McCartney Album "NEW" (2013), part21

Me too, definitely like it.

 

Indeed!

 

Ah, "Hosanna" ... the septuagenarian's "Blurred Lines." (Seriously -- think about the lyrics!)

 

Spot on about how the song would work well over the end credits of a movie. Not that this is a bad thing.

While I agree that it isn't a good fit for a youth-oriented video game, I also couldn't care less about that personally. I don't spend even a nanosecond wondering about how McCartney could reach the teenagers and lower twenty-somethings at this point of his career. He already had his time in the sun with that demographic -- some band called the Beatles -- and speaks to a different generation now. I get it: the game is geared toward young people, thus the music probably should be too. But if the producers and the artist are okay with it, I won't spend time quibbling about it. We probably give the gamers too much credit for paying attention in the first place. They're about the game. The music? Incidental to them, at best.

My own one-guy's opinion: "Hope for the Future" is more accessible and enjoyable than most of what's on New. I find myself wanting to play it again. It sticks in my head, as a stereotypical McCartney song usually does. Honestly, I have trouble remembering what most of the songs on New sound like after a week away from them. I'm not saying they are bad. They just don't hold my attention. So for my part I'm glad to see McCartney get back to what is a more customary sound for him. It works. He is good at it. I'd rather see him go with what is tried and true, stop trying to pander to the grunge crowd and younger, and make the most of what his greatest strengths are as a songwriter. If the young'uns don't like it, or don't listen, worse for them. Their loss is our gain.

 

I've listened to it 5 times now (twice on the barely audible version, three on the audible version). I quite like the music and the production - it feels very cinematic and sweeping, so if that's what they were going for they got it. And not in a trying-too-hard way, in a genuine way. Felt more like a George Martin score to me than most things Paul's done since the 60s, including subsequent George Martin scores. Quirky in the right ways, broad in the right ways.



The lyrics are abysmal and indicate to me that he may have run out of things to say or the inclination to say them. Is there a line in the song that expresses a sentiment he hasn't expressed before in mostly better ways? Plus, hearing a really old dude sing in a voice that sounds like it's on its last leg about how bright the future is feels a little disconcerting. Like, is this meant ironically?

Maybe that last part is just me.

It's not a "Skip" for me because I tend to focus mainly on the music over the words anyway, but maybe he should have had someone else sing it. I like it better than most of what's on Chaos and all of what's on MAF, but not better than most of NEW. So there's that.

I was excoriated for making this exact point in part 46 or 47 of this thread.

 

I like the track, but I can understand why you don't. It sort of sounds like it was recorded at the same session as " Once Upon A Long Ago", which I also like, but I understand it's annoyance factor to some. I allow Paul some leeway as far as the cheese factor goes.
I REALLY like "Hosanna" but I realize many here don't like that song either, which keeps things interesting here for me I guess. I keep telling Sean what a great song it is, but he doesn't believe me

 

"Samey" as in: any other artist could have done that song?

Or "samey" as in: a (stereo)typical Paul McCartney song?

If the former, I probably agree with you to some extent. But ... so what? There aren't a lot of new trails left to blaze within that genre. If it is a good song that works within the realm it is meant to represent, I'm fine with that. I think "Hope for the Future" by and large hits the mark there. So I'll give it a thumbs-up.

If the latter, I say great. McCartney has made a career -- and a very successful one -- out of that sound, one that no living artist can match over the years. It's a large part of why we are here in this forum. If we didn't like it overall, we'd probably would be fans of someone else instead. My own personal bottom line is: is it a song catchy enough that I'll want to keep playing it? In my case, the answer is "yes" so far. Some people disagree for their part, and that's fine. To each his/her own. But I like it that Sir Paul has gone back to something more of his own songwriting roots, and less of one that tries to sound like what someone else would do. Like anyone else, he can and should play to his strengths.

 

I have listened to New hundreds of times, and Hosanna remains the most moving song on the album for me, even more so than Scared or Early Days. I really think that it is one of his most wonderful songs ever, and I can imagine it gracing a Beatles album. Maybe more people would like it if he released it with a less vulnerable vocal take? I think that had a younger Paul sung the song, it would be much more popular.

 

Thanks for that. Good catch!

 

YOU are correct Ben. My friend the Murdock fellow is wrong.

