How do you rate Paul McCartney's "Give My Regards To Broad Street" album?

This is a hard one to judge, because some of the covers of the Beatles and Wings/Solo songs that he performed in the film, such as Eleanor Rigby, Here, There and Everywhere, Yesterday, Wanderlust, So Bad, Ballroom Dancing and For No One, are all very nice covers that I very much enjoy, but many of the other covers sound far too dated and do not hold up well to the original.

I really enjoy the three original songs; No More Lonely Nights is a classic McCartney ballad, whilst Not Such A Bad Boy and No Values are both great power-pop songs, No Values in particular has especially interesting lyrics. I am also a fan of Eleanor's Dream, which is a nice extension of Eleanor Rigby.

Had Paul not flirted with 80's production methods so much, then I imagine that I would like this album more, but with the album like it is I have rated it as Not Bad.

I don't personally see this as one of his studio albums, but I see why it is being included in the poll.

 

On a slightly different note; I would be very interested in hearing the outtake covers from the sessions, such as Band On The Run. Does anyone have a list of all of the outtakes?

 

The thing about this album is that its made up of re-recordings most, if not all, of which were done better elsewhere. But here's the rub: if I consider the album in isolation what I find is a record choc full of good to wonderful songs, most of which are well played and well produced.

Now, I know many will say "Ah, but you can't consider it in isolation." Well, I was 14 when it came out and this album was where I first heard many of the older songs; the first time I heard Silly Love Songs, the first time I heard For No One. So I did consider it in isolation, and I enjoyed it. Maybe I'm giving it a pass because I have fond memories of listening to it as a kid, but I don't think this album deserves the kicking it routinely gets.

 

Ben, Paul should have selected a song from the album for the album's title. So Bad would have been appropriate and honest marketing. Second choice..No Value, I mean...No Values.

 

From what we know: Band on the Run, Martha My Dear, Fool on the Hill, Hey Jude and Gloriana. But we have not to forget the rock'n'roll oldies impromptu session with Ringo, Dave Edmunds and Chris Spedding...which unfortunately was not caught on tape!!!

 

No More Lonely Nights, Not Such A Bad Boy and No Values
But the rest...

 

Does anyone know why Paul chose to re-record these particular Beatles songs for the LP? There are six total with four of them from Revolver. Granted, "Eleanor Rigby", "Here, There And Everywhere" and "For No One" are among his best.

 

I think you answered your own question. Arnie

 

Love it, I listen to this a lot and enjoy all of it! So for me it's option #2.

 

Not a must play flicking through my vast McCartney collection, but essential non the less.

 

I don't like this song so never paid any attention to it. But somehow it got on the playlist the other night. The better half says - sounds like David Gilmour on guitar. I reply - what? Sure enough its David. And that is why she's the BETTER half.

 

I've always liked the originals on Broad Street -- not quite top-tier McCartney, but all quite solid. The remakes just baffle me. I understand redoing The Long and Winding Road, since he didn't like the Spectorized official release, but how sad that he ditched the great arrangement from Wings Over America. The rest range from plausible recreations of the originals to pretty severe misfires, and none has any discernible point. Not a career highlight.

 

The version in the film is longer. On the soundtrack, we hear a bit of the outro and then McCartney shouts "that's enough, that's enough!" (Or something like that. ) I think it and the main version of No More Lonely Nights are the only essential tracks. I'm divided on Not Such A Bad Boy: the verses are good, but the chorus turns me off.

As for the rest, some of the re-makes are OK, but none of them improves on the original. I never listen to this album, but I did see the movie at a theater. There were about five people there. I have watched it again since. It's not nearly as bad as some claim. In fact, I think the music works better in the context of the film than it does as an album. That said, the version of Silly Love Songs should neither be seen nor heard.

 

I've always considered this a middle-of-the-road album. I really love the rockin' "Not Such A Bad Boy", along with "No More Lonely Nights" and "No Values". The early medley is also nice. But this is an album I rarely revisit, except to hear "Not Such A Bad Boy" (and then I usually play the DVD of the movie and cue it to that sequence).

 

I really love The Long and Winding Road version that is on this.

