Paul McCartney/Wings-song by song thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bemagnus, Sep 11, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. MPLRecords

    MPLRecords Owner of eleven copies of Tug of War

    Location:
    Lake Ontario
    "It's a song, you green-blooded Vulcan. You sing it. The words aren't important. What's important is that you have a good time singing it." - Dr. Leonard McCoy, in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

    Paul's words fit the melodies perfectly, which is all they need to do. I don't think his lyrics are poor at all.
     
    Hermes, Who Cares, BZync and 6 others like this.
  2. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry?

    Well, I am a lyrics and music guy and most of Paul's songs work for me in one capacity or another. I think that is probably why his recent stuff works do well for me as the balance between the two is more even.
     
    Who Cares, BZync, WilliamWes and 4 others like this.
  3. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry?

    Here is a current McCartney song that I feel is on a similar level to One More Kiss

     
    Bemagnus likes this.
  4. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry?

    Song matching old to new is a interesting exercise that can be enlightening. For instance none of Paul's recent work is comparable to My Love nor Loop. So the highest highs are gone, but so are the lowest lows in current McCartney.
     
    Lance LaSalle likes this.
  5. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Hey Dr Pepper...
    I'm pleased to be able to tell you that I'm off to my son's place soon for dinner and drinks. He's all set up with Spotify and has a decent sound system so I'll be able to give your deluxe Red Rose Speedway compilation a good listen later.
    Looking forward to it.
     
    The MEZ, Hermes, Who Cares and 2 others like this.
  6. Who Cares

    Who Cares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    Bip Bop

    A nonsense joyful song. It's like an addictive sound. The music and lyrics are trying to brainwash the listener. Then a new duo is born and BIP BOP is heard here, there and everywhere... :)

    Lyrics:

    [Chorus 1]
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam

    [Verse 1]
    Take your bottom dollar, hold it in your hand (and you go)
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    Why'd you hide your handbag underneath the stand? (and you go)
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam

    [Chorus 2]
    Wim wop, wim and wop
    Wim wop, wim and wam
    Wim wop, wim and wop
    Wim wop, wim and wam

    [Verse 2]
    Why'd you hide your handbag underneath the stand? (and you go)
    Wim wop, wim and wop
    Wim wop, wim and wam
    Put your hair in curlers, we're going to see a band
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    [Chorus 1]
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam

    [Verse 3]
    Take your bottom dollar, hold it in your hand (and you go)
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    Treat me like a good boy, treat me like a man (and you go)
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam

    [Chorus 2]
    Wim wop, wim and wop
    Wim wop, wim and wam
    Wim wop, wim and wop
    Wim wop, wim and wam

    [Verse 2]
    Why'd you hide your handbag underneath the stand?
    Wim wop, wim and wop
    Wim wop, wim and wam
    Put your hair in curlers, we're going to see a band (and you go)
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    [Chorus 1]
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam

    [Verse 4]
    Take your bottom dollar, hold it in your hand (and you go)
    Bip bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam
    Take me hair in curlers, but treat me like a man (and you go)
    Bip bop, bip bop, bop
    Bip bop, bip bop, bam

    Credits:

    Produced by Paul McCartney
    Written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney
    Bass, Electric Guitar, Vocals by Paul McCartney
    Tambourine (?), Vocals by Linda McCartney
    Electric Guitar by Denny Laine
    Drums, Tambourine (?) by Denny Seiwell
    Label: Apple Records
    Release Date: December 7, 1971
    Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, UK
    Length: 4:10 minutes

    Paul's own words:

    Record Collector, 1997

    "I remember saying to Trevor Horn that I really hated the songs from that period. And he asked which ones. “There’s a terrible little thing on Wild Life called Bip Bop”, I said, “It’s just nothing”. And he said “You’re kidding, man, that’s one of my favourites!”. My son’s been playing it recently and I think it’s a cracking little track. I’d gone with the current opinion at the time, that it wasn’t much good."

