Paul McCartney Live

I admit that I too have developed a grudging respect for her backing vocals -- although sometimes they were mixed a bit to high....

However, to say that "Listen To What The Man Said" would be seriously lacking WITHOUT her participation ... well, that might be taking grudging respect too far. But I concede that I've grown fond of her singing on the records.

 

You're probably right -- but he HAS performed several Wings staples without being impeded by Linda's absence. I think he COULD play any song from his catalog, but he simply doesn't respect it anymore, or he's sensed that the PUBLIC doesn't respect it anymore, and he's surrenderd to them. Either way, every time he tours, and the Beatles-to-solo ratio tips even further towards "Beatles" (as it has with each tour since 1989), he becomes less of a live artist and more of a travelling Beatles tribute show.

(I was going to invoke a Mike Love comparison, but it hasn't gotten QUITE that bad yet!)

 

Oh Sean, surely you didn't mean that last statement. If that was true he'd do ONLY the big hits, not such deeper catalogue material like Till There Was You, I Will, You Won't See Me, Two Of Us, I've Got A Feeling...hell even Maggie Mae and Her Majesty on occasion. Eventhough he has added Beatles songs, he hasn't really changed the ratio all that much...other than adding more. I mean the man plays 35 songs a show or thereabouts. If he was a Beatles Tribute band he'd be doing stuff like In My Life, Strawberry Fields, A Hard Day's Night and other "group" hits. Ron

 

In fairness, I did say "more of a travelling Beatles tribute show", not that he'd fully become one -- which is why I referenced but didn't flesh out the Mike Love comparison -- but it probably came across harsher than I meant it. As for the "big hits" he ISN'T performing, you have to admit that Paul's in the fortunate position of having so many huge Beatles hits that he can perform "Let It Be," "Hey Jude" and "Yesterday" -- 3 of the biggest hits by anyone, EVER -- night after night without having to touch the songs you mentioned. Rest assured though, as Paul DOES like to change things up, with each successive tour, he will eventually have to cross over into "group hits" to keep things fresh.

As for the ratio of Beatles-to-solo in the setlists, I'm sure you'd agree that it HAS increased with each tour. He started out with a handful in 1975-6, increased it to roughly a dozen in 1989, and then 15, and then 20, and then 25 -- now, his shows are almost a complete mirror image of 1976, with all Beatles punctuated by a handful of solo hits and new songs. He DOES play more songs nowadays, but he's always played a lengthy show, and now he's playing mostly 3-minute Beatles songs rather than 4-5 minute Wings songs.

All I was saying was that despite the committment and energy he puts into his touring -- I never said he was lazy! -- he's in danger of forfeiting being a vital, contemporary live artist in exchange for being a pandering nostalgist, separated by the myriad Four Tops and Temptations only by how much more successful he is.

Jeez, that sounds even harsher than the first thing I said! Don't get me wrong, I love Macca, and he can do whatever he wants, and God bless him. But in a perfect world, a musician engaging in live performances wants to say to his audience "This is where I am right NOW!" and Paul is increasingly saying "This is where I was 40 years ago! Isn't it fab?" Perhaps a kinder comparison would be to a John Fogerty or Roger McGuinn: nobody begrudges them touring on the strength of their 1960s work with famous bands -- but then again, they don't have a massive body of solo work to draw on like Paul does. Paul also has immense wealth that should make it easier to take risks, but he seems more interested in just adding to the wealth.

I dunno, I'm going to start talking in circles, if I haven't already. I've pretty much exhausted my thoughts on the subject, and I don't want to stir up any big arguments. I have no ill will towards Macca, but I saw the thread, started thinking (always dangerous!), and here I am.

 

Excellent points. Several years ago I went to see a reunion of Elvis Costello and the Attractions. The first part of the show was either a rehearsal for an upcoming album, or Elvis singing material he'd written that was recorded by others that he was considering recording, or a combination of both. Either way, I wasn't familiar with any of it, but was happy to be part of the experiment. At the end of the first half of the show Elvis thanked everyone for their patience, and then came back to a rip-roaring second half where he played all the songs you'd expect him to play. He and the band were on fire, so to speak.