 

One I will probably never play again.

 

I know that Paul has always claimed that his voice was not at its best during the Revolver sessions and he'd always felt that Eleanor and HT&E were inferior vocal performances to Yesterday and, like Lennon, were songs he'd redo if he could. When selecting from Beatles songs that he was bringing into his repetoire as a solo artist since the 1976 tour.. the Revolver tracks, which are the Beatles songs most clearly written by McCartney and yet recorded by the Beatles at their peak of unity and purpose, were among the most notable inclusions. He was performing Got To Get You Into My Life on Wings' 1979 tour and in the wake of Wings breakup perhaps Paul felt that these songs should be part of his new film/album project.

 

One of my least favorites. I didn't really get the whole thing.

 

I'm related to one of those who feel Give My Regards is one of McCartney's best. He feels the Beatles songs are great recordings and loves both versions of Lonely Nights and the Spedding/Edmunds rockers(which are the only thing I think is great on this album). Those who like or love this album REALLY love it. I'm distanced by the production... I think Macca's voice is just not up to snuff.. he still has most of the gift but the way he uses his voice is in that sort of lifeless The Girl Is Mine mode that he seemed restricted to during this era. Recently got the album sent to me on iTunes and have tried to relisten to stuff... can't get into the remakes like Wanderlust, Ballroom, or Silly... for better or worse... those recordings come from albums with a rather established atmosphere and these remakes seem anonymous. Though perhaps it is necessary and healthy for a BEATLES fan to consider songs as compositions that can be played by different groups in different arrangements and at various times by the same composer!!!! So I want to go back and listen to this again a few times with more of an open mind.

 

I really like the film and this album is a good soundtrack to it. The 3 new songs are good, and the remakes are pretty decent ones. I have it on vinyl which only has a few seconds of the orchestral "Eleanor's Dream". Searching for the CD which has the full 9-minute version from the film. I'm not sure if the cassette has all of it.

 

If there has to be a WORST McCartney album, this..... is it!
My only 'positive spin' on it is;
not only do I feel the whole ordeal was based on his fear of 'losing something', and sure enough, he lost the chance at buying the copywrites to the Beatles music.
And when this happened, I was under the belief that he did 'covers' of Beatle songs, in order to retain some 'royalties' from the previous copywrite holders....
Of course, I have no proof of this..... so, take it for what it is; the ramblings of a Beatle-freak!

 

This is almost Paul's Victim Of Love to some people!

When I bought this I didn't have a single Beatles record to my name. I knew some of the original versions of the songs on this, but not that well. The 70s stuff I knew better and I have to say I like the re-dos on here.

I really don't get why fans hate this album so much. Paul is in great voice. The material is (obviously) stellar. The new songs are all worthy and the 'reimaginings' of the old material are respectfully done. It's all really enjoyable to me. I can see why people might think all this is a waste of time, but can you really hate it? It's not a bad album to give a McCartney novice. Gives them the best of both worlds.

I look forward to the Archive edition which will no doubt feature an extended version of the movie on Blu-ray!

 

I like the album. Before I bought the cd I purchased the cassette which had the longer version of 'Eleanor's Dream' which was McCartney's first foray into classical music which I found quite lovely. The newer songs were very good, 'No More Loney Nights' is among my favorite McCartney songs. The movie is light weight and at best a pleasant diversion, the musical moments being the best bits of it. This was definitely Paul's version of 'Magical Mystery Tour', which was pretty much his baby too.

 

Not quite the nadir for me - that came with Spies Like Us and also the Return to Pepperland songs had they been released as an album.

I don't like the 80s sound, the remakes are generally much inferior to the originals (although still quite enjoyable) and the endless Lonely Nights remixes rather tedious. However, the "proper" version of Lonely Nights is stellar, especially the opening line and the ending when it turns into a Pink Floyd song, the other two new songs are fine and I'm also a fan of Eleanor's Dream.

The film is truly embarrassing though. Surely he should realised and just not released it - then it might now be heralded as a "great" unreleased masterpiece?

 

Love the 'So Bad' cover .. one of Pauls most underated songs. It's beautiful imo