McCartney: a reassessment?

[mattham]

So there I was, ambling down the Lane in an Alan Partridge style reverie, Paul McCartney on the iPhone (Jet! Do do do do do do do do!), thinking: ?Is he really so bad? Can all the current sins ? the mahogany hair, the Mills debacle, the past thirty years worth of songs ? be excused by the good work he?s done??

Aside from the Beatles stuff, which was near faultless, he has written some cracking tracks. So, for anyone inclined, which are the top post-Beatles McCartney tracks, and do they absolve the sins of the last 30 years?

Apologies if this is a somewhat specific post. It?s been playing on my mind for a while now.

[Jeremy]

Jet, Band on the Run, and Live and Let Die are all pretty good! Can't think of anything decent after Wings though.

[Jah Lush]

His second solo album Ram is a bit of a corker and the title track Ram On is a personal favourite of mine.

[Brendan]

pum pum-pum. Pyyyieee-yah.

pum pum-pum. Pyyyieee-yah.

[HonaloochieB]

Maybe I'm Amazed.

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

Just Another Day

Jet

Mary Had A Little Lamb

[Jah Lush]

Monkberry Moon Delight, Smile Away, Mine For Me, My Love.

[????]

...er...wrong forum...I thought you meant the West Ham defender recently sold to Sunderland...carry on

[pk]

HonaloochieB Wrote:

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> Maybe I'm Amazed.

>

i didn't know this song til i heard it covered, but i really love that cover

[Jah Lush]

Do you mean the Faces version? Here they are down at the Marquee Club in 1970.

Maybe I'm Amazed - The Faces

[pk]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Do you mean the Faces version? Here they are down

> at the Marquee Club in 1970.

>

> Maybe I'm Amazed - The Faces

no, much later - carleen anderson

can't find it on youtube

[Brendan]

Brilliant band on the run cover:

[mockney piers]

Who knows if it wasn't for frog chorus we may never had Crazy Frog.

Oh wait, good things huh?

Nope, can't think...okay, Live and Let Die at a pinch.

But even there, it lacked oomf; covers have subsequently unearthed the rich vein of rawness and anxiety within. It does come across a bit War of the Worlds at times, and that dreadful reggae break, what's that all about?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I can't stop singing "Let me roll it to you" now.

[Annasfield]

Saw him at Anfield in May and he was amazing. Wasn't too sure what to expect and was dreading being bombarded with Wings. The gig was excellent and he had a really good mix of all his songs. Was special to see him in Liverpool too.

A good friend of mine's wife is actually his cousin. The regularly get to see him and from what I can gather he is a thoroughly decent fella.

[Jamma]

The man's a genius and it's high time for a reappraisal.

Post Beatles stuff? Try Junk, Only Love Remains, Beautiful Night. Or listen to the horror that was Free as a Bird by the Threetles, the McCartney bit was great.

His songs are modern hymns - stuff like Yesterday, Let it Be, Eleanor Rigby are songs that will surely be around in decades to come, unlike most of John's Beatles output (though I'm not trying to start a John vs Paul thing here).

Even Mull of Kintyre is amazing - a dreadful pop song and Number One but a brilliant folk waltz that, again, will be around in decades to come.

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

I've loved a cover The Mops did of Eleanor Rigby for years now, had a vague feeling it was done by some above average white band, but had no idea it was McCartneys original work!

Can't find a youtube link to their version of it, but here's a cover of something else, call me mad, but I prefer their covers to the originals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QcMB3iuqd0&feature=related

[mockney piers]

As usual the Mash gets it spot on

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1269&Itemid=29

[HonaloochieB]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Do you mean the Faces version? Here they are down

> at the Marquee Club in 1970.

>

> Maybe I'm Amazed - The Faces

Is this the live track from Long Player?

[Jah Lush]

Same track, different recording. If memory serves. The live cut on Long Player was recorded at the Forum East or some such place.

[Keef]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Jet, Band on the Run, and Live and Let Die are all

> pretty good! Can't think of anything decent after

> Wings though.

What Jeremy said. But Guns N Roses improved Live and Let Die immensely.

[EDOldie]

Surely it's Mull of Kintyre? Pure bloody genius!!

[PeckhamRose]

A reassessment.

He is and always was a Beatle.

No reassessment needed.

[capt_birdseye]

Band on the Run is a great album, especially the closer, 1985. As a kid I quite liked Pipes of Peace, especially the video of the WW1 Xmas football match.

[capt_birdseye]

Although I love the Beatles, I can't help but blaming songs (or anthems) like Let it Be and Hey Jude for giving us the likes of Oasis, Coldplay and Snow Patrol.

And how about Lennon: a reassessment. His Beatles work is amazing, I still love "in My Life" after 1000s of listens. But his post-Imagine output really ain't all that. That dreadful song about Sean, jesus wept no! And it sounds like the guy was something of a grade-A tosser. However his assasination has seen him deified (John Lennon Airport? Why?). Face it, if he was still around there would definitely have been a Frog Chorus equivalent, perhaps a Disney soundtrack with his mate Elton John...

[beef]

Macca used to be my fifth favourite Beatle after Billy Preston, but after reading this months mojo interview he's risen to 4th and a half! Still the worst songwriter though........