Paul McCartney/Wings-song by song thread

I love the uncool stuff

 

Girls School (8.5/10)

That hip hip ‘hurrah’ girls sound like they live in auto-tune land 20 years before Cher. LOL Great upbeat, energetic and fast moving rocker, I love Paul’s playful vocal and the silly lyric. “They put the pay-pa on da windas’. There’s some mischief afoot – “she gives ‘em thrills in a paper cup and she knocks ‘em on the head!” – Maxwell reincarnated as a school nun. Great slide riff running round this song -(Jimmy McCulloch is on this one) – like a bunch of kids let loose for a recreation period, this pumped up stallion is horny, joyous and rocking. Great lyrics. Would love a live version of this.

 

Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me): 7.5/10
1985: 10/10

Junior's Farm 9/10
Sally G. 8.5/10

Venus & Mars/Rock Show 9/10
Love In Song 8.5/10
You Gave Me The Answer 8.5/10
Magneto And Titanium Man 8.5/10
Letting Go 8/10
Venus And Mars (Reprise) 10/10
Sprits Of Ancient Egypt 6/10
Medicine Jar 7/10
Call Me Back Again 8.5/10
Listen To What The Man Said 10/10
Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People 8/10
Crossroads Theme 7/10

Let 'Em In 10/10
The Note Your Never Wrote 8.5/10
She's My Baby 8.5/10
Beware My Love 7.5/10
Wino Junko 7/10
Silly Love Songs 10/10
Cook Of The House 7/10
Time To Hide 6/10
Must Do Something About It 9/10
San Ferry Ann 8/10
Warm And Beautiful 10/10

 

Isn't this the one where Paul bought out Denny's rights? So officially now it is just Paul that wrote it?

Either side of that discussion would have been awkward: "Denny, can I buy you out? I want the song for myself." vs "Paul, can you buy me out? I need the cash."

 

From what I read at the time:
Denny was broke as hell (I'm pretty sure he actually did end up declaring bankruptcy) and needed some quick cash but refused to accept charity, so he sold his rights to Paul for a million(?) pounds. The songwriting credit should still be McCartney/Laine, but Paul gets all the songwriting royalties.

Later, from Edward Chen, seen 'round the Beatlefests:
"Paul offered to help Denny. He refused to take it, claiming it was "charity." The song rights sale was the only way Paul could get Denny to take any money."

Anybody who's more informed can probably give a better summation.

 

Maybe, but usually the writing credit stays the same and Denny is listed under the video anyway. So I think it's the same writing credit. If the chorus was excellent and the rest of the song was alright - but Denny apparently helped with the verses that just about as good as the chorus and the lyrics are good too. I like Paul wrote a lot with Denny in this period.

I don't know, all I can think about right now is - "they put the pay-pa on da windas ahhhh what can a sister do? Ahhhhhhhhhh, girl's school!".

 

Girls School is a forgotten gem. It also strikes me as an outlier for the time. It was recorded during the London Town sessions, yet the few rockers on London Town are mixed very politely. Girl's School is mixed in your face, like rock should be.

I find it charming when Paul shows us his naughty side. We don't see that often. When we do he's usually a bit cryptic about it (get you ready for my polygon). I love how he just decided to write and record a dirty rock song as the flip to one of his most crafted and measured singles.

Something to consider, also, was the timing of the release. It was dropped in 1977 in the middle of the punk invasion of the UK. I wonder if Girl's School was a response to that. It's nowhere near punk but it is more rebellious than Paul has been in years.

Here in the US Girl's School came and went pretty quickly in terms of radio play. I don't ever remember hearing Mull Of Kintyre on the air but I do recall seeing the video on television once.

I feel like this may be Paul's strongest overall single (if you take into consideration both sides). It's odd to me that it died in the US. My guess is that Paul is still miffed about it, never plying the song live in the States.

 

A million pounds is the sum I have heard to. Lot s of money but for half the royalty to Mull of Kintyre probably not so much

 

This.

Paul also bought the rights to "Annie" (the musical), among many other songs. This doesn't mean that he gets credited as being author of the songs.

 

This happened, IIRC, sometime in the mid 1980s.

This means that Laine must have collected his share of royalties during the peak years of success (from 1977 to the early 1980s), even if he eventually squandered these funds.

It doesn't look like a bad deal.

 

Girl's School may be Paul's most forgettable rocker. Zzzzzzz...

 

Don’t really understand the ‘zzzz’.
It’s fresh and enjoyable enough, hardly tedious imo.

The one thing I do think is that it’s played out at a certain point, where it starts to lose focus a bit (around 3-1/2 minutes in).

 

We just disagree. I find it boring as hell.

 

Or s-t boring

 

Next one

Title track on London town

At the time of this albums release I was very much into punk/new wawe/reggae/soul and Ska. That meant I for a while lost the connection with Pauls music - London Town was a very different breed compared to Clash, Elvis Costello, Ramones, Talking Heads and all the other exiting acts I enjoyed at the time.

