Black Cat Bone

I imagine that roughly 90% of you who respond will pick Ram. It is probably my second or third favorite, but Tug Of War is the one for me. Every once in a while McCartney just focuses and puts out a great, considered work. Chaos and Creation and Band On The Run are probably the other two like that, and to a lesser extent, so is Flowers in the Dirt. His other albums have the feel of being the result of casual inspiration. Tug Of War is as filler-free as the man gets, though. "Dress Me Up as a Robber" and "Be What You See" (no more than a moody link) are a bit throwaway, and "Ebony and Ivory" is a bit schmaltzy, to be sure, but not as unbearably awful as many would have it. So the album admittedly does run out of steam towards the end, but every other track is ace, with some of McCartney's finest recordings, including "Pound Is Sinking", "Wanderlust" and "What's That You're Doing?". Back with Martin and Emerick, this is the delayed sequel to Abbey Road, and somedays I think it's better.

Favorite song is tough, with "Back Seat Of My Car", "Maybe I'm Amazed," "Arrow Through Me" and "My Brave Face" all worthies. I'll go for the first today, and I doubt I'll be alone.

Favorite Album - Tug Of War

Favorite Song - "Back Seat Of My Car"

I cant pick between McCartney, Ram and Wildlife. I think all three took a bit of a beating at the time though and Macca gradually went on to produce slicker more polished stuff. Some of that is great too but those first three post-Beatles albums are immense. I often wonder what direction Macca would've gone in if Ram had been given the critical reception it gets now. I have to admit that I still haven't heard Tug of War and I still intend to someday but what I have heard from it doesn't song nearly as good as Abbey Road so I hope the rest is better. Band on The Run is Great, McCartney II is pretty great, Flowers in the dirt as some great songs but rubbish production, Flaming Pie is under-rated and Chaos and Creation is really great.

Song: Maybe I'm Amazed

'Back Seat Of My Car' is blissful and, played to non-believers, an instantly-recognisable example of enormous natural melodic talent. It's a godlike piece of music.

'Ram' is OK. I overplayed it around 5 years ago, it killed it a little (this was the MOJO days - if I play that, 'Electric Warrior', or 'In The Court Of The...' today, it brings it all back!).

I'd really love to meet him. I reckon I'd really like him. Him and Ig. Not together, tho'.

Favourite album- 'Ram'

Favourite song- Little Lamb Dragonfly (sublime)

Paul McCartney is great, a god even.
Who gives a shit if a percent of his total work is crap? Whose isn't?
I certainly hope when Paul leaves us he gets all the respect that Syd (with one great album to his name) Barrett just did.

Album - Band on the Run
Their most consistent I would say - Wings Over America is second choice, but thats cheating really.

Song - Maybe I'm Amazed.

i know very little about mccartney's solo output. i only own his first album, although i'm familiar with other albums, in particular band on the run.

as with all the solo beatles, it seems to me that with each album there's a diminishing return, but i'm basing that on the 70's and early 80's releases.

maybe i'm amazed is predictably the standout, although i'm rather partial to his whimsical songs such as uncle albert, let 'em in and junk.

i've always wanted to compile my own best of mccartney, but i don't think i could stomach sifting through the dross.

I really didn't want to say this, but my cheap CD/DVD copy of 'Chaos and Creation...' arrived yesterday, and I can't help feeling it's been just a teeny bit overrated here. It ain't bad, tho', but there might be just four songs I'd play again and again.

soul-a-skope wrote:i know very little about mccartney's solo output. i only own his first album, although i'm familiar with other albums, in particular band on the run.

as with all the solo beatles, it seems to me that with each album there's a diminishing return, but i'm basing that on the 70's and early 80's releases.

maybe i'm amazed is predictably the standout, although i'm rather partial to his whimsical songs such as uncle albert, let 'em in and junk.

i've always wanted to compile my own best of mccartney, but i don't think i could stomach sifting through the dross.

Somebody should do that, tho' - there are some hidden gems in those '70s albums. His singles from that period don't necessarily do him justice.

Anyway - is 'Jet' now considered naff? It's a cracking song, I don't think I've ever seen it praised here!

By some distance the most overrated artist on BCB. There I've said it.

