Paul McCartney/Wings-song by song thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bemagnus, Sep 11, 2019.

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  1. Harry Hotspur

    Harry Hotspur Forum Resident

    Location:
    London England
    Never cared for Wild Life but have a clear memory of a friend loving it when we saw Wings perform it at the Hammersmith Odeon back in the day.
     
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  2. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Yes...thank you Yul Bryner.
     
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  3. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    'Wild Life' is another great track from this sadly underrated album.
    Terrific vocal from our man. Now then, am I imagining things or is Macca doing some very Lennonesque screaming here?
     
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  4. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    Great underrated song. Aminals in the zoo....
     
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  5. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Wild Life live with Wings 1972. As I attended this tour I can say that this song live was a speciak treat
     
  6. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    "Wild Life" is indeed a great number, and it feels all the greater for not being a throwaway R&B number or a cover. I'll give it a 4/5.
     
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  7. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Seems to be lot s of love for Wild Life-the song.
    In my book a good thing
    I honestly like this track even more now than back in the days and I really liked it then

    Great track
     
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  8. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Nice.
    When was the last time he played it live? Some time ago, I would imagine.
    His catalogue is extensive but his live repertoire though huge is rather limited.
    It would be great if he threw in some deep cuts on the shows and cherry- picked them for a deep cuts live album.
     
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  9. WilliamWes

    WilliamWes Likes to sing along but he knows not what it means

    Location:
    New York
    Bip Bop (2/10)
    Another that could have been 2 minutes. Why the nonsense openers? A catchy singalong that grates more than generates affection when your mind is forced to sing along to the nonsense. The hook is the only thing going for it along with one of the guitar riffs that leads back into another ‘bip bop’ repetition. Still, there’s always that bit of melody that works from the pen of Paul so there is a hook but it’s not enough to really consider anything but a fun throwaway.

    Love Is Strange (6/10)
    Continuing the relaxed atmosphere of “Bip Bop”, we get a Mickey and Sylvia cover out of nowhere. McCartney had not covered anything in quite some time and yet, here comes this odd choice. Placed into a reggae container since Linda liked it, Paul and Linda feel at home combining this oldie with the newly popular genre. The harmonizing amongst them and Denny Laine is nice but uneventful considering it’s the first of many harmonies amongst the 3. Linda could be worse as the highest voice but she’s okay and there is a warm vibe here. While the instrumental intro is good, it goes on too long and again I find the song didn’t need to be the length it finishes at. The little guitar runs on the coda like “3 Legs” are the best part. Surprised this wasn’t part of the live set.

    Wild Life (6/10)
    There’s that stiff keyboard part from Linda (the one that indicated to me Paul simplified his arrangements for her) as the base for a political song that undercuts its own message once Paul starts singing ‘aminals’. Is he being serious or is this some kind of political spoofing? From his new vegetarian stance (or soon to be), Paul is probably sincere but adding ‘aminal’ jokes don’t really help his case. The music is stiff as a board and carries on waaay toooo looong. The guitar and drums are pretty meaty compared to the first tracks and the bluesy guitar riffing is in touch with the rock scene, but there should have been more said here both lyrically and musically. A nice long guitar solo- a rarity for Paul or more in-depth lyrics. It feels empty in a way. "The word 'wild' applies to the words 'you' and 'me' is awkward/corny. "You're making it hard for the people that live in there". The people live in the zoo? This could have been 4 minutes with maybe a fast section in there somewhere, but Paul was sticking to simple. The coda is one of the most boring parts-could have some decent lyrics here. Along with a number of moments, there’s some boredom on a Macca record-a rarity itself. Paul almost included this on his 1990 tour but then backed off. Funny, there’s something to McCartney’s touch that makes it entertaining whether it’s his melody or arrangement- there’s just something attractive about this track no matter what it could have been. I would have loved if Paul did some kind of nature/wild life album but the album cover and this song are really the only signs of the theme. At least Paul shows some genuine passion here with his exciting vocal.
     
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  10. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Id guess he had not played it live since 1972-1973
     
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  11. Paul Gase

    Paul Gase Everything is cheaper than it looks.

    Location:
    California
    Wild Life: imagine Paul playing this with a real rhythm section that can swing ((e.g. - Van the Man’s band at the time); some soulful backing singers; and a real lead guitarist. Now you might have the makings of a track with a cool, hypnotic vibe.

