I'm on record as calling it the unheralded treasure of the Wings (well, just-post-Wings) era.

Is Run Devil Run any good?  I've heard conflicting reports.

I really like the takes on Run Devil Run; it may have been the last display of any spark in the old boy.

Hi all,

First time poster here...Dave, I love you on the show, but I have to disagree with "last display of any spark."  Chaos and Creation is a fantastic album, and Memory Almost Full has some pretty killer stuff on it too.

[TL]

I think this is the first time I've ever heard Ringo praised for his drumming abilities. He wasn't bad like some people say, but excellent? I don't know about that.

I would just suggest listening to a bunch of Beatles stuff from different eras and really paying attention to the drums.  On Meet the Beatles, his right hand on both ride and hi-hat works faster than Marky Ramone, and by the time you get to Sgt. Pepper's and beyond, it's almost less about specific playing "ability" than it is about what interesting (and effective - if they were just interesting, it'd only be "interesting") choices he makes: when to play, what to play, how to play it - very smart, very percussive, and dare I say, "largely unsung yet groundbreaking?"  Yes - I dare say it!

[Anthony from Ireland]

At a flea market today one stall had a bunch of Paul related stuff. I just know Band On The Run and the hits and have heard Tom mention the madness of  II on the Show a few times so I opted for that. Playing it now. Pretty crazy stuff.