With that said I liked the album and hearing it today it s no doubt it contains lot s of great music.I actually like London Town a lot more today than I did back in the days.
As for London Town-the song I think it s a lovely shimmering McCartney storytelling ballad. Of course it was written with Denny Laine. Great chord-sequences and melodic patterns, the trademark Wings harmony-vocals and lot s of interesting stuff goin on. The lyrics could be considered silly but I find the images poetic in a surrealistic wayDefinitively a good start to the album

The song is is co-written with Denny Laine but sounds like a very archetypical McCartney ballad. The images are somehow surreal but also has some poetic power. The melody is shimmering and the vocal-harmonies shines. So the song has all the trademarks of a great Wings-song. .

From Wikipedia:

“London Town” is the title and opener track from Wings’ 1978 album London Town.

The song was written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine in Perth, Australia during the Wings Over the World toura and features a lead vocal by Paul McCartney and backing vocals by Linda McCartney and Laine. A top 40 hit in the United States (number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100), the single topped out at number 43 in Canada and number 60 in the UK. Author Chris Ingham praised the song as one of the best on the album, stating it was “full of the most sensitive pop synthesizer touches.” McCartney biographer Peter A. Carlin called the song “a pleasantly spaced-out perspective on city life.” Tom Waseleski of the Beaver County Times regarded “London Town” as having “more substance” than other of McCartney’s soft rock tracks. Author Tim Riley calls it “willfully sulky.” Beatles’ biographers Roy Carr and Tony Tyler regard “London Town” as an “anachronism,” with several Beatle-esque touches, including opening chords that sound like “Blackbird” and a chord progression similar to that in “The Fool on the Hill.”

From Lost Love In Country Music:

In “London Town” McCartney uses imagery a lot to help the people actually see what he is singing. Paul sings about “silver rain” and a “purple afternoon” so we can visualize what he is saying. When rain falls, it is slick, wet, cold, and clear, this is why McCartney refers to it as silver because when we think of the color silver slick and cold are naturally some words that come to mind. When he speaks of a “purple afternoon” we visualize a deep purple sunset over the horizon bursting with color. McCartney uses few words to describe, but we easily envision so much more due to the strength of his word choice. Paul uses humor in the song by poking fun of the “ordinary people” and their lives. He talks about the actor trying to entertain his wife about his boring life. This line is an example of irony because actors are supposed to be exciting and interesting, but this actor is boring and has to try to exaggerate his struggles (why would you want struggles?). He also says that he was “arrested by a rozzer wearing a pink balloon about his foot”; how does that make any sense? It doesn’t, it’s supposed to be comedic. Not only does he poke fun at specific people, but he also calls everyone ordinary and implies that no one can hold a complete conversation. McCartney also uses alliteration is his song. He says “Someone Somewhere has to know” and “With the same old stories of his ordinary life”. Paul even throws a sophisticated rhyme scheme into the song. The last word in every line in each verse rhymes. For example “afternoon” and “tune”, “down” and “town”, “street”, “meet” and “incomplete”, “wife”, “life” and “strife”. Basically the whole song is a motif of all the “ordinary” people of London (local color).

In conclusion, this whole song is pretty much loaded with poetic devices. McCartney uses sophisticated rhyme scheme and satire to overexaggerate the lives of people and their ordinary lives. I think when he is saying “Well, I don’t know oh, where are there are places to go someone somewhere has to know” he means that he doesn’t know much out of London and how different people in different places act. Even though there is obviously a lot of meaning behind the song, McCartney lightens it through imagery some humor.

Lyrics

Walking down the sidewalk on a purple afternoon
I was accosted by a barker playing a simple tune
Upon his flute - toot toot toot toot

Silver rain was falling down
Upon the dirty ground of London Town

People pass me by on my imaginary street
Ordinary people it's impossible to meet
Holding conversations that are always incomplete
Well, I don't know

Oh where are there places to go
Someone somewhere has to know
I don't know

Out of work again the actor entertains his wife
With the same old stories of his ordinary life
Maybe he exaggerates the trouble and the strife
Well, I don't know

Oh, where are there places to go
Someone somewhere has to know

Crawling down the pavement on a Sunday afternoon
I was arrested by a rozzer wearing a pink balloon
About his foot - toot toot toot toot

Silver rain was falling down
Upon the dirty ground of London Town

Someone somewhere has to know
Silver rain was falling down
Upon the dirty ground of London Town

 

Girl's School 2/5 ~ Yet another rocker I never really got into. Sounds outdated today and that doesn't go for many Macca song. Boring for me too.

London Town 3.5/5 ~ I like that one. Nice opening track. No masterpiece but I like the whole sound of it (and of the complete album) which kind of already has a 80's feeling. Great harmonies and the last minute is pure fun.