    And that might justify its length. As it stands, this song ok. Not his worst; but another that has me losing patience about 3 minutes in.
     
  12. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    So...side one of ' Wild Life '

    Mumbo
    Bip Bop
    Love is Strange
    Wild Life

    I don't mind saying this is one of my favourite McCartney sides. If you don't agree , you can go to hell. Go directly to hell. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
     
  13. omikron

    omikron Avid contributor to Paul McCartney's bank account

    Location:
    Lexington, KY
    You're going to be a lonely man here on earth then.




    Wild Life: 3/5 It’s a bit of a plodding, depressing song honestly in the same vein as 1882. But he sure does belt it out. The music is almost nonexistent background to his all-out screamer of a vocal.
     
  14. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Denny Seiwell and Paul McCartney must as far as I see it-be considered a real rhytm section-Paul one if the best bass-player there is within rock and Denny Seiwell-a highly acomplished drummer. Denny was a very sought after studio-drummer with his roots in jazz. Nowadays he has his own jazz-group
    Whether one like the song is another thing
    But a real and actually great rhytm-section they were
     
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  15. Paul Gase

    Paul Gase Everything is cheaper than it looks.

    Location:
    California
    I don’t mind WL so much. I do think it’s too long and it’s stiff as a board. Whatever Denny’s roots, it’s not on display on Wild Life. Just saying a real band of seasoned players could’ve made this track come to life. I know that’s not the point of the album; but it is a perspective I consider as I review Paul’s music with Wings.
     
  16. Who Cares

    Who Cares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    Man We Was Lonely

    This is his first "country" song. I like the style and the sound of the instruments. The harmonies are so powerful. The lyrics are a statement between weakness and strength, between a difficult situation and the love at home.

    Lyrics:

    [Chorus]
    Man, we was lonely
    Yes, we was lonely
    And we was hard pressed to find a smile
    Man, we was lonely
    Yes, we was lonely
    But now we're fine all the while

    [Verse]
    I used to ride on my fast city line
    Singing songs that I thought were mine alone (alone)
    Alone
    Now, let me lie with my love for the time
    I am home (home)
    Home (home)
    Home

    [Chorus]
    Man, we was lonely
    Yes, we was lonely
    And we was hard pressed to find a smile
    Man, we was lonely
    Yes, we was lonely
    But now we're fine all the while

    Now, let me lie with my love for the time
    I am home (home)
    Home (home)
    Home

    [Chorus]
    Man, we was lonely
    Yes, we was lonely
    And we was hard pressed to find a smile
    Man, we was lonely
    Yes, we was lonely
    But now we're fine all the while

    [Outro]
    But now we're fine all the while
    But now we're fine all the while

    Credits:

    Produced by Paul McCartney
    Written by Paul McCartney
    Drums,, Bass, Guitars,, Lead Vocals by Paul McCartney
    Harmony Vocals by Linda McCartney
    Label: Apple Corps
    Release Date: April 17, 1970
    Recorded at Abbey Road Studios on February 25, 1970
    Length: 2:58 minutes

    Paul's comments:

    1970

    “The chorus, ‘Man we was lonely’, was written in bed at home shortly before we finished recording the album. The middle, ‘I used to ride’, was done one lunchtime in a great hurry, as we were due to record the song that afternoon. Linda sings harmony on this song, which is our first duet together… The steel guitar sound is my Telecaster played with a drum peg.”

    Source: https://www.beatlesbible.com/people/paul-mccartney/songs/man-we-was-lonely/

    2001

    “[Man We Was Lonely’s} countryish, like from a couple of hicks. It’s nice when little words come out, like ‘And we was hard-pressed to find a smile.’ I like that line. It’s a hokey thing. I think I’m remembering it wasn’t that easy when I left the Beatles, ‘Man, we was lonely.’ I think it was a little bit of a reflection of those times.

    My biggest problem was I had to sue the Beatles; I tried to sue [Apple Group business manager] Allen Klein, but he wasn’t a party to any of the agreements, so I ended up having to sue my best friends as a technical matter. It was the last thing in the world I wanted to do, but it was pointed out to me that it was the only way to do it.

