By the time of Speed Of Sound, I actively disliked McCartney’s successful attempt at forming a group experience to follow up the Beatles.
But before that? Stuff like Wild Life, Band On The Run and Venus And Mars were huge in my house. I spent a memorable summer with this really nice girl and all we listened to Venus And Mars incessantly. It is an enabler for the young, romantic dream kids (from a man who had just come out of the other side of the Beatles phenomena). there is no reason for all this innocence, and it really had to have been feigned because there was zero innocent about the man, but for all the things the kids today have, they don’t have this playfulness.
Hitting shuffle the other day myself annoying the neighbours with a full tilt vocal singalong to “Silly Love Songs” -a track I hate.
I knew it would come to this and here it is: Wings Hits (and not so hit but) reviewed song by song in alphabetical order. You better lister to what this man says.
Another Day – A hit “Lady Madonna” rewrite with social tropes Ray Davies wouldn’t even sneer at.
The Back Seat Of The Car – The falsetto is gorgeous, the sentiment touching, the sleepy “lazy life” intoxicating. Sung to his daughter.
Band On The Run – Wilfully ambitious, written in self contained movement, maybe people compare McCartney to a Gershwin, they mean McCartney can write this.
Bip Bop/Hey Diddle – Playful fragment of pure melody with his baby gurgling in the background.
Bluebird – Keep to the black one.
C Moon – Cheeky b-Side.
Call Me Back Again – Formula r&b rocker, over played and over sung.
Coming Up (Live) – Disco Wings and it is fantastic. I’m surprised it hasn’t been remixed and sampled -especially those triplicating horns.
Daytime Nightime Suffering – From the last gasps of the band but this is a perfect intricately arranged pop song -the structure is strange, the bridge is (relatively, this Macca) dark and despite the sadness of the topic, the rest of it as cheerful.
Every Night – From the first album. I can’t hear it anymore. I wore the vinyl to death and followed it by overplaying the cassette and the CD. I’m done with it.
Girlfriend – Cmon, he can’t be singing that high? He sounds like fucking Prince!
Goodnight Tonight – Another disco hit by McCartney. Macca was a natural for disco, his melodies so indelible they shined through the production sheen.
Heart Of the Country – In which he trips over his whimsy.
Helen Wheels – Our Helen Bach’s theme tune!!!! Nessing nicknamed her Wheels after this. A groovy fucker rocker.
Hi Hi Hi – It got banned by the Beeb!!! Absolutely brilliant rock pop, “gonna do you gonna do you sweet banana”… Naughty fun.
Jet – Never liked the Jet-Suffragette rhyme.
Junior’s Farm – Along with “Helen Wheels” and “Hi Hi Hi’, the third great hit rock Wingles song.
Junk – Try the Costello-Soffer cover if you can. McCartney can’t return here. The kids are grown (except for Beatrice) and Linda is long gone. As great as all but his best Beatles.
Let ‘Em In – Is this the worst song ever written by anyone. I was in England when it was released and for months I couldn’t hide from the piece of crap.
Let Me Rol It – A marijuana reference? A veiled put down of Lennon (it sounds like him). Great guitar lick. Like great great guitar lick -it goes right through the song.
Listen to What the Man Said – I wonder she is now? I don’t know.
Live And Let Die – This should be the blueprint for Bond songs. It is completely Macca and completly 007. Try the GNR cover.
The Lovely Linda – Another fragment, another day.
Man We Was Lonely – Too cute by half.
Maybe I’m Amazed – I can’t hear this one any more, either.
My Love – Ugh. The worst song ever written, etc. I don’t believe a fucking word. Liked the cover of the album though, McCartney with a rose in his mouth!!
No More Lonely Nights – Middle age spread.
Pipes Of Peace – Dreadful, twee, sincere. He thinks he’s Paul Simon but he is really Rupert The Bear.
Rockestra Theme – Was that Dave Edmunds on guitar?
Silly Love Songs – I officially apologize to all the songs I’ve ever called the worst song in the world. It’s not only a plodding, smug mess, it is catchy as hell. Silly doesn’t begin to describe this fucking song.
Take It Away – Hard to really feel much about this. Flat and poppy.
Tomorrow – Off the underrated Wild Life, a just about perfect dream of bliss and escape. love theharmonies as well -Macca is double tracked?
Too Many People – This is definitely a dig at Lennon, though not exactly “how do you sleep, you cunt?” which is how Lennon put it on a boot I’ve heard. “Too many people preaching practises” is Macca calm reply.
Tug Of War – McCartney CAN NOT DO POLITICAL METAPHOR , he can’t do political at all. He lacks gravitas. This is a little too busy (the horn instruments weren’t needed) and he should have kept it to a straight pop song instead of an extravagant orchestral arrangement. He should re-record this. Simplify it.
Venus And Mars/Rockshow – it is a pretty good whomp of an opening number for the live show aand not much more.
Waterfalls – God, i hope this isn’t the last song.
With A Little Luck – Cheerful, melodic, well written, well arranged and the definition of good natured.