McCartney "Back to the Egg" Why is it not everyone's favourite ?

Speed Of Sound was recorded exclusively at Abbey Road. That made all the difference.

 

well...cause it isn't very good

 

Letting Go was recorded at Abbey Road. It was their mixing choices. Too much compression.
Listen to the outtake of Rockshow from the box set. Sounds much better than the one on the album. Much less compression on the outtake. That made all the difference.

 

One of my favorites love Rockestra, the only one that tops Back To The Egg is Venus And Mars IMHO.

 

Never bought it. A Friend of mine had it and we gave it a few spins. As I recall, we had very high expectations for the Rockestra Theme. So much guitar power, for us could never come close to what we expected. After that let down, it took off what ever enthusiasm we had for the record. What was with the cover, not much payoff for spending to much time looking at it? Also, I think there was too much of Paul and Linda. Sometimes you want your Bacon with out the eggs.

 

Back To The Egg rules. It's a great complete listen every time. Yes there are some clunky songs and in particular I don't think the "Rockestra" track belongs on here, but it's such a part of the album that I would miss it if it was gone. He sounds vital again after Speed Of Sound (which is unlistenable to me, I just can't stand that album) and London Town (which is good but so lightweight, you really have to be a fan to get fully into it).

As to why it didn't sell I think that longform video had something to do with it. I'm embarrassed for Paul with some of that stuff, it's clumsy and lame and it added to the idea that he was just trying to rock up his sound & hip up his image. Or take "Baby's Request" - an atmospheric little old time Paul tune that I always picture as a smokey nightclub vibe, but in the video he's in the desert dressed up like some tacky war movie. I bet the next move would have been a live album if Paul hadn't gotten busted, that would have been a better look than that weird video.

 

If we're talking about digital only, we only have two "Back to the Egg" CD versions, right? The old 1989 CD and the 1993 remaster with bonus tracks. Which version is the best? Is there another digital mastering better than those two? Cheers.

 

I like your post, and all, but 1979 was "the nascent punk period in London"?

Sorry, but punk was done by 1979. Heck, New Wave was almost done by then!

But that said, I shall revisit Back to the Egg tomorrow. But there must be a reason that I never play it...

 

I would just have Rockestra be a special stand alone single.
Adding Goodnight Tonight and Daytime Nighttime Suffering would have made the album even better and it would have a scanning the radio stations late at night feel with all of the different styles.

 

BACK TO THE EGG is neither as bad as some critics have made it out to be, nor as good as the first bunch of posters on here proclaim it to be.
It is one of a handful of albums that battle for a position in the lower reaches of Paul's top 10 albums.

 

There are more than two. Here are the EAC values for the Japan and US discs released long before the '93 disaster was unleashed.

 

Why not? Because it came out at the wrong time in my life. 1979 was a hard rock/metal year for me-I was 20, and very much the stoner. So this didn't really speak to me, even though Macca was probably inhaling more than me!

I just tried "Arrow Through Me" on YT and I lasted 55 seconds. It was the musical arrangement that did me in. It sounded very L.A. soft rock to me. But I'm having a great deal of difficulty finding much solo Paul that does anything for me any more. I don't know what happened. I do try every now and then; I will give Flaming Pie another try pretty soon. If that registers then I'll try the rest of this one.

 

If London Town is "too light" and Back to the Egg is "uneven" - would combining the two make a more balanced, enjoyable album?

Just throwing it out there since I enjoy both albums on their own.

 

And I don't get the love for Rockestra, either. It's just this boring, repetitive vamp that goes nowhere. All that talent and such a bore. Like the way the Edmonton Oilers play!
And it won the Grammy for best rock instrumental, didn't it? It beat Night of the Living Dregs!
What a crime that was.

 

I always thought that maybe mixing the two is the best --

The folk album (London Town)
Side One-1. Backwards Traveler (finished)/2. Cafe' on the Left Banke/3. Waterspout/4. I'm Carrying/5. Winter Rose/6. Girlfriend/7. Million Miles
Side Two-1. With a Little Luck/2. Deliver Your Children/3. Don't Let It Bring You Down/4. London Town/5. Morse Moose and the Grey Goose

The rock album (Back To the Egg)
Side One-1. Reception/2. So Glad To See You Here/3. Getting Closer/4. Old Siam Sir/5. Daytime Nighttime Suffering/6. Arrow Through Me/7. Have We Met Somewhere Before?
Side Two-1. Rockestra Theme/2. Spin It on/3. Again and Again and Again/4. I've Had Enough/5. To You/6. Baby's Request/7. Goodnight Tonight

BTTE especially is a fantastic record this way.

 

That's pretty much how I feel too. He's done a lot of great solo work, I put Back to the Egg at the bottom. Not having "Goodnight Tonight" on there was bad enough, leaving off "Daytime Nghttime Suffering?" Forget about about it...

 

I enjoy Back To The Egg. My second favourite Wings album after Band On The Run. Only have the 1993 CD, and will buy it again as soon as it gets rereleased.

 

I agree- Back To The Egg is defintely one of those McCartney "flawed in execution" albums...if he'd just switched a few songs up (maybe get rid of the two medleys and spoken word piece on side two for a start) and added the 'hit' single you'd definitely have one of the better Maccaalbums instead of one that only the diehard fans appreciate. BTTE is another one of those albums that divides listeners.

That it is...again pity it wasn't executed better.

Indeed- the two Rockestra tracks should have been a special single, possibly even released as a charity thing for Kampuchea.

As for the 'scanning the radio stations feel' that has been pointed out by a few people as a possible BTTE album 'concept' that Paul really should have considered. The idea is abandoned after the first two tracks, sorta like the "let's pretend we're a different band" concept on Pepper

 

I agree that "Rockestra Theme" isn't much of a song. I was disappointed by it in 1979 and still think it's mediocre.

I do like "So Glad to See You Here", though - I think it's by far the better of the 2 Rockestra tunes. It's a real song!

 

Absolutely SGTSYH is the better track. I remember when I first played Back To The Egg for my wife and she was laughing as she read the credits for the Rockestra and said, "You mean Paul got all these huge musicians together and had them play that?" in regard to "Rockestra Theme"

 

I actually think Did We Meet Somewhere Before would have been great on London Town and Morse Moose on Back to the Egg!

I'd also add Cage to BTTE because it seems to fit well. I did Reception but would gladly have lost The Broadcast for that track.

 

This is around the period Linda said Paul wanted desperately to work with John again.

 

If accounts are to be believed, it got close.

 

I first heard Rockestra Theme via the Kampuchea album. It works a lot better in that context.

 

Quick post about it, thks to OP for this thread about an album I always liked.
Listening to it for the 1st time in ages, while doing the dishes
I always liked it a lot. But I NEVER pay attention to Paul's lyrics (sometimes being french-speaking helps).
Then again I like Speed of Sound and never got Ram, so what do I know?
I like the alternate playlist suggested by some. But what is this Cage song that is constantly referred to?
The guitar in To You may be the most left field solo in a McCartney album, isn't it?
I always thought it was Denny Laine, signing Old Siam... Hmm, now, not so sure. Is it?
SQ on the 1993 remastering... not sure it is optimal, something sounds a bit off...