It was a great show, and we all got the best of both worlds (old material and lots of brand new material).

Maybe Paul's just afraid to take similar risks?

 

I'm assuming the Costello gig was a smallish show? During mid-1991 McCartney did some "Surprise" shows where he and the Lumpy Trousers band played a full acoustic set, folllowed with an electric set...while incorporating spoken word with poet Adrian Mitchell together with musical support by the band. Here's the setlist:

Acoustic Set---*With Adrian Mitchell
Mean Woman Blues
Be-Bop-A-Lula
We Can Work It Out
San Francisco Bay Blues
Every Night
Here, There and Everywhere
That Would Be Something
Singing The Blues
O Solo Mio
Down To The River
I've Just Seen A Face
And I Love Her
She's A Woman
I Lost My Little Girl
Aint No Sunshine
Hi Heel Sneakers
The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
Song In Space*
I Like That Stuff*
Maybe May Time (Singalong Junk)*
Hot Pursuit*
Good Rockin' Tonight

Electric Set
My Brave Face
Twenty FLight Rock
Band On The Run
Ebony and Ivory
I Saw Her Standing There
Coming Up
Get Back
The Long and Winding Road
Aint That A Shame
Let It Be
Can't Buy Me Love
Sgt. Pepper w/ Reprise

Very interesting mix of oldies and Beatles songs, many re-worked acoustically. Ron

 

I wonder if Paul's next move is to release a rockier band album and then tour behind it. Something tells me he has plenty of stress to work out and what better way than to go on the road and rock. I also think that as time goes one, he himself will be thinking I may not have a chance to play some of these songs...so perhaps the set list will be loosened up a bit. I myself would love to hear more solo and Wings songs.

I bet that the next tour will have more references to LINDA, for obvious reasons.

Cheers,
Rocco.

 

Also "Another Girl"

 

I heard a rumour that he is indeed planning to do that!

 

Will MJ make appearances for "Say Say Say," then?

 

I always wondered what that was like for her. I mean, wasn't it terrifying to go on stage and perform, knowing you're basically an unqualified amateur? How did she get over the self-consciousness?

It seemed kinda weird back then, and seems really weird in retrospect. It's hard to imagine that being on stage was her idea. Being dragged on for a couple encore harmonies is one thing, but thrust out front with professional musicians is another.

Yeah, I know they're all amateurs at some point, but it doesn't seemed as if she harbored pretensions of being a "real" musician.

 

Up until 1993 she goes on record to admit she did it purely because Paul likes to perform. She never saw hereself as a musician. She certainly never asked to do it.

 

Remember that she was, after all, the cook of the house...

Cheers,

Simon

 

Just wish he'd try do Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five live just once. IMO it would have been a better choice in '76 than say Richard Corey.

 

....and just a wee bit more complicated

 

True.

But he could have pulled it off.

 

Surprisingly, she seemed less than terrified on the very early University and UK Tour shows in 1972. She was doing Seaside Woman solo, well mostly solo, Paul sang along with her in spots. She also did her solo spots on Some People Never Know and I Am Your Singer, as she did on record. Her and Paul did a duet on the unreleased song Thank You Darling, as well as on Eat At Home and Mary Had A Little Lamb. Of course, she sang backing on most of the other songs too. Probably the most terrifying moment for her was starting off the song Wild Life on electric piano....I seem to recall at least one show when she had to stop and start over again, but hey, anyone could have done that. Ron

 

Hell yea...one of my favorite songs by Paul. Great piano riff....then the song keeps building and building. His light show spectacular would have suited that song quite nicely indeed. Ron

 

I totally disagree that a Wings/solo tour would draw smaller sized crowds, this is Paul McCartney we're talking about!!

As I posted, a whole generation of people grew up listening to this music so I don't buy that these songs are obscure or that people don't know them. Wings were huge in the 70s and their music was constantly all over the radio worldwide!

I understand the mega impact of The Beatles, but if Paul put together a really rocking tour of his Wings/solo material, I absolutely doubt anyone would be dissappointed!