    Source: Bip Bop (song)


    2018

    "PM.com: You mentioned while you were remastering the track that you were perhaps a little embarrassed by the lyrics?

    Paul: Well, definitely ‘Bip Bop’, I was, yeah. I mean, you know, we didn’t get good reviews for this because I think people were expecting something more sort of Beatle-like and I was purposefully digging my heels in saying, ‘We’re not gonna do that’. Just like an imitation of The Beatles. I didn’t feel like that was a good way to go. "

    Source: You Gave Me The Answer' - 'Wild Life' Special
     
  7. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry?

    Gosh I sure hope it doesn't disappoint. Report back what you think either way.
     
  8. Bruce M.

    Bruce M. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hilo, HI, USA
    To me, "One More Kiss" is where RRS starts verging into bubblegum territory -- teetering right on the brink of the AM radio crap that catered to 12 year olds that as a wise and worldly 16 year old I had come to despise. I hated this song when the album first came out. I don't mind it now, but it'll never be a favorite.
     
    Wordnat2 and Yorick like this.
  9. Bruce M.

    Bruce M. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hilo, HI, USA
    "None of Paul's recent work is comparable to My Love" strikes me as a major step forward. I'll take any of his recent love songs over that ode to mediocrity.
     
    JRColvin and beatlesfan9091 like this.
  10. writteninwater

    writteninwater Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oslo
    Love "Bip Bop". 10/10. It's like a nursery rhyme or nonsense poetry by Edward Lear. McCartney's good at playful songs + lyrics. I think it peaked with Wings in the 70s.
     
    The MEZ and Who Cares like this.
  11. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry?

    My Love rests on Paul's vocal to be the monster hit that it was. Unfortunately, Paul's new songs cannot rely on Paul's voice in the same way that his vintage songs used to. Feel free to substitute Maybe I'm Amazed for My Love if that makes the comparison or lack there of work for you with Paul's recent work.
     
  12. Bruce M.

    Bruce M. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hilo, HI, USA
    Voice or not -- and we all miss those amazing pipes of years past -- Hand in Hand is just 1,00o times better than my love, even with the weaker vocal.
     
  13. beatlesfan9091

    beatlesfan9091 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Get On The Right Thing - one of my three favorite songs on this album. Is the entire take from the Ram sessions or were there overdubs? Paul's vocal sounds much more Red Rose Speedway-era than Ram-era to me.

    One More Kiss - meh, pretty basic. Not one of Paul's stronger songs.
     
    The MEZ likes this.
  14. MPLRecords

    MPLRecords Owner of eleven copies of Tug of War

    Location:
    Lake Ontario
    There were overdubs, but I'm not sure if the vocal was among them. The Ram-era version of "Get On The Right Thing" released last year has a vocal that sounds pretty similar to the RRS version, albeit with some minor differences.
     
    beatlesfan9091 likes this.
  15. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Nexct one
    A very big one for me

    Little lamb dragonfly

    One should notice that in the credits on the archiwe-edition production credits goes to Paul McCartney and George Martin

    This wonder of song was recorded during the Ram-sessions but somehow altered with harmony-vocals from Denny Laine. First verse is sang by Denny Seiwell. Orchestral arrangement by George Martin

    Without a doubt this song is one of my all-time favorites from Mccarney-I still can get goosebumps and a lumpen throat listening to it. The music is shimmering, the different melodic patterns are top-tier McCartney and the performance is breath-taking. Even though the lyrics are child-like dealing with animals the sense of loss and sadness that the song communicates is heart-breaking-not least because of Pauls tour de force lead-vocals-imo one of his finest and most honest ever.
    Little lamd dragonfly is a true masterpiece and it’s a bit of a shame the song is not more widely known. Music professor Robert Rodriguez described the tune of "Little Lamb Dragonfly" as "quietly haunting" with "the power to move people without their quite understanding why”. That s a good description of the song- as any I have seen.