Ram is the obvious one, and contains his best post-Beatles song. But I give props to quite a few. I think Venus and Mars is underrated. As is Flowers in the Dirt. And Flaming Pie is inconsistent as hell, but it's got some great stuff on it (I remember my reaction at the time- "Wow. This doesn't suck!"). As for Tug of War, provided we can pretend Ebony and Ivory never existed, it's very solid (though short ).

Can we agree on two things, though? 1- He's not an awful lyricist. In fact when he tries, he's good. 2- The guy can sing like a motherfucker. Listen to the falsetto out of the bridge on "This One" (from FitD). Know any 47-year olds now who've been smoking cigarettes/pot their entire adult life that can pull this off? Plus he's a great guitarist (especially acoustic), a decent drummer and a virtuoso bassist. Let's face it, he's done plenty of dumb, half-assed, low-effort stuff too, but when he's good- damn is he good.

Album - Ram, probably, but ToW, FitD and Chaos and Creation are all close runners-up.

Song - Too Many People. Power pop at its finest.

The Unique Modernist! wrote:By some distance the most overrated artist on BCB. There I've said it.

Oh, I could put together a list of another 10 who are just as overrated here, G! But you do have a point.

And yes, it does matter that 90% of his output is shite, really. Or by the same token, we'd be saying that Andrew Lloyd Webber is a genius.

Sir John Coan wrote:I really didn't want to say this, but my cheap CD/DVD copy of 'Chaos and Creation...' arrived yesterday, and I can't help feeling it's been just a teeny bit overrated here. It ain't bad, tho', but there might be just four songs I'd play again and again.

Agreed. Jenny Wren is a stunner, but beyond that it doesn't sit with his very best. Good album, but not the classic folks here want it to be.

toomanyhatz wrote:The guy can sing like a motherfucker.

He can, really he can. Like no other.

Sir John Coan wrote:

The Unique Modernist! wrote:By some distance the most overrated artist on BCB. There I've said it.

Oh, I could put together a list of another 10 who are just as overrated here, G! But you do have a point.

And yes, it does matter that 90% of his output is shite, really. Or by the same token, we'd be saying that Andrew Lloyd Webber is a genius.

I would argue it's closer to 50%. Which granted is still too high, but there's a big difference between him and Andrew Lloyd Webber- Paul's good stuff's a whole hell of a lot better than his.

Album: Red Rose Speedway or McCartney II

Song: A Love For You or Big Barn Bed

toomanyhatz wrote: but there's a big difference between him and Andrew Lloyd Webber- Paul's good stuff's a whole hell of a lot better than his.

It's a good deal better than a lot of people praised around here.
You could compile a two or three-disc CD-R set of McCartney (Beatles stuff included, natch) which would be comparable to just about anyone. Forget about the lesser stuff (why does that bother people anyway? Just don't listen to it) and celebrate the sublime.

Sir John Coan wrote:I really didn't want to say this, but my cheap CD/DVD copy of 'Chaos and Creation...' arrived yesterday, and I can't help feeling it's been just a teeny bit overrated here. It ain't bad, tho', but there might be just four songs I'd play again and again.

I bought that too when it was pointed out on here (thanks).
There are maybe two songs that would make it on stage.

I don't think he has ever made a non-patchy album.

Still love Choba CCCP and Run devil run.

12stringbassist wrote:

Sir John Coan wrote:I really didn't want to say this, but my cheap CD/DVD copy of 'Chaos and Creation...' arrived yesterday, and I can't help feeling it's been just a teeny bit overrated here. It ain't bad, tho', but there might be just four songs I'd play again and again.

There are maybe two songs that would make it on stage.

Does their stage-worthiness really make a difference?

I guess the C&CITBY backlash has started. I've never claimed it was a perfect album, or Maccas best myself, but I think its a bloody good one. There's only about two tracks on the album I don't have time for, the rest ranges from good to downright sublime, and Godrichs production is superb too.

Song:Jenny Wren
Album:RAM

Sir John Coan wrote:'Back Seat Of My Car' is blissful and, played to non-believers, an instantly-recognisable example of enormous natural melodic talent. It's a godlike piece of music.

But it sounds unfinished. Something that was just tossed off in about 10 minutes when he had some spare time. There's too much of that in Macca's early solo work. I'd love to hear what he could have done with it.