    I knew I had to get out [of the Beatles], and I knew I would apologize to them, and I knew once I got out, they’d get out. So if I got out of prison, I’d free them. It was a very difficult call. I went through a lot of tough times emotionally, so something like ‘Man We Was Lonely’ reflects that."

    Source: Paul McCartney On His Not-So-Silly Love Songs
     
  17. BZync

    BZync Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Wild Life

    For me, this is the albums low point. I find this song incredibly tedious. Is it too long at almost seven minutes? From my perspective it shouldn't be there at all so any length is too long. When the Deluxe Edition was released I gave this song another chance but it didn't change my take on it.

    Side one of this album is a mess. And although side two has its problems, it contains the better compositions by far. So, again, I have to wonder what Paul was thinking in sequencing this album? If Wild Life has started with one or two of the stronger songs, or at least had the stronger tracks interspersed with the less strong tracks, it would have made for a very different listen. As it stands, I pretty well ignore side one of this album.
     
  18. Who Cares

    Who Cares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    Oo You

    It's time to rock!!! The guitar gently rocks... Nice effects that help boost the chords and the lyrics. Great vocals too...

    Lyrics:

    [Intro]
    More guitar

    [Verse 1]
    Look like a woman
    Dress like a lady, heh-heh
    Talk like a baby, oo-hoo
    Love like a woman, oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh

    [Chorus]
    Ooh, ooh you
    Ow!
    Ooh you

    [Verse 2]
    Walk like a woman, oo-hoo
    Sing like a blackbird, uh-huh
    Eat like a hungry, woo-hoo
    Cook like a woman, oo-hoo-woo-hoo-oo

    [Chorus]
    Oo woman, oo-hoo
    Ow!
    Oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-hoo-hoo
    Ooh you

    [Verse 1]
    Look like a woman, oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh
    Dress like a lady, oo-hoo-ooh, oo-oo-ooh
    Talk like a baby, golly-golly-golly-golly-goo-goo-ooh
    Love like a woman, ooh, oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh

    [Outro]
    Ooh, ooh you
    Daa-aah-ooh, oh-oo-ooh, oh-oo-ooh
    Oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh

    Credits:

    Produced by Paul McCartney
    Written by Paul McCartney
    Drums,, Bass, Electric Guitar, Tambourine, Cowbell, Aerosol, Vocals by Paul McCartney
    Label: Apple Corps
    Release Date: April 17, 1970
    Recorded at 7 Cavendish Avenue, St John's Wood, London, U.K. / Morgan Studios
    Length: 2:49 minutes

    Paul's comments:

    1970

    "The first three tracks were recorded at home as an instrumental that might someday become a song. [Oo You], like ‘Man We Was Lonely’, was given lyrics one day after lunch, just before we left for Morgan Studios, where it was finished that afternoon.

    Vocals, electric guitar, tambourine, cow bell, and aerosol spray were added at Morgan, and it was mixed there.

    On the mix, tape echo was used to move feedback from guitar from one side to another."

    Source: https://www.beatlesbible.com/people/paul-mccartney/songs/oo-you/
     
  19. coco77

    coco77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Love Is Strange- love the original, love this version. Fun, breezy, and when Paul lets loose he really opens it up. Moments like that are why 71 is one of my favorite years for him vocally! 2.5/5

    Wild Life- I think I want to like this song more than I actually do. It gets points for Paul’s impassioned vocal and Linda and Denny starting to get it together.. I will say the version used in Bruce McMouse is pretty killer. For some reason it never clicked for me until this thread that Henry isn’t on this record. Does that mean that’s Paul doing the guitar here? Or Denny? 2.5/5
     
  20. Who Cares

    Who Cares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    Momma Miss America

    A complex but simple instrumental theme . A combination of two states of mind. First the chaos and then the calm.

    Credits:

    Produced by Paul McCartney
    Written by Paul McCartney
    Drums,, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Piano by Paul McCartney
    Label: Apple Corps
    Release Date: April 17, 1970
    Recorded at 7 Cavendish Avenue, St John's Wood, London, U.K. / Morgan Studios
    Length: 4:05 minutes

    Paul's comments:

    1970

    "An instrumental recorded completely at home. Made up as I went along – first a sequence of chords, then a melody on top.

    Piano, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar.

    Originally it was two pieces, but they ran into each other by accident and became one."