    I can t praise this one enough -it s simple one of those songs I always have-and always will love. Actually one of my all-time favorite song from anyone.

    Wikipedia

    "Little Lamb Dragonfly" is a song by Paul McCartney and Wings, credited to Paul and Linda McCartney and originally released on the 1973 album Red Rose Speedway. The song was originally recorded during the sessions for McCartney's Ram album in early 1971, and thus Hugh McCrackenplays guitar on the recording rather than Wings' guitarist Denny Laine.[1][2][3][4] However, Laine did provide backing vocals during the production work for Red Rose Speedway.[3][4] McCartney originally intended to use the song as part of his Rupert and the Frog Song animated film project.[1][2] Chip Madinger and Mark Easter noted that drummer Denny Seiwell may have assisted in writing the song, although he was not credited.[1]



    Music professor Robert Rodriguez described the tune of "Little Lamb Dragonfly" as "quietly haunting" with "the power to move people without their quite understanding why."[4] The song is structured in three sections.[2] The first section is the "Little Lamb" segment, and is in the keys of D major and C major.[2] The middle section contains three verses of the "Dragonfly" part of the song, and is in E major.[2] In between the second and third "Dragonfly" verses, there is a repetition of some of the music from the "Little Lamb" segment, which helps the song maintain unity.[2]Finally, the third section is a short reprise of the "Little Lamb" segment.[2]

    There have been several interpretations of what the song is about. One theory is that the song was inspired by the actual death of a sheep on McCartney's farm.[2] McCartney confirmed that this is at least partially correct in an interview in the late 1980s.[5] Another interpretation is that it tells a story of how McCartney became a vegetarian.[4] This interpretation is inspired by lines such as:[4]

    My heart is aching for you little lamb

    I can help you out but I cannot help you in.
    Another interpretation is that the song contains a friendly message to John Lennon, particularly the lines:[4]

    Since you've gone I never know

    I go on but I miss you so.
    However, Rodriguez believes the latter interpretation is unlikely, since other songs McCartney recorded during the Ram sessions seemed to be intended to provoke Lennon's anger.[4] Rather, Rodriguez believes that the lyrics are merely a number of phrases that McCartney strung together because they sounded good together, without intending any particular meaning.[4] Author Vincent Benitez described the lyrics as "childlike" and not as sophisticated as the music, noting that this is excusable given that the song was originally intended to be used in a children's film.[2]

    Personnel

    · Paul McCartneyvocals, bass

    · Linda McCartneybacking vocals

    · Hugh McCracken – guitar

    · Denny Seiwelldrums vocals

    · Denny Laine – backing vocals

    · New York Philharmonicorchestral arrangement George Martin

    Critical assessment[edit]

    John Blaney suggests that McCartney's decision to include this song on Red Rose Speedway may have been triggered by his realization that the album project was faltering, but suggests that "Little Lamb Dragonfly" is "too cute for its own good," stating that while "it may be marginally better than much of what Wings recorded for Red Rose Speedway, it still "fails to satisfy."[3] However, Chris Ingham considers this song and the hit single "My Love" two of the songs on which the album works, calling this song "underrated."[6] Rolling Stone critic Lenny Kaye also considered "Little Lamb Dragonfly" one of the best songs on Red Rose Speedway, calling it "soft and sensual," although he notes that the song relies too much on "la-la-las."[7] Billboard called the song one of the best cuts on Red Rose Speedway.[8] Author Ron Schaumburg described the song as "a delightful confection."[9] Richard Burgin of The Boston Globe called the song "truly wistful and lovely."[10]


    I have no answer for you, little lamb
    I can help you out, but I cannot help you in
    Sometimes you think that life is hard
    And this is only one of them

    My heart is breaking for you, little lamb
    I can help you out, but we may never meet again

    [Chorus 2]
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la

    Dragonfly, fly by my window
    You and I still have a way to go

    Don't know why you hang around my door
    I dont live here any more
    Since you've gone, I never know (since you've gone)
    I go on, but I miss you so (I go on)