 

I agree London town(song) ain t no masterpiece but IMO not far from. Listening through the album as a whole for the first time in a long time and was surprised and almost knocked out how good I found it. Also on the majority of the songs we have the full Wings with Joe and Jimmy. Jimmys guitar is masterful on the title-track.
London Town definitively is a very strong Wings album with a very varied and adventorous approach to the music.Also some folky touches I find attractive. It also benefits from some good co-writing between Paul and Denny
A great album-one that has become better through the years

 

Mull Of Kintyre 10/10
Girls' School 8.5/10
London Town 9.5/10

 

London Town:
An amazing start to an amazing album.
This one immediately hits the right mood; Instead of sounding half-baked and lazy this is where Paul and band makes their brand of MOR sound inviting and well-arranged. To put it short: You immediately hear that more time and effort went into this album.
And -not unimportant- it also shifts gears where you don’t expect it, with some great guitarwork at the end.

 

Yeah it s a great start to a great album. This song captivates the listener and as you said-Jimmys guitar-work at the end is mesmerizing
Guess the one thing wrong with this album was that this kind of music was at the time-not so current. As we now know London Town is timeless compared to lot s of other stuff from the period.

 

I have a soft spot for the album "London Town". It is totally unique in McCartney's catalogue, being rather heavy on the folk side (maybe Denny Laine's influence?) and with many synth-based songs.

It's not a great record but it is interesting and far less commercially-oriented than the previous 3/4 Wings' albums.

I think that "Mull of Kyntyre" and "Girls' School" should have definitely been included -- there is a choice of OK or so-so songs to replace in the album

"London Town" the song is OK. It's not a great album opener but it does set the mood for the rest of the record

 

London Town (the album)

Perhaps Paul’s last dark horse of an album, London Town is about as low key as Paul’s done in his career. Hot off the top of the world, Paul was faced with his lesser bandmates yet again leaving the group. Paul loves to be the one with the last laugh and set out to make another album as the Paul/Denny/Linda trio once more. While they album itself becomes more of a sleeper gem than breakout wonder like BOTR, there is 1 non-album track which would shatter sales records. I like this album a lot so as the inverse to WATSOS, it may end up with a lower cumulative score but be higher in the rankings than others. We shall see. I hope it receives the same vindication as other Paul albums have that already have received their Archive release.

One other thing . . . does anyone know the technicalities behind how muffled and muddy LT seems to sound? I’ve heard it’s because the sides were so long that they had to compress things down a bit to all fit on the sides of the album? I’m assuming there is a more technical explanation to that than what I just fumbled through here?



London Town (song): 4/5 Paul sets the album mood straight off the bat with this one. In a world where arena rock was about to hand over the mantle to punk, Paul seemingly comes out of left field (Mary Had A Little Lamb, anyone?) with a smooth, folksy, acoustic guitar and synth album. The titular lead off track captures the essence of everything on this record so neatly. There is again a warmth to this album just like with V&M and WATSOS. You just feel comfortable and at ease listening to these songs. Like you’re wearing your favorite jeans and sneakers or something. Paul paints for us an idyllic rose-colored view of daily life in London. The chord changes are almost stately at times and they also seem like a peaceful stroll through Hyde Park. This song will never be known as a “hit” but it should always be known as a wonderful example of all the great things Paul can pull together into crafting an amazing song. Still just giving it a 4/5 though as it isn't quite a pinnacle track.

 

It s true Jimmy and Joe had left the band. What s not always mentioned is that they play on the majority of the tracks For a long time I thought this album was made by the same trio who created Band in the Run. It turned out London Town together with Mull of Kintyre/Girl s school could be considered the Swan Song of the version of Wings with Joe and Jimmy. Backwards traveler, Cuff link and Girlfriend are the songs they are not on. I’m carrying of course being an acoustic piece

 

London Town

A nice ballad song. The lyrics are a description of the ordinary life in London with a great humor touch. Great vocals, harmonies and melody with an interesting Synthesizer use.

Lyrics:

Walking down the sidewalk on a purple afternoon
I was accosted by a barker playing a simple tune
Upon his flute - toot toot toot toot

Silver rain was falling down
Upon the dirty ground of London Town

People pass me by on my imaginary street
Ordinary people it's impossible to meet
Holding conversations that are always incomplete
Well, I don't know

Oh where are there places to go
Someone somewhere has to know
I don't know

Out of work again the actor entertains his wife
With the same old stories of his ordinary life
Maybe he exaggerates the trouble and the strife
Well, I don't know

Oh, where are there places to go
Someone somewhere has to know

Crawling down the pavement on a Sunday afternoon
I was arrested by a rozzer wearing a pink balloon
About his foot - toot toot toot toot

Silver rain was falling down
Upon the dirty ground of London Town

Someone somewhere has to know
Silver rain was falling down
Upon the dirty ground of London Town

Credits:

Produced by Paul McCartney
Written by Paul McCartney
Acoustic Guitar (?), Bass, Electric Guitar (?), Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals by Paul McCartney
Backing Vocals, Keyboards by Linda McCartney
Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Electric Piano by Denny Laine
Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar by Jimmy McCulloch
Drums by Joe English
Label: MPL
Release Date: March 31, 1978
Recorded at EMI Studios, Abbey Road / Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
Length: 4:10 minutes

Promo Film:

Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg

 

More about London Town...

1977 interview: