Great article. Thanks for taking time to curate the massive catalog to pull out the gems. I’ll need to put a playlist together and kick back for a joyful afternoon of music. Look, Paul could have never written another song after his last session as a Beatle and his legacy as one of our greatest songwriters would have been cemented. Instead he did what anyone who dares to call themselves a songwriter - he continued to write songs. All of us should be grateful for his continued pursuit. To judge the Sir Paul post-Beatles catalog against what he created WITH three other GREAT artists is IMHO a pointless comparison. I applaud you for not falling into that trap and instead evaluate his work for its own merit and boy there is so much to celebrate. Not the least of which is the pure joy and fun that McCartney infuses in so much of his work. Just look at the public’s response to his appearance on Colbert’s final show - joy is the ultimate expression of resistance. Maybe I’m amazed and it sure feels good.
Have you never listened to Chaos and Creation? Fot my money, his best album since at least Tug of War.
I totally agree with his idea that lyrics, almost without exception, are best considered musical sounds for voices to make. See Mumbo on Wild Life. The idea that Dylan got a Nobel Prize for his doggerel is absurd.
Great article. Thanks for taking time to curate the massive catalog to pull out the gems. I’ll need to put a playlist together and kick back for a joyful afternoon of music. Look, Paul could have never written another song after his last session as a Beatle and his legacy as one of our greatest songwriters would have been cemented. Instead he did what anyone who dares to call themselves a songwriter - he continued to write songs. All of us should be grateful for his continued pursuit. To judge the Sir Paul post-Beatles catalog against what he created WITH three other GREAT artists is IMHO a pointless comparison. I applaud you for not falling into that trap and instead evaluate his work for its own merit and boy there is so much to celebrate. Not the least of which is the pure joy and fun that McCartney infuses in so much of his work. Just look at the public’s response to his appearance on Colbert’s final show - joy is the ultimate expression of resistance. Maybe I’m amazed and it sure feels good.
Thanks, Mark, I appreciate it! "...he continued to write songs," right on.
A terrific article.
Thank you!
I tap out after 1979, but I'm with you on most of your 70s picks. But even though I share his love of Scotland, ANYTHING but "Mull of Kintyre"!
Haha, we agree to disagree, mate!
Have you never listened to Chaos and Creation? Fot my money, his best album since at least Tug of War.
I totally agree with his idea that lyrics, almost without exception, are best considered musical sounds for voices to make. See Mumbo on Wild Life. The idea that Dylan got a Nobel Prize for his doggerel is absurd.
There are three tracks from C an C in my "contenders" file. I never fully connected with the album.
Wow! I am astounded!
I think it is infinitely better than Memory Almost Full, New, McCartney III, or Egypt Station.
I can't bring myself to listen to The Boys of Dungeon Lane.
While I do love a lot of McCartney's hits here are a few that are personal favorites that I think are underrated:
Daytime Nighttime Suffering
Arrow Through Me
Ballroom Dancing
Average Person
Somebody Who Cares
No More Lonely Nights
I Don't Know