His first five full albums hold up and work as complete listens, even the off-the-cuff stuff. It's around 1976 when the need to return to having a collaborator creeps in.
I don't think one can fairly compare the Beatles as a group to any one of the solo Fabs. For one thing, in the Beatle years, there were (at least) five people in the active creative process, including George Martin. And for another, the Beatles were in their 20's when they were creating this entirely new musical universe and they didn't have themselves to compete against; everything was new and fresh. In the solo years, John and George started out strong, but (as much as it pains me to admit) they creatively lost their way. For Paul, he was (mostly) lost at the start, eventually regained his musical footing, and carried on. None of them produced consistently Beatles quality work across their solo careers, or across an entire album, IMO, because no one can do that. The albums that do come close to Beatles quality: POB, Imagine, All Things Must Pass, Cloud 9, Band On the Run, Ram, Ringo are all excellent, but they all have some flaw somewhere that any of us can nit pick to death. That said, I enjoy the solo Beatles years from all four. Sure, I wish they stayed together, but this is what we are left with. And for Paul, I think its remarkable that he has spent the last 50 years constantly recording and creating, finding someplace, somehow to keep the inspiration flowing. By all rights, if he was anyone else, he would have retreated into his windmill and counted his millions. But he's ain't that guy. Not every McCartney solo song or album is indispensable, but I can't imagine living without them. Flaming Pie a perfect album? No. Of course there are skipable tracks, it goes with the territory. And It's not my favorite solo Macca. Not even close. But it is a very strong album and I'm glad it exists. I'm looking forward to gaining a new perspective on this period with the next Archive release.
I'll take McCartney's solo catalog over The Beatles' any day. And there's a lot of Harrison, Starr, and Lennon's solo material that I'd take over their Beatles stuff too.
Challenge accepted. Although 1963 and 1964 are a little thin, 1965 certainly had at least enough for an American LP. [Maybe throw in a couple covers or tracks from 1964 and there ya go...] 1966 was certainly thin because there was only one album released by the group that year. 1967, without making a complete list, I'm sure has enough for a strong McCartney showing [between Sgt. Pepper, MMT, and the singles].. 1965: I'm Down We Can Work It Out The Night Before Another Girl Tell Me What You See I've Just Seen A Face Yesterday Drive My Car [?] You Won't See Me Michelle I'm Looking Through You 1964: Can't Buy Me Love And I Love Her Things We Said Today I'll Follow The Sun What You're Doing She's A Woman *Long Tall Sally *Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey 1963: I Saw Her Standing There Love Me Do [?] PS I Love You A Taste Of Honey All My Loving Hold Me Tight *Til There Was You * cover songs
The difference is that the Abbey Road remix was done at Abbey Road and the Tug Of War remix was done at Hog Hill, if I remember correctly.
Indeed. So I would suspect that 1967-9 were the only 3 years in which McCartney came close to creating a whole album's worth of material, and then, under the premise that he wasn't under pressure to do so. Boy, did he have it easy for the first decade of his songwriting career
As I think about it, it is also worth noting that in 1971 and 1973, he released two albums in each of those years, plus 6 non-lp singles from 1971 - 1973 [and an additional couple of b-sides]. So, the equivalent of 5 albums in 3 years...
the Tug Of War remix should have been done during a tug of war game, is that what you're trying to say?
Paul also wrote other songs in these years that were given away, including 4 songs to 'Peter and Gordon', which would increase his tally in the early couple of years. Overall, Paul would have been able to release strong solo albums in most years in the 60's.
Point taken. I was actually thinking of his '70s run and the criticisms thrown at some of those albums, though I didn't state that. Now, I like almost every song Paul has ever written. He is, far and away, my favorite musician. BUT, he benefited immensely from John. He sometimes had John do the last 20% or 10% of a song, or get a weaker part thrown out because John didn't like it, or he felt it wouldn't be up to snuff - the competition has been lost. Who is he competing against now (post-Beatles)? Nobody. I think this is a big thing. Also, George's contributions shouldn't be forgotten. The dude came up with the riff on "And I Love Her," a staple of the song! How would it have sounded if Paul did that alone? Not as good, I'd argue. So, while he was doing more material in the Beatles days, things were different, and being young and moving fast and having demands to write and being HUNGRY were much different than a family man who, in the '80s, probably felt a bit past his prime, in a sense of commercial success and relevance among the record-buying public, and his life was completely different then (and now as a LEGEND).
That is not the reason for the poor remix. I can name another remix done at Abbey Road that sounds like complete s**t (and pepper). Besides, the newly-mixed outtakes done at Hog Hill on the Archive sets do not sound anywhere close to as bad as the Tug of War remix.
I'd take a lot of Paul's solo / Wings albums over the Beatles albums along with ATMP, LITMW, POB, Imagine and Walls & Bridges.
Along with Step Inside Love and Come and Get It (on the Abbey Road deluxe it's one of the only tracks from the Beatles era that I have heard that could be a Wings track).
I don't know if I personally would go that far, but as a second generation fan who grew up on Wings and the solo Beatles and with the Beatles having broken up before I was born, there are many solo songs I like more than some group songs..... However it is the body of work from 1962-1970 that is second to none!!!
I agree, 62’-70’ is indeed second to none. But I do also feel that his solo output stands up extremely well on it’s own.
A good case in point was when the Big Barn Box came out shortly after the White Album 50 box at the end of 2018. Me personally I love both very much but I was more stoked for the Big Barn Box for a variety of reasons....
Let's just say I cancelled my order for the White Album 50 deluxe so I could buy the Big Barn Deluxe. No shame. None at all.
hey, no reason to hide under a chair. When it comes to this argument, there is no wrong answer. A myriad of things come into play into every person’s decision. Nothing wrong with being a bigger fan of either or even both equally. Also nothing wrong with no liking one or both. May not be popular in this forum but a valid answer for that individual. I for one am happy to have the co-existence. Only advice I could offer is listen to what you enjoy and be well!
I was happy that I was able to afford both. Would have been a tough decision if I was made to choose at the time
It's a slow news day so.... 1967: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Getting Better Fixing A Hole She's Leaving Home When I'm 64 Lovely Rita Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise) Penny Lane Magical Mystery Tour Your Mother Should Know The Fool On The Hill Hello Goodbye All Together Now 1968: Lady Madonna Hey Jude Back In The USSR Obladi Oblada Wild Honey Pie Martha My Dear Blackbird Rocky Raccoon Why Don't We Do It In The Road I Will Birthday Mother Nature's Son Helter Skelter Honey Pie Seems like a couple pretty decent albums there. 1969: Get Back Maxwell's Silver Hammer Oh! Darling You Never Give Me Your Money She Came In Through The Bathroom Window Golden Slumbers Carry That Weight The End Her Majesty Let It Be Two Of Us The Long And Winding Road A little short, but still strong. I suppose if one were to add Teddy Boy and Junk [unused but rehearsed in 1969], it might fill out nicely...
Some slight edits… 1965: "That Means A Lot" was also written for that year Paul and John agree that Paul wrote "Drive My Car" Paul claims to have written more of "In My Life" and John disagreed (the other track they disagreed on was "Eleanor Rigby") if you go by Paul's suggestion that whoever takes the lead was the main writer, "Every Little Thing" and "Wait" were both Paul's This appears on the demo tape at the McCartney household circa 1961. "A Taste Of Honey" is a cover the other three appeared before the end of 1962
Penny Lane was written in 1966. When I'm 64 was written even earlier: Lennon said of the song, "Paul wrote it in the Cavern days. We just stuck a few more words on it like 'grandchildren on your knee' and 'Vera, Chuck and Dave' ... this was just one that was quite a hit with us."
Every Little Thing is a McCartney song, it's just that the final mix has John's vocals at higher volume
So basically it looks like – with the fact that George Martin wanted the first album to be highlights of the existing show: pre-1963 originals: In Spite Of All The Danger, Love Me Do, Love Of The Loved, Like Dreamers Do, PS I Love You, I Saw Her Standing There, Hot As Sun, I'll Follow The Sun, When I'm Sixty-Four pre-1963 covers: Searching, Besame Mucho, Sure To Fall (In Love With You), Till There Was You, A Taste Of Honey, Kansas City, Long Tall Sally 1963 originals: All My Loving, Hold Me Tight 1964 originals: Can't Buy Me Love, Things We Said Today, And I Love Her, She's A Woman, What You're Doing, Every Little Thing 1965 originals: The Night Before, Another Girl, That Means A Lot, I'm Down, Drive My Car, You Won't See Me, Michelle, Wait, I'm Looking Through You, We Can Work It Out, Day Tripper 1966 originals: Paperback Writer, Eleanor Rigby, Got To Get You Into My Life, Good Day Sunshine, Here There And Everywhere, For No One 1967 originals: Penny Lane, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Getting Better, Fixing A Hole, She's Leaving Home, Sgt. Pepper's (Reprise), The Fool On The Hill, Magical Mystery Tour, Your Mother Should Know, Hello Goodbye, All Together Now 1967 possible inclusion: Carnival Of Light 1968 originals: Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, Back In The USSR, Wild Honey Pie, Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, Martha My Dear, Blackbird, Rocky Raccoon, Why Don't We Do It In The Road, I Will, Birthday, Mother Nature's Son, Helter Skelter, Honey Pie 1968 possible inclusion: Jubilee [now called Junk], Heather, Goodbye 1969 originals: Get Back, Two Of Us, Let It Be, The Long And Winding Road, I've Got A Feeling, Come And Get It, Oh! Darling, Maxwell's Silver Hammer, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window, You Never Give Me Your Money, Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End, Her Majesty 1969 started but not complete: Every Night, Another Day, Back Seat Of My Car