I'm not saying don't do any Beatles because I'd love for him to open with Day Tripper, but like in 76 he should do three or four and then get rocking with songs like...
The Mess
Stranglehold
Not Such A bad Boy
Angry
Old Siam Sir
Getting Closer
1985
Cafe On The Left Bank
Big Barn Bed
I've Had Enough
Style Style
Flying To My Home
Best Friend
About You
Promise To You Girl
So Glad To See You Here

This is just to name a few, oh and then he comes back and encores with The Rockestra Theme, Juniors Farm and Girlschool!! H_ _ _ yeah this is more cutting edge, the crowds minds have been thoroughly blown, and he has seriously rocked the freaking house!!

 

I think it's funny to see that Paul more often changes his setlist nowadays.
For instance Please Please Me, I'll Get You and All Things Must Pass. Keep touring, Paul!

- McKenzie

 

Man, that's a great set list but Paul is 64 now, there's no way he could keep that pace up...neither could most rockers 20 years younger. I'm not saying he couldn't tour and be successful, doing more solo/Wings than Beatles...but WHY? He has nothing to prove to anyone. He should do what he wants at this stage of his career. Thankfully, he has such a huge and varied backlog of material he doesn't need do a typical "oldies" hits show. Obviously, in the last 15 years or so, he'd rather pull out old Beatles chesnuts, than dip into his 70's/80's material. Who can blame him?

I'm still amazed he did Helter Skelter so damn good last tour...he'd have no voice left if he attempted a set list as you proposed. One thing to remember he did 3 major tours, 1975, 1976 and 1979 where he did a vast majority of Wings/solo material. He didn't tour again until 1989....by this time, and John's death may well have caused him to reconsider his Beatles past, he changed things around considerably. Since then, he has kept his tours Beatle-heavy...but he changes the songs around quite a bit...and of course, he plugs his latest album along the way. Ron

 

Paul could easily put together an audience pleasing set of his solo music but I don't think that list of obscurities is it. And come on, Paul hasn't been cutting edge since 1967.

 

Among other reasons why McCartney would never heavily feature his post-Beatles solo material (aside from a few big hits and his own favorites like "Too Many People") is that I don't think he thinks very highly of his solo material. A lot of people have revised their opinions of albums like Red Rose Speedway and London Town, but Paul seems stuck in the popular consensus that those albums (and presumably most of the songs) are sub par... whereas The Beatles were great. I think if McCartney belonged to SH, he'd argue that most of those solo records are crap, while some of us (such as myself) would argue that he's wrong.

 

TheChief I think you are totally and completely wrong!! If Paul thought that way he would of never performed any of those songs at all! Some of those songs have been performed on his tours, so no way he thinks that!

It's a total lie and a myth that Paul doesn't respect his post Beatles material, sure anyone can look back and say I should of done this or that, but to say Paul doesn't think much of this music is just wrong!

Some of those songs I posted may not be as well known, but once he performed them none of that would matter because the crowd would be more than happy!

Paul could easily do those songs, they don't have to be performed back to back he would pace the setlist. Someone asked why should he do a Wings/solo dominate tour, that's easy, because these songs are excellent and they would rock live!

The Beatle thing has been done and redone, it's time for something totally different, a Wings/solo tour would be more cutting edge no doubt! Paul McCartney is much more than just a Beatle!!

 

I admire your spunk Maccafan, but Paul himself has downplayed his 70's and early 80's stuff in print interviews and on video numerous times. I think he liked Wings as a live band, but not as a recording band. Even in the Wingspan DVD he downplays the music quite a bit. Saying things like "yea, that was a good lil tune" or words to that effect. I don't recall him ever saying they were great, or influential, at all.

As far as playing Wings material live...well back then he HAD to...he'd be promoting the latest album. But if you look at his set list....they dropped a lot of material on each successive tour. Few Wings songs from '73 were being played in '76. Fewer still on the 1979 tour, in fact, only Band On The Run, No Words and Cook Of The House... were released before 1978. He was plugging Back To The Egg, and also did the current singles, Mull Of Kintyre, Goodnight Tonight and Wonderful Christmastime.

I'm sure if he had toured Japan in 1980, instead of smuggling in a year's worth of pot, he would have dropped even more of them. Probably adding a few more Beatles songs for the Japanese fans...Ron