I think it's a really strong melody but it get's sort of overpowered by the psych like sounds added to the track.
I think if people could just concentrate on the melody and the acoustic guitar and forget all the claptrap added to it they MIGHT realize it's a strong song. And yes, the vulnerable (or weak, if a person is less charitable) vocals don't help the track either. But in my opinion and yours also I guess, if Paul had recorded this for the White Album in 1968 with a better arrangement or on McCartney ala "Every Night" it would be considered a classic track.

 

Not by me.

 

I have been reading some of the gamer reviews for the song, and most of them don't seem to be very impressed with it, but interestingly, most of the hundreds of comments underneath the articles from gamers seem to really like the song. Most praise it for sounding like a big anthem from the 90's.

 

Time for an unbiased 3rd party opinion - mine.

Murdock's 100% right. How dare you doubt him?

 

My objections to "Hosanna" have nothing to do with the production or Paul's voice; I don't like the lyrics. It sounds like a creepy old hippie with a ponytail trying to talk some chick into bed. (No offense to any creepy old hippies with ponytails among us...)

 

Nope. Not by you.

 

As I mentioned previously, it definitely sounds like a blast from the late 80's-early 90's to my ears. It certainly doesn't sound like a song recorded in 2014. I would have been fooled.

 

I understand. I'm just not a lyrics guy when it comes to Paul McCartney... and I don't think he is either.
I listen to the music and the melody etc., and generally tune out the lyrics ... from him. I listen to Dylan or similar for lyrics because that's their strong point, but ..Paul ?

"You say yes, I say no, you say stop, and I say go go go"
"1,2,3,4, can I have a little more ?"
"12345 let's go for a drive"
"Puppy dog tails in the House of Lords" etc., etc. Yet, I like all these songs.

I think generally, with some fine exceptions, Paul looks at lyrics last and comes up with them just because he needs them. He's not a deep thinker lyrically, and I accept that.

P.S. And yes, the lyrics to "Hosanna" are weak but.. how do they translate to
an old hippie with a ponytail trying to talk a chick into bed ? Aren't many many songs, basically that theme ? The only line that looks goofy to me is the "calm down lady don't put up a fight" but..you LIKE "Save Us" and I think those lyrics are equally bad, or worse :


I can try to give you everything you ever wanted
You're not hard to please
And the only thing I'm asking in return is something
You can give with ease

Keep on sending your love
In the heat of battle
You've got something that'll save us
Save us now

I've got the feeling of a jungle rhythm beating in me
When I'm close to you
I don't really want to ask for many favours
But there's something you can do

Yikes ! A 72 year old guy is "in the heat of battle" ?

 

No, it's a rare but terrible error in judgement on Seans part.

 

Macca's "Hope Song" in much better shiny fidelity:

 

I always thought that a better line would have been: "In the heat of the battle / You're off to Seattle / Save us ..."

But, what do I know? He makes a lot of money doing it. I just keep my day job.

 

That's why Paul gets the big bucks and we don't. I had come up with "In the heat of battle/ don't try hiding behind cattle". Obviously Paul knows best.
And, good old Paul still has... the jungle rhythm, beating in him. Look out ladies, don't bend over if you drop anything, if Paul's in the area.

 

"In the heat of battle, snipers take aim at cattle" seems much more logical.

 

Send it to Paul, Hemingway. Maybe he will amend the lyrics to yours when he releases the deluxe edition of New in 2030 , which etcetera says will include the previously unreleased 30 minute version of "Hosanna".

 

I wasn't talking about his sound. I was talking about his melodies of late. There is a sameness that's been creeping in over the last few years and I think it is mainly due to his deteriorating voice. My bottom line is the same as yours and unfortunately my answer is "no".

 

I don t think Hope is a masterpiece or even a great song. But it s a solid effort that would have worked as a filmsoundtrack and probably fills that function within the context of a game. The lyrics might be corny but not in an offensive way . The strenghts - like a memorable melody and a great sweeping arrangement -imo-overweights the weak points
Hosannah on the other hand I don. t hesitate to call a masterpiece - when it comes to melody, playing, arrangement and singing. With all respekt I think some posters read things in the lyrics that might say more about the interprators fantasies than the actually words that are there Imo more poetic and less direct than many other Macca lovesongs and therefore open for interprations.