Poll: Paul McCartney (Wings) - Venus and Mars (1975 Album Sessions) - Top 5 to 7 songs

I want to know how folks feel about these songs now. What are your 5 to 7 or so favorites? As a bonus let us know why you have picked your choices and if your thoughts on any of the songs have changed over time. Wow a lot of bonus tracks and B-Sides here!

 

Great podcast about the album and all it's tracks:

Episode 7 – Venus and Mars | Take It Away: The Complete Paul McCartney Archive Podcast

 

All of my other Solo Beatle Polls:

Search Results for Query: top songs poll | Steve Hoffman Music Forums

 

IMO, their weakest album. it was hard to find 5 good tracks to vote for - the production is terrible!

 

“Listen to What the Man Said” is my favorite post Beatle tune by any of the Beatles. It’s a perfect pure pop masterpiece.

I love the “Venus & Mars” album. I played it to death in the 1970s. It’s such a 70s album - songs about comic books, spirits of ancient Egypt, etc. It really connected with teenagers in the mid-70s. Friends of mine who weren’t really into McCartney were fans of the album.

 

Three 10/10 tracks which are ‘Magneto’ (the best example of Macca successfully balancing novelty and rock), ‘Letting Go’, and the best Wings song of all ‘Medicine Jar’. I’m not joking.

 

And the cover design:

 

Rock Show
You Gave Me the Answer
Magneto and Titanium Man
Letting Go
Call Me Back Again

Almost all of these are better on WOA but I love this album.

 

I love this. One of the best Hipgnosis covers I think.

 

Medicine Jar
Rock Show
Spirits of Ancient Egypt
Letting Go
Junior's Farm
Zoo Gang

 

Zoo Gang! Really!

 

You betcha!
This is another album I can't stand the big single from (Listen To What the Man Said). Zoo Gang has it's charm and appeal that I find totally missing on everything else that I didn't vote for in this poll.

 

Voting is tight folks, with a lot of ties for now anyway!

 

Rockshow - Wings comes out the gate rockin, absolutely fantastic concert opener!
Call Me Back Again - serious blue eyed soul from McCartney.
Listen To What The Man Said - A deserved #1 hit, another McCartney classic.
Letting Go - Love everything about this song.
My Carnival - A song that absolutely catches the New Orleans Mardi Gras party spirit. Love the horns and the guitars.

This is definitely one of my favorite Wings albums!

 

Rock Show: catchy rocker, great concert opener
You Gave Me the Answer: excellent companion to When I'm 64 and Honey Pie
Magneto and Titanium Man: great Beatlesque pop tune, albeit with a "contemporary" 70's feel
Letting go: soulful rock piece
Listen to What the Man Said: one of Wings' perfect pop singles
Junior's Farm: infectious rockin' single, with the great Geoff Britton on drums!

This thread has reminded me how good this album is. In fact I'm listening to it right now!

 

I swear I didn't read your message before posting mine!

 

Love in Song
Magneto and Titanium Man
Letting Go
Listen To What The Man Said
Junior’s Farm

Side 1 of this album is outstanding.

 

"Call Me Back Again" is one of Paul's best vocals ever IMO and if there is such a thing as a song being underrated this one gets my vote.

"Love in Song" doesn't say much but sure sounds nice .

There's a lot to like about Venus and Mars.

 

I picked the Zoo Gang as it reminds me of my childhood plus it was the b side of my first ever 45 purchase. So yeah "Really" ha!!

 

My 5:
'Listen To What The Man Said' I was drawn to because it was a GREAT 'headphones' song. Lots going off.
'Rock Show' needs repeated listens as it's always fun to hear Macca rock-out.
'Letting Go' has serious ear-worm properties.
'Junior's Farm' was a very successful radio-play single in the UK. Was playing every time you turned the radio on - or so it seemed.
First/last one; 'Venus And Mars' (the opener). I like the guitar.

I stuck to 5. It was difficult to leave out 'Spirits Of Ancient Egypt' and the 'Crossroads Theme'. Love them both too.

 

Venus And Mars / Rockshow
Letting Go
Medicine Jar
Listen To What The Man Said
Crossroads (Theme)

Really love this album. I always see the first 2 tracks as 1 song. What a great opening to the album.

Also have a real soft spot for Crossroads. Reminds me of the tv in my childhood

 

An excellent, enjoyable and eclectic album, so it was difficult to pick just five songs.

Letting Go: Love, love, love this track, especially the bass and the intro and much prefer this version to the single edit.
Love in Song: A gorgeous sounding sad song.
Venus & Mars: Like the acoustic guitars and the slightly spacey moog. Another of the better sounding songs.
Call Me Back Again: Great Macca vocals and nice horns.
Listen to What the Man Said: As others have said, just a pure pop masterpiece, with judicious use of the soprano sax (especially for a 70s pop song!)

Honourable mentions also for Medicine Jar (I like Jimmy's singing and playing) & Treat Her Gently, but it's all good stuff.

 

I am shocked, shocked I tell you, that as of this moment in the poll "Call Me Back Again" is tied with "Magneto And Titanium Man." I've always considered CMBA as a legitimate successor to "Oh Darling."

 

The first guaranteed spot for me was Sally G, everything else can get in the queue behind that one.

I say this as a big long time fan of this album.

 

I love the Venus and Mars intro and wish it didn't lead into Rock Song, which I strongly dislike.

Also love Love in Song and Listen to What the Man Said (tho it still bothers me what he means by "man." What man? "The man"? And the chorus says "people will find a way to go no matter what the man said" which sounds like we're not supposed to listen to what "the man said." But then the song says "That's what the man said, So won't you listen to what the man said." So we ARE supposed to listen to what the man said? Or is it a different man? Still, great song, though.)