    Source: https://www.beatlesbible.com/people/paul-mccartney/songs/momma-miss-america/
     
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  21. Who Cares

    Who Cares Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    Teddy Boy

    A nice song. Simple and catchy. The story is simple too but complex at the same time. A tale about a mother - son relationship.

    It's interesting that Paul started to write another story song in India:
    Rocky Raccoon.

    Lyrics:

    [Verse 1]
    This is the story of a boy named Ted
    If his mother said, "Ted, be good", he would
    She told him tales about his soldier dad
    But it made her sad, then she'd cry, oh my

    [Pre-Chorus 1]
    Ted used to tell her he'd be twice as good
    And he knew he could, 'cause in his head he said

    [Chorus 1]
    "Mommy don't worry, now teddy boy's here
    Taking good care of you
    Mama don't worry, your teddy boy's here
    Teddy's going to see you through"

    [Verse 2]
    Then came the day she found herself a man
    Teddy turned and ran, far away, okay
    He couldn't stand to see his mother in love with another man
    He didn't know, oh no

    [Pre-Chorus 2]
    He found a place where he could settle down
    And from time to time, in his head he said

    [Chorus 1]
    "Mommy don't worry, now teddy boy's here
    Taking good care of you
    Mommy don't worry, your teddy boy's here
    Teddy's going to see you through"

    [Chorus 2]
    And she said, "Teddy don't worry, now mommy is here
    Taking good care of you
    Teddy don't worry, your mommy is here
    Mommy's going to see you through"

    [Outro]
    This is the story of a boy named Ted
    If his mother said, "Ted, be good", he would

    Credits:

    Produced by Paul McCartney
    Written by Paul McCartney
    Drums,, Bass, Guitar, Lead Vocals by Paul McCartney
    Backing Vocals by Linda McCartney
    Label: Apple Corps
    Release Date: April 17, 1970
    Recorded at 7 Cavendish Avenue, St John's Wood, London, U.K. /
    Morgan Studios
    Length: 2:24 minutes

    Paul's comments:

    1970

    "Another song started in India, and completed in Scotland and London, gradually. This one was recorded for the Get Back film, but later not used.

    Rerecorded partly at home ... (guitar, voices and bass) ... and finished at Morgan.

    Linda and I sing the backing harmonies on the chorus, and occasional oos."

    Source: https://www.beatlesbible.com/people/paul-mccartney/songs/teddy-boy/

    From Anthology 3 The Beatles....

     
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  22. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Hey , Who Cares...I like your mini-song histories. Keep up the good work !
     
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  23. Brian Kelly

    Brian Kelly 1964-73 rock's best decade

    This is probably the worst single side of music in the entire McCartney collection. I sometimes listen to "Mumbo" and then flip over the album. Sometimes I will just skip "Bip Bop", go to "Love Is Strange", and then listen to about 3 minutes of "Wild Life" before flipping the record.

    Thankfully side two of WILD LIFE is better.

    But overall WILD LIFE is more like a double EP than an album, with only 8 songs-two of them nonsense and several songs that should have been 2-3 minutes padded to 5 minute plus length.

    Paul should have sold this as a budget priced introduction to Wings. Instead he tried to pass it off as a full album and I feel somewhat justifiably was savaged by the critics and had his poorest selling album of at least the first 15 years of his solo career.

    It probably isn't as bad as some of the critics made it out to be at the time, but that still doesn't make it a good album.
     
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  24. WilliamWes

    WilliamWes Likes to sing along but he knows not what it means

    Location:
    New York
    Yes, a tale about a mother-son relationship after his soldier dad died in Vietnam which adds a whole new dimension -it's more than just your typical mother/son relationship song and the problems the son had of accepting a stepfather and knowing his real dad isn't coming back. Paul adds that Teddy did turn out 'good' despite his many issues as a child. A very good lyric from Mr. Mac here. Just like the deceptively great lyric of "Junk". There are some nice lyrical moments on the first 2 albums.
     
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  25. Bemagnus

    Bemagnus Music is fun Thread Starter

    Wild Life got some decent rewiews at he one to. John Lennon saw it as an improvemen from previoud albums. I remember my old nitiall surprise before I took on the album
    First dude of Wild Life is different yeah-but still something I enjoy just because of that
     
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