Poll: Paul McCartney - Flowers In The Dirt (1989 Album) - Top 5 to 7 songs

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Dr. Pepper, May 15, 2018.

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  1. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry? Thread Starter

    I want to know how folks feel about these songs now. What are your 5 or so favorites? As a bonus let us know why you have picked your choices and if your thoughts on any of the songs have changed over time.
     
  2. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry? Thread Starter

  3. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry? Thread Starter

  4. Dr. Pepper

    Dr. Pepper What, me worry? Thread Starter

  5. wiseblood

    wiseblood Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA, USA
    My Brave Face
    You Want Her Too
    Distractions
    Put It There
    Figure Of Eight
    This One
    That Day Is Done

    I hate that this record needed so many producers to be a complete package. I also hate that McCartney didn't finish it with Elvis Costello the way those early demos sound (the acoustic ones; the full band ones are not my cup of tea). My last bit of disdain with this record is the amount of throw away nonsense on side 2 that shouldn't have been there. "Motor Of Love" (what the hell is a "motor of love" anyway?) and "How Many People" are terrible, not to mention the production of "Don't Be Careless Love" takes it down about 10 notches from the acoustic demo, rendering it a throw away as well.

    These seven songs that were chosen by me are really strong regardless of the fact that Figure Of Eight was not Paul's idea. I think he liked it just fine, though, as it became his tour opener in 89. All in all, I have a soft spot for the album. It's good. Real good. Maybe a 7.5/10. Certainly his best since Back To The Egg << different conversation for a different thread.
     
  6. smilin ed

    smilin ed Senior Member

    Location:
    Durham
    That Day is Done wins it for me.
     
  7. maccafan

    maccafan Senior Member

    For me it's...
    Rough Ride- Absolutely love the funky soulful groove of this song.
    Motor Of Love
    - I play this one for my female friends, they absolutely love it. It's so beautiful, the bridge is awesome!
    Figure Of Eight - Love the funky soulful groove of this song, just wish McCartney had used his natural singing voice.
    How Many People
    - McCartney's very best reggae song, the fantastic opening just grabs you!
    Loveliest Thing - How in the world did this great song not make the album?! McCartney's vocals are excellent, and the guitar playing also.
     
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  8. C6H12O6

    C6H12O6 Senior Member

    Location:
    My lab
    Those studio demos (i.e. those Everly Brothers-style recordings with Elvis Costello) that were included in the super deluxe box set are really good. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them, especially when I wasn't a fan of this album.
     
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  9. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Strong album upon original release, I thought. I remember being in the car with my buddy Gerry Yarab and about half-way through "Distractions," he blurted out "What the hell is this ****?" Ever since, I really can't play that song and take it seriously, but I still enjoy the album. "Flying to My Home" was a great b-side, IMO, better than some of the album tracks.
     
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  10. Brian Kelly

    Brian Kelly 1964-73 rock's best decade

    Clear top three:
    This One
    Put It There
    My Brave Face
    Next best:
    You Want Her Too
    That Day Is Done
     
  11. johnny moondog 909

    johnny moondog 909 Beatles-Lennon & Classic rock fan

    I voted for 7 they are.

    1-My Brave Face
    2-You Want Her Too
    3-Distractions
    4-Put It There
    5-We Got Married
    6-This One
    7-That Day Is Done

    I think at least Figure Of Eight & Flying To M Home are also pretty good. The other 4 Not so much.

    Now if we count So Like Candy, Playboy To A Man. Hands down we have to add those two. Meaning I'd need 9 tracks for a best of pared down list. Also the original studio 87-88 Lovers That Never were, would make 10...those 10-may surpass or equal BOTR, Ram Tug Of War, Flaming Pie or Chaos. If he had put those 10 as "the" album or 12 adding in Candy & Playboy.....hands down as strong as anything in his post Beatles career.

    As far as changing my mind over time. Not really no. Because there was a very clear demarcation or division, between truly good & great songs, sitting next to a few stinky ones like How Many People & Rough Ride Oui Est le soilel.

    I think it's clear in hindsight, McCartney wrote 5-6 great songs himself for this album & about a dozen great ones with Elvis, but didn't want the album so heavily loaded with cowrites, because people would say Elvis deserved 1/2 credit or whatever.

    Flowers has 8-9 good songs as is, but if you release it as the best 12-14 it's a monster classic.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2018
  12. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
    There is just way too much goop on this record for me to enjoy it. Distractions indeed. It sounded splashy I guess on release but so many of the flourishes on this record annoy the hell out of me. Why the heck is there the sound of a big band starting up at the end of "You Want Her Too"? What is that awful synthetic sound that repeatedly punctuates "My Brave Face"? Why can't "This One" just start off with the song instead of that crazy nonsense? All would be forgiven if the songs were strong ... IMHO they aren't (even in "demo" form).
    Despite the production a few catchy tunes still shine through as enjoyable fluff (the aforementioned "My Brave Face" and "This One"). "Put It There" is one song that has grown on me over the years and is the keeper on the album for me. Not "cool" at all yet beautiful (and even touching) in its humble honesty. "That Day Is Done" tries a little too hard but still gets honorable mention (and one of his better collaborations with EC).
     
  13. applebonkerz

    applebonkerz Senior Member

    My Brave Face
    Rough Ride
    Put It There
    This One

    I liked this album upon release much more than I do now, probably mostly because it seemed overall better than his previous few albums had been (except for the Russian album), which basically meant it had more than one or two songs I could actually listen to all the way through. But it's one of the deluxