Paul McCartney/Wings-song by song thread

NEXT ONE
Used to b Bad
Blues/rock jam with SteveMiller. Some might call this filler stuff I call it killer stuff. What s not to like hearing these lads having so much fun,hearing Stevs guitar and Paul puttin up his screaming rock vocals towards the end. Unlike those who thinks Flaming Pir I find these jams entertaining and servicable between all the powerful, poignant songs this album is full of

Having enjoyed ‘Young Boy’ Steve Miller was keen to extend the collaboration, wanting to get Paul singing some “Texas blues.” As a consequence, he arrived at their second set of session with dozens of guitar riffs; this prompted Paul to climb behind the drum kit and the pair played away for some time, kicking around ideas, until Miller began adding words to the jam, utilizing blues lines line, “I used to be bad but I don’t have to be bad no more”. Once the piece had gelled Paul overdubbed bass and Steve added some solos before the traded vocal lines.

“This was just a jam, really. Steve whacked out these blues riffs, I got on the drums and we just went for it – a duet, sung on one mike. We did the vocal in one take.”

Paul McCartney, in Club Sandwich n°82, Summer 1997:
I like blues but don’t do a lot of it, so when Steve Miller said that he wanted to get me singing “Texas blues” it sounded like a good offer. I got on drums, he got on guitar, all live, and we had fun. Then Steve came up with some words, suggesting we use old blues lines like “I used to be bad but I don’t have to be bad no more”. I put bass on it, Steve did some solos, and we decided to sing alternate lines, singing at the same microphone. It was a jam, based on Steve’s riff and made up in the studio, and the vocal came in one take. Steve and I are donating our royalties on the track to LIPA.

Mark Lewisohn, in Club Sandwich n°82, Summer 1997:

Having enjoyed cutting ‘Young Boy’ with Paul, Steve Miller was keen to extend the collaboration, insisting that he wanted to get Paul singing some blues. As a consequence, Miller arrived at their second set of sessions with dozens of blues guitar riffs. This prompted Paul to climb behind the drum kit and the pair played away for some time, kicking around ideas, and later Miller began adding words to the jam. Once the live piece had gelled as ‘Used To Be Bad’ Paul overdubbed bass guitar and Steve added some solos before the crucial decision was made to alternate the lead vocal lines.

This was not the only blues duet recorded by the pair this day; another may be released on Steve Miller’s next album. Additionally, the previous day, Paul and Steve cut ‘Broomstick‘, released in Britain on the second ‘Young Boy’ CD single.

 

Used To Be Bad 8/10

Steve Miller sounds like he just stepped out of 1974 and into this track. I've come to enjoy this track more and more over the years. Gotta love Steve's guitar work on this one.

 

Spot-on. The laid-back sprawl of this song is just what the album needs. Fluid and expansive. Makes you feel like hopping in a convertible and hitting the road, wind in your hair. I'm a sucker for acoustic rock.

You got me revisiting this album. And it's sheer class.

 

Used To Be Bad - Decent track, but one of two I would have ditched or maybe put as a B side. Doesn't really go anywhere for me 6/10

 

Heaven On A Sunday - aah ... loved this one from the word go. The warm synth and bass parts contribute to the languid verses that effortlessly evoke the feeling of a warm, lazy Sunday afternoon - just beautiful. The dual guitar parts are cool, as the dual keyboards in the coda. Yet again, the vocals have a hint of sadness that add to the poignancy: 4.5/5.

Used To Be Bad - this is another lightweight, infectious track, with nice guitar work. It sounds as though Paul and Steve had great fun recording it. Splitting the vocals was an inspired decision!

This track is another contender if you wanted to edit the album down to 40-45 minutes or so. However, I like the way it provides a pause for breath between the more heavyweight songs that surround it. (For better or for worse, this is what differentiates this album from Chaos, which is pretty much serious / downbeat all the way.) I'll give a 3+/5.

 

Heaven On A Sunday 3.5/5
The beginning and first verse are a bit boring but than it get's good. Nice chord twists, great harmonies.

Used To Be Bad 3.5/5
Great rocking fun track!

Nothing but two deluxe album tracks

 

Used To Be Bad: 0/5

Oh my.

I’ve only listened to this song a handful of times during the first week I had the album. I've been skipping it every since. I find it quite boring and uninspiring. Steve and Paul sound pretty uncomfortable singing it. You can tell their heart and soul and energy isn't in this one. This is like one of those jam sessions where the musicians are feeling it other out and getting used to being around each other. The early results are quite awkward. That's this song. I really wish this was never included on the album. It feels so out of place. Moving it elsewhere in the album wouldn't help either. It just doesn't fit. My dislike for this song probably extends beyond the bounds of reason but it is what it is.

 

Fair enough. We all have songs we really don't like ... even by Macca.

 

Really Love You is worse in my opinion (though like the Twin Freaks version)

 

This thread is at its best when :
1) There is wide disagreement about any particular song or album
2) Who Cares gets his Macca on

 

We'll get to Broomstick but I find that to be a totally serviceable and enjoyable Steve/Paul track. Would have loved that funky brew of a song on Flaming Pie instead of Bad.

 

We all have song we for one or another reason can t stand

 

That's a good sub-topic for this thread :
What is the one McCartney song you just can't stand?
Me , I will always go with ' Monkberry Moon Delight ' Gack ! That song drives me right up the wall.

 

No the good subtopic is getting @MPLRecords and @Who Cares to admit to one.

Will never happen.

 

Ha!
I've noticed that MPLRecords doesn't like it when I say tatty things about ' Tug Of War '
As for Who Cares ...well, what can be said about his devotion to all things Macca?

 

Oh you'll get one out of me, but not for another forty songs or so.

 

You know it:

 

Oh , yeah , pee-eww!

 

I really like that one!

Always amazes me on the range of opinions as well.

 

No, as the man himself pointed out, we should.. All Stand Together.

 

Heaven On A Sunday. I've never been a fan of Paul going into smooth jazz territory but this is a great song well performed. I love the sentiment of "if I only had one love yours would be the one I'd choose".

Used To Be Bad - I think Flaming Pie is one of Paul's best albums, certainly in his top five. Even so, there are two tracks on this album that I find useless and skip every time. This is one. After eight winners in a row, this track kills the albums momentum. Good thing the song that follows is so strong.

 

There's MORE THAN ONE but this one quickly comes to mind...
FROM A LOVER TO A FRIEND - Too slow and way too dreary.

USED TO BE BAD - AN ABSOLUTE HIGHLIGHT! Steve Miller said he wanted to get McCartney doing some TEXAS BLUES and THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU that he did! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SONG! When I first heard it, it was another moment when I thought YEAH! McCartney getting down to the NITTY GRITTY! This song just has a DRIVING BEAT thanks to McCartney on drums. It's not fancy and it's not supposed to be, it lays down some HARD HITTING BLUES ROCK! Steve Miller is RIGHT AT HOME with his ROCKING GUITAR SOLO, and the BACK AND FORTH VOCALS are just excellent! I have MANY FRIENDS that love the blues, and I make sure I let them hear this song along with I WANNA CRY, a LOW DOWN DIRTY BLUES SONG by McCartney. If you haven't heard it do yourself a favor and check it out, my friends like them both.
USED TO BE BAD is the song on the album that I CRANK! I've always wanted McCartney to go in this direction more, and I've always wanted him to perform it live! One of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITES!

 

Heaven on a Sunday is exquisite. Interestingly, what should be a happy subject -- a lazy Sunday afternoon on the water -- is told wistfully, with a heavy streak of melancholy: "We've been learning a song, but it's a long and lonely blues." This is what I mean by the album being haunted by Linda's illness. The repetition of "If I only had one love, yours'd be the one I'd choose" feels particularly telling.

Used to Be Bad is, like pretty much everything Steve Miller touches, forgettable -- not terrible, just not remotely in the same league as most of the album.

 

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's a 5/5 for me.

I'll put to one side Freedom and especially PS Love Me Do, which most people can't stand, and go for All You Horseriders, with an honourable mention for Through Our Love.

 

Hey , maccafan. ..
I totally DIG your enthusiasm FOR this McCartney SONG. I like IT too.