    Dragonfly, don't keep me waiting
    (I'm waiting, can't you see me, I'm waiting)
    When we try, we'll have a way to go


    1, 'u-xx_large_top_margin': $height > 0}" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;">
    Dragonfly, you've been away too long
    How did two rights make a wrong?
    Since you've gone I never know (Since you've gone, I never know)
    I go on, but I miss you so (I go on... I miss you so)
    In my heart, the feel the pain (In my heart / feel of pain)
    Keeps coming back again

    Dragonfly, fly by my window
    (I'm flying, can't you see me, I'm flying)
    You and I can find a way to see (You and I... see)

    Dragonfly, the years ahead will show
    How little we really know
    Since you've gone, it's never right
    They go on, the lonely nights
    Come on home and make it right

    My heart is aching for you little lamb
    I can help you out, but I cannot help you in

    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la



     
  16. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    Yes, this is a real masterpiece, an amazing song packed with genuine emotion.. It definitely brings tears to my eyes. Gorgeous music. 10/10
     
  17. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry?

    Little Lamb Dragonfly 15/10... alright, alright 10/10

    My favorite on the album. Absolute classic. Beautiful, beautiful fully realized song.

    Favorite line: How did two rights make a wrong?

    Favorite part:
    Since you've gone I never know (Since you've gone, I never know)
    I go on, but I miss you so (I go on... I miss you so)
    In my heart, the feel the pain (In my heart / feel of pain)
    Keeps coming back again

    We keep saying how some of the songs go on too long. If anything this one is too short.

    This song is a master class on songwriting.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
  18. Piiijiii

    Piiijiii Hundalasiliah

    Location:
    Ruhr Area, Germany
    Little Lamb Dragonfly 5\5

    A true masterpiece, one of my top ten Macca songs. The track is pure magic and can truly lift me up when I'm down.
     
  19. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Great
    I was not akone in my un-contional love of Little lamb dragonfly
    A defitnitive high-point
    :)
     
    JDeanB, coco77, Piiijiii and 2 others like this.
  20. Choba b CCCP

    Choba b CCCP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Russia
    One More Kiss may be mediocre, but those guitar links are very imaginative!
     
    The MEZ, omikron and Yorick like this.
  21. Yorick

    Yorick Senior Member

    Location:
    the Netherlands
    Little Lamb Dragonfly is the best song on the record IMO, a stand-out, a classic. It’s moving and goosebump inducing.
    10/10
     
  22. beatlesfan9091

    beatlesfan9091 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Little Lamb Dragonfly - Masterpiece. So much passion in Paul’s vocal.
     
  23. beatlesfan9091

    beatlesfan9091 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Has anyone heard the theory that the “little lamb” is supposed to be Julian Lennon and “dragonfly” John Lennon?
     
  24. omikron

    omikron Avid contributor to Paul McCartney's bank account

    Location:
    Lexington, KY
    My Love: 5/5 On an album of mostly up tempo songs, Paul wisely gets the soft ballad out of the way early. Not much else to say about this iconic love song. I’m glad that Linda’s answer backs that they did in the live versions weren’t in the studio version. Not because of Linda but because they pretty much ruin the song for me.

    Get on the Right Thing: 3/5 A gospel song of sorts. Nothing stellar here but definitely a big production and I like how the melody ascends the scales seemingly forever like your rising up to heaven. Halleluiah!

    One More Kiss: 3/5 I always found this song endearing but there is something a bit clunky about it too.

    Little Lamb Dragonfly: 4/5 Paul continues his crusade to namecheck every animal on the planet. A sweet song that slowly but effectively builds to a conclusion. Powerful and effective chord progressions abound as well. I also like Paul's power vocals too. I seem to be the odd duck out not giving it a perfect score.
     
    Who Cares, WilliamWes, BZync and 2 others like this.
  25. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Someone must be first
    :)
     
    omikron likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine