What the heck is the album title about?
So you think "Kisses On The Bottom" is an odd title for the new Paul McCartney album? From the online and media reaction you're not alone. Let me try and take my best guess as to the meaning of the title "Kisses On The Bottom". Now let's put on our thinking caps, think back to the day before internet, before texting and even before easy access to phones. In the olden days, people used something called a pen or pencil, and a thing called paper and actually wrote things down manually. I know, seems crazy but they called it "handwriting". Then after you wrote up a few lines, paragraphs or pages, this document, (called a letter) was put inside a box outside somewhere. Somehow these handwritten letters found their way to the recipient. Sometimes these letters were intercepted and read by devious people using a tea kettle, but that's another story.
If these letters were to loved ones, often you would put an "X" or an "O" at the bottom above your signature that would signify hugs & kisses. Today, emails are sent, but "kisses" are still used at the bottom above your signature. Emails, text messages and phone calls are being intercepted by other devious people, but that too is another story. So to some it all up, Kisses On The Bottom" are the "X's" at the bottom of love letters and one of the songs covered by Paul on this album is a Fats Waller classic from 1935, "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Right Myself A Letter". Check out the lyrics, click here. Hope that clears that up.
Now if you think about it, this is a perfect title for this album. Whomever thought of it is a genious. First off the obvious throw-back to the good old days of handwriting love letters, this is an album of pre-rock & roll standards. Secondly just look at the media blitz going on about this title, lots of publicity for an album that is still a month away from being released. "Kisses On The Bottom" on the Hear Music label is due for release February 7th, 2012.
. . . . Mike Kovacich, macca-central.com
| MACCAalbums |
Kisses On The Bottom
|
||||||
01. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 02:36
02. Home (When Shadows Fall) 04:04
03. It’s Only A Paper Moon 02:35
04. More I Cannot Wish You 03:04
05. The Glory Of Love 03:46
06. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me) 03:22
07. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 02:32
08. My Valentine 03:14
09. Always 03:50
10. My Very Good Friend The Milkman 03:04
11. Bye Bye Blackbird 04:26
12. Get Yourself Another Fool 04:42
13. The Inch Worm 03:43
14. Only Our Hearts 04:21
Deluxe CD Album will feature two bonus tracks plus access to a download of an exclusive live show (available from Tuesday 14th February via paulmccartney.com), plus longer liner notes and expanded packaging featuring three postcards)
15. Baby’s Request 03:30
16. My One And Only Love 03:50
The album will also be available digitally. You will be able to pre-order the album directly from PaulMcCartney.com soon!
The album was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, New York and London throughout 2011. It also features guest musicians Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, respectively, on the original compositions ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts’. Eric also appears on the track ‘Get Yourself Another Fool’.
The album artwork concept was conceived by Jonathan Schofield (Visual Director at Stella McCartney) and designed by Matthew Cooper (who has worked with artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand). Paul was photographed by his daughter Mary McCartney for the album sleeve.
.
Press Release
While many a musician is often asked about the tunes that have influenced their songwriting, it is not a question Paul McCartney ordinarily gets to answer - until now. Paul is about to offer a glimpse into "the songs which inspired the songs" with the upcoming release of a brand new album of those standards he grew up listening to in his childhood-plus two brand new McCartney compositions. With the help of Grammyr Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band-as well as guest appearances from Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, McCartney's new album is a deeply personal journey through classic American compositions that, in some cases, a young Paul first heard his father perform on piano at home. As authentic and daring a musical statement as he could make, this is the album Paul has been thinking about making for more than 20 years - and probably the last thing his fans are expecting.
"In the end it was 'Look, if I don't do it now, I'll never do it'," he says. In short, Paul believes it is about time "the songs me and John based quite a few of our things on" received the recognition they deserve. Moreover, the record also features a couple of new original McCartney compositions in the spirit of those classics. "When I kind of got into songwriting, I realized how well structured these songs were and I think I took a lot of my lessons from them," Paul explains. "I always thought artists like Fred Astaire were very cool. Writers like Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, all of those guys - I just thought the songs were magical. And then, as I got to be a songwriter I thought it's beautiful, the way they made those songs." Determined to approach the record in a new and unique manner, Paul enlisted the help of LiPuma and Krall and her band-who delivered ultra-high quality musicianship and were completely in tune with Paul's restraint and feel for the music.
In the studio, the recording of this album was also a new challenge for Paul who, for the first time ever, performed exclusively in the vocal booth without an instrument - no guitar, no bass, no piano - which led to a vocal performance like no other in his career. He adds, "It was very spontaneous, kind of organic, which then reminded me of the way we'd work with The Beatles. We'd bring a song in, kick it around, when we found a way to do it we'd say 'Okay, let's do a take now' and by the time everyone kind of had an idea of what they were doing, we'd learnt the song. So that's what we did, we did the take live in the studio." "It was important for me to keep away from the more obvious song choices so, many of the classic standards will be unfamiliar to some people. I hope they are in for a pleasant surprise." The album was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, New York and London throughout 2011. It also features guest musicians Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, respectively, on the original compositions "My Valentine" and "Only Our Hearts."
Last Updated: 01/13/12 15:27
Add a comment to this article:
'Kisses On The Bottom' new McCartney album title explained