Waterspout - Paul McCartney: Opinion

So we have the song "Waterspout" by Paul McCartney. Recorded during the London Town sessions, slated for inclusion on the Cold Cuts album and the early versions of the All The Best collection, this tune is still unreleased officially, but often mentioned in various Macca threads. In one recent thread, someone said that the song was brilliant, while another person said it was dreck.

So where do you stand? Vote!

 

These were the two recent posts that inspired this thread:

 

Great! Very catchy

 

I like it, but it's not among my favorite Cold Cuts. I think "Cage" and "Did We Meet Somewhere Before" are superior and from the same era. But that said, "Waterspout" probably did have the best commercial chances as a hit. I don't think it would have been that big of a hit though. It's very twee.

 

It's ok.

 

Before I got the COLD CUTS bootleg LP, I first heard the song on the SUITABLE FOR FRAMING bootleg LP. I liked the song a lot then and still do. In fact, I still find myself humming the tune every now and then:

 

The chords and the melody in the beginning sort of sound like "Marie Provost" by Nick Lowe.

 

This is my first time hearing it. It has a nice melody and is very much "of the period" for Paul. I think it's overlong though. I found myself checking to see how much longer I had to go about halfway through the running time. I voted for "okay." Pleasant, but not great.

 

It's likely that Paul wrote and recorded "Waterspout" before Nick Lowe released "Marie Provost"

 

This is the the type of song that gave Paul such a (justifiably?) bad rep with critics in the 70s. It's a catchy melody, for sure, but the chorus is beyond asinine. Put me in @No Bull's camp on this one.

 

It's okay. A fun little tune, no less, no more.

 

I think it's great. Very infectious and I like the reggae vibe it has. The middle-eight (?) part "Only love..." is particularly enjoyable. Paul's voice sounds great on this track.

I think it's funny that some people say the lyrics are 'twee' or sugary. I think they are chock full of sexual innuendo. AND, I think that's the reason it's never been released. You don't think so? Check out the verse that starts with 'Woody' (C'mon! The characters name is 'Woody'!).


Daddy loved a dancer, though she never gave an answer
He used to follow her all about
Still, she couldn't shake him, she didn't seem to make her mind up
Till he took her to the waterspout

Love comes in, love comes out
At the bottom, at the bottom of the waterspout
Whoa whoa whoa, love comes in, love comes out
At the bottom, at the bottom of the waterspout

Woody wouldn't do it, but he said he never blew it
He didn't know what was hanging out
Oh, till he got an answer out of daddy's dancer
When she took him to the waterspout

She said, love comes in, love comes out
At the bottom, at the bottom of the waterspout
Whoa whoa whoa, love comes in, love comes out
At the bottom, at the bottom of the waterspout

Only love can get you at it and in a minute
You will find yourself swimming in it, only love
Catch you up today, take your breath away
Make you want to say what you're thinking of, it's only love
Down at the bottom, down at the bottom of the waterspout
Love comes in, love comes out
At the bottom, at the bottom of the waterspout

Daddy couldn't stand it, said Woody was a mad bandit
And they were knocking each other out
Whoa oh, till the little dancer came up with another answer
When she took him to the waterspout

Said, love comes in, she said, love comes out
At the bottom, at the bottom of the waterspout
Whoa whoa whoa, love comes in, yeah, love comes out
At the bottom, at the bottom of the waterspout

 

Oh yes, lyrically it is borderline perverted. I wrote this is another thread when someone asked me to interpret Paul's lyrics:

You really want me to decipher Paul's lyrics?

Well, I'll try to interpret the stanza that you quoted:

Daddy couldn't stand it, said Woody was a mad bandit
And they were knocking each other out
Whoa oh, till the little dancer came up with another answer
When she took him to the waterspout

Okay. Here is one interpretation. And I must say that I have no idea if it is valid or not, ..... But I can see someone interpreting that stanza as follows:
Daddy couldn't control his urges and was a masturbating fiend. He liked to wank off "Woody" continually, addicted to it like a mad bandit. He did it so much, it basically "knocked out" both Woody and himself (Daddy). But then the little dancer girlfriend came up with another method, one involving his and/or her "waterspout"---you know the anatomical part where urine comes out. And they lived happily ever after.

Too far-fetched?

 

I love this song. Always have. Damn, that melody... I have mentioned on this forum before: I obey melody over lyrics every single time, and this song delivers melody in spades. Ear candy.

 

I like it, but there are better songs from Cold Cuts. Waterspout really should have been officially released on something by now though. It is a classic McCartney song in many ways.

 

This video you posted is missing overdubs that, to me, make the song much better. Here's my preferred mix.

Waterspout - Paul McCartney »

 

I adore this song. It's just mad-catchy. This is always a volume-up mad dance around the room song. I get why others don't like it: it has all the ingredients one associates with Bad McCartney. As @supermd says, this song delivers melody (and joy) in spades.

 

The beginning of the tune sounds a tad like Paul Simons 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover. Not the beginning drums the guitar fade in. Just sayin..

 

Great song!
I love it also because I'm in love with a dancer...

 

I like the song and I hope if a London Town archive Deluxe box comes out they include this tune.

 

Firstly, I am shocked that Mr. Grove actually made good on his threat to start a Waterspout poll. Another master-stroke, and kudos to you, sir, for pulling it off. Not sure about the interpretation you managed to squeeze out of this fairly innocent-sounding lyric. I am never good at spotting double-entendres, but it looks as if you have a firm grasp of this song's meaning and you came through with another insightful post.

 

Just needs the USC marching band.

 

Way too much information (I used to like this song).

 

I used to be pretty indifferent to this song. And then one day one of the mixes randomly popped up on my iPod and I couldn't get over how catchy it was at that moment. Ever since then, I've loved it.

 

I think it could have been a single, maybe top 10, top 25. It may be Paul's best unreleased song. What fascinates me is he went from putting it on 'All the Best', retracted it, then never released it. If he thought it could stand up with his best of then why not release it at some point. He could have put it as a 'Flaming Pie' B-side like those other leftover 'Pepperland' tracks used. Well maybe we'll see it one day.