What Has Happened To The McCartney Songs?

by **Ian Iachimo** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:19 am

Just so that you know - Ihave been a fan since I was 5, I'm now 45 and have most recorded material from Macca that I know of. My issue is that I do not have the last 4 albums. Why? - Because they are full of nursery-rhyme-style lyrics and have no real edge to them. The tunes are lame, the lryics are more like un-linked one-line statements and nothing seems to be memorable. When did you last hear a decent easy-to-remember tune of Macca's on the radio?

I am a huge fan and this may sound a bit negative and dis-respectful but, we all know what he is capable of. It's like he has been made aware that the stuff written post-Linda is not all that good and his touring schedule now consists mainly of Beatles and the odd Wings number. He is too good for that. Is'nt he?

I thought Flaming Pie was a wicked album but I have recently discovered that most of the material on that were old songs, recorded for that album at the time. Is it any wonder that he's now giving away his albums in national newspapers!

Come on Macca - get ya pencil sharpened and show em all what you can still do. You can't retire on the strength of the last 5 albums. We need another masterpiece. Not over-produced, not too slushey and certainly not too far away from what we have come to expect from you.

Deepest res :salute

pect and love.

Ian

by **EddieV** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:00 am

For me the last four albums are great.

As a artist he has sharpened his songwriting the last 10 years!! He has never been better, except in the Beatles.

I think it was a good idea to give away his latest album with the national newspapers.

I guess we all want him to play more solo material at his concerts.

by **jgkojak** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:27 pm

My issue is that I do not have the last 4 albums. Why? - Because they are full of nursery-rhyme-style lyrics and have no real edge to them.

I have to respectfully disagree.

First, let's examine why you believe as you do. The following songs seem to fit your above criteria:
Try Not To Cry (poor lyrics, no melody in the verse)
She's Given Up Talking (repetetive, way too long)
Tiny Bubble
Spinning on An Axis
Riding To Jaipur
Back in the Sunshine
Rinse the Raindrops (though I argue that's a more experimental recording)
Fine Line (good song, but I can see how it appears to be a collection of phrases)
How Kind of You (lame melody)
Gratitude

OK... there you go. I'm not counting b-sides or songs Paul chose to not highlight as part of an album. That's a fair amount of Driving Rain, which we all agree isn't his best work. But you are missing a lot of great stuff (I'll just hit the highlights here):
Run Devil Run (best rocker since Wings)
What It Is (VERY melodic, very entertaining lyrics)
Lonely Road
I Do
Your Loving Flame (classic Paul melody)
Friends To Go (you want EDGE?)
Only Mama Knows (ditto)
House of Wax (edge and melody)

Don't know what albums youve been listening to.

by **chris** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:15 pm

and i am a big fan of nearly all of the songs you claim...are laim.

too each his own. but to critisize albums you do not own is like critisizing movies you have not seen. albums occasionally take time to get into our system. growers, some refer to them. how about that crappy steven spielberg movie...you know, the one he's releasing next year? heard it sucks.

by **flextint** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:33 pm

totally agree with chris .If you dont own the albums you cannot really absorb them.Apart from driving rain i loved the last 5 albums he did.But it was only after a lot of plays that i decided driving rain was an album i didn't connect with.Didn't care much for flaming pie at first but after many plays it grew on me and i like it.Maf and chaos i liked aafter a few plays.Point is you have to own and play these albums as much as you did the wings albums before you can compare.

by A. » Sat Jun 07, 2008 5:50 am

Ian Iachimo wrote:Just so that you know - Ihave been a fan since I was 5, I'm now 45 and have most recorded material from Macca that I know of. My issue is that I do not have the last 4 albums. Why? - Because they are full of nursery-rhyme-style lyrics and have no real edge to them. The tunes are lame, the lryics are more like un-linked one-line statements and nothing seems to be memorable. When did you last hear a decent easy-to-remember tune of Macca's on the radio?

I am a huge fan and this may sound a bit negative and dis-respectful but, we all know what he is capable of. It's like he has been made aware that the stuff written post-Linda is not all that good and his touring schedule now consists mainly of Beatles and the odd Wings number. He is too good for that. Is'nt he?

I thought Flaming Pie was a wicked album but I have recently discovered that most of the material on that were old songs, recorded for that album at the time. Is it any wonder that he's now giving away his albums in national newspapers!

Come on Macca - get ya pencil sharpened and show em all what you can still do. You can't retire on the strength of the last 5 albums. We need another masterpiece. Not over-produced, not too slushey and certainly not too far away from what we have come to expect from you.

Deepest res pect and love.

Ian

ferrante? is that you? nice to have you back, man

by **jules** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 8:25 am

Mike: why is this subject in the wrong place? It's already been posted by Ian Iachimo in Macca General Discussions, which is where it belongs.

by **JimQ** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 8:30 am

Apart from the 1-2-3-4-5 lets go for a drive travesty I have cringed far less at McCartney's lyrics from the last four albums than any from the rest of his solo career.

by **JumpinJoe49** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:59 am

If you HAVE BEEN a fan since you were 5 years old, why do you not have ALL the albums? Don't say you don't like something unless you have heard them. Many of Paul's material takes a few passes before it catches on. Give them a fair shot. Fans have COMPLETE collections.