Paul McCartney/Wings-song by song thread

I've always been really fond of Eight Days A Week. I worked very well on the Red 62-66 greatest hits album sitting between And I Love Her and I Feel Fine, always loved the triptych of songs!

 

Up Next - Kansas City / Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!



"I could do Little Richard’s voice, which is a wild, hoarse, screaming thing; it’s like an out-of-body experience. You have to leave your current sensibilities and go about a foot above your head to sing it. You have to actually go outside yourself. It’s a funny little trick and when you find it, it’s very interesting."

Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

 

What fun!

 

The Red Album: Such a fine collection. I know one can quibble over omissions but man that was my gateway drug into the Beatles.

 

OMG!!! Even a Solo McCartney/Wings thread can't escape the Beatles being shoehorned on it...

 

Kansas City: It feels like a retread. It may have been more interesting for them to attempt the loping groove of the Wilbert Harrison arrangement.

 

I know these responses are tongue firmly in cheek, but I'm sure most folks would agree a Beatles song sung by Paul is substantially one of his works with wonderful assists by The Beatles especially John.

 

Very tongue in cheek, I must admit. Couldn't resist...

 

That 's not what happened.
We went through the entire solo catalogue ( including bonus tracks up the wazoo ) and decided to turn back the hands of time to talk about McCartney's Beatles contributions.
But it seems some of our fellow Macca Men deserted us.

 

This does bring up a great point though.... Back then Paul could say his background singers were John Lennon and George Harrison! John and George could say on their songs they had Paul freakin' McCartney as their background singer! Incredible!

 

Only McCartney was capable of pulling that " woo-oh-woo " off. John and George couldn't do it.

 

Given a choice between hearing "Monkberry Moon Delight" and a car alarm going off, I'd go for the car alarm.

 

I just love Paul channeling Little Richard. The fact that he could also quite plausibly do Buddy Holly, Fats Domino and Elvis is pretty damned amazing. I really love it when Paul pulls out his Little Richard voice for originals like Nod Your Head.

 

Every possible facet of the Beatles has been done, redone and overdone so it's understandable that some would leave. Because the Beatles have been done so much, I am more interested in discussing them solo but I like all the music so I comment when interested.

KANSAS CITY - I'm interested because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SONG! McCartney in his prime was one of the absolute greatest rock singers able to channel some of the greats. Here he does his Little Richard thing. I wish The Beatles had added this to their setlist when they came to America. They had to do the hits, but I wish that every time they performed they had done different songs instead of the same set of songs over and over! Also wish they had rocked out with THANK YOU GIRL.

 

Next Up - "What You're Doing"



WHAT YOU'RE DOING(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1980: "His song... I might have done something."


PAUL circa-1994: "'What You're Doing' was a bit of filler. I think it was a little more mine than John's... You sometimes start a song and hope the best will arrive by the time you get to the chorus, but sometimes that's all you get, and I suspect this was one of them. Maybe it's a better recording than it is a song, some of them are. Sometimes a good recording would enhance a song."

 

Kansas City - I usually skip the Beatles cover songs. Some of them are pretty strong (Long Tall Sally, Rock And Roll Music) but most don't give me the same thrill that the original compositions do.

What You're Doing - is an example of Beatles filler (as the good Doctor stated above). Even so, it's a well written and hooky song. I much prefer it to Kansas City. A quick shout out to the wonderful way the bridge closes: "it's me-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee". So musical.

 

I love Kansas City. Totally exuberant, feel-good song that gets my feet tapping.

 

Maybe ' What You're Doing ' isn't top tier McCartney but I always liked it.
Liked the steal from ' Be My Baby '...

 

Kansas City is solid McCartney Littke Richard rock n roll
What You re doing is a solid Beatles number but not one of the best
Solid was the word of the day

 

WHAT YOU'RE DOING - I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SONG! I think this is an absolutely great song, never understood why it's downplayed? Love Ringo's intro and McCartney's bass playing, the song has a soulful feel to it, a very good song.

 

For many bands, What You're Doing would have been a single or perhaps a key album track. The fact that the Beatles buried it near the end of album says a lot about the quantity and quality of material they were turning out.

I always enjoy hearing it. There aren't too many songs in the Beatles catalog that I would described as overlooked but I think this is one of them.

 

I agree, I think it's totally overlooked, but I also notice that many Beatles tribute bands include it in their setlist. I think they realize what a good song it is.