Paul McCartney solo/Wings

[Omar]

My favorite review of Ram:

Brian Teasley

Holy moly.

[Beth]

I am glad somebody mentioned Back To the Egg. In terms of production style, it's not dated well, so neophytes would have trouble dealing with it, and about 5 of the 14 tracks are more like sketches than fully-formed songs, but McCartney's really adventurous on there in terms of song-writing ideas. I always thought the end of Arrow Through Me reached almost Weather-Report style proportions, bouncing back and forth between 8/8 and 6/8 with that tenor saxaphone riding on top of the riff. But when I play it for Andy from Knoxville, for example, not three seconds get out before he says "80's CHEESE".

Brat.

I really like that record! I listened to it this summer while on tour, it was great for tedious driving through some of the less sightly parts of the US.  I was dismayed that when I called in during "getting to know you," I was forced to say Paul was my least favorite Beatle. It's not that I don't like him, but in my head I was thinking: "okay, George is my favorite, then John, then Ringo...." I was sad that I had to throw Paul under the bus, but I had no other choice.

[ericluxury]

Thanks to this thread, I bought Ram this weekend and I loved it. I had Band on the Run and loved it but when I was listening to the Beatles all the time, I bought the hype of John Lennon being the genius and MacCartney being the guy who wrote Yesterday, so enjoying him always seemed like a guilty pleasure and I didn't look at his post-Beatles work.
It's strange becase I've thoroughly explored Lennon's post-Beatles career and it's one great album (thats not a joy to listen to) and lots of very spotty albums. Two albums in to looking at MacCartney and its already better. How did Lennon sell his version of Beatles history to critics so well?

[todd]

How did Lennon sell his version of Beatles history to critics so well?

The same way Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix did.

[TL]

Thanks to this thread, I bought Ram this weekend and I loved it. I had Band on the Run and loved it but when I was listening to the Beatles all the time, I bought the hype of John Lennon being the genius and MacCartney being the guy who wrote Yesterday, so enjoying him always seemed like a guilty pleasure and I didn't look at his post-Beatles work.
It's strange becase I've thoroughly explored Lennon's post-Beatles career and it's one great album (thats not a joy to listen to) and lots of very spotty albums. Two albums in to looking at MacCartney and its already better. How did Lennon sell his version of Beatles history to critics so well?

There's an essay in HERE that will answer that question.

[B_Buster]

I liked Flaming Pie and Run Devil Run.

[Beth]

Thanks to this thread, I bought Ram this weekend and I loved it. I had Band on the Run and loved it but when I was listening to the Beatles all the time, I bought the hype of John Lennon being the genius and MacCartney being the guy who wrote Yesterday, so enjoying him always seemed like a guilty pleasure and I didn't look at his post-Beatles work.
It's strange becase I've thoroughly explored Lennon's post-Beatles career and it's one great album (thats not a joy to listen to) and lots of very spotty albums. Two albums in to looking at MacCartney and its already better. How did Lennon sell his version of Beatles history to critics so well?

He died (I'm kidding).

I disagree. Plastic Ono Band is obviously the best, but there are others. People knock Double Fantasy, but I love that record, especially "Watching the Wheels" and "Kiss Kiss". And he got pretty diverse putting out an album like Rock n' Roll. I love how it sounds like a Buddy Holly record.

[Wes]

Walls and Bridges is a good, underrated solo Lennon album. "Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" from that and "Out the Blue" from Mind Games  might be my favorite solo Lennon songs. Big fan of "Watching the Wheels", here, too.

Overall, though, I think pre-80s slump McCartney had more strong albums than the rest of them in their solo careers. Ringo's first album is great. I'd put All Things Must Pass at #2 for their solo albums, behind RAM, and after that, Harrison actually has a lot of great songs that almost never get played (I can list some favorites, if anybody cares), but like Lennon, not all his albums hold up all the way through.

I'd say Lennon has the critical view on his side over McCartney because people expected something "important" from the most famous musicians in the world, and Lennon delivered them angry, painful, confrontational music out of the gate. As people go back and actually listen to what McCartney was putting out in the '70s, without the burden of expectations, I think his reputation will improve, especially for the lo-fi ones that have been praised in this thread, many of which could probably be put out today and get a lot of praise.

[Chris L]

I don't remember if it was brought up here before, but I'm sure some of you listened to that worst of the solo Beatles show Pseu Braun and Gaylord did a couple of months ago:
http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/26056

The inclusion of "Arrow Thru Me" appears to be a mistake (I should hope), but "Temporary Secretary"... wow... 

[dave from knoxville]

Even though it's glossy, there's quite a few songs to recommend Tug of War, as well, but you have to not mind visiting Tweeville (I fontasize of living there.)

[jed]

I was forced to say Paul was my least favorite Beatle. It's not that I don't like him, but in my head I was thinking: "okay, George is my favorite, then John, then Ringo...." I was sad that I had to throw Paul under the bus, but I had no other choice.

Ahem.

[youtube]xgwjQNWqHW8[/youtube]

Dark clouds in my head disappear
The sky is turning blue, now you're here
We've come a long way, day after day, (we still got a long way to go)
You've got to pay your dues, if you want to sing the blues
But, no matter what you choose, choose love

The Long and Winding Road, is more than a song
Tomorrow Never Knows, What Goes On
To live your life right, you've got to let in the light, and let all the darkness go
You've got to pay your dues, if you want to sing the blues
But, no matter who you choose, choose love

[Beth]

I was forced to say Paul was my least favorite Beatle. It's not that I don't like him, but in my head I was thinking: "okay, George is my favorite, then John, then Ringo...." I was sad that I had to throw Paul under the bus, but I had no other choice.

Ahem.



[youtube]xgwjQNWqHW8[/youtube]

That's not fair. That'd be like me pulling out "Memory Almost Full" if I didn't like Paul. Ringo was awesome with the Beatles, so let me love him just a little bit more than Paul (who was also awesome) and don't judge.


EDIT: Actually, it wouldn't be like me pulling out "Memory Almost Full" because that just came out. I still love Ringo, and I don't care who knows it.

[Gilly]

Ringo's awesome to see live. He still has a ton of fun with it even though he's been singing the same 10 songs forever, and you get to some other guys you might never have been able to see either. I wouldn't spend 50-60 dollars a ticket but if he's playing at a venue like a State Fair where tickets are considerably cheaper. I was able to see him at Taste of Minnesota for free.

[yesno]

You should judge Ringo by what he was:  a drummer.  By all accounts, he was one of the best drummers in rock.

He was too famous to just be a drummer in a band after the Beatles.

[Beth]

You should judge Ringo by what he was:  a drummer.  By all accounts, he was one of the best drummers in rock.

He was too famous to just be a drummer in a band after the Beatles.

I think the moment that my love affair with Ringo began was when he was playing the toy drum kit in this one Beatles video (I believe it's "Your Mother Should Know") He's such an adorable man, and a fantastic drummer. He holds it down. Plus, how can you not love "Octopus' Garden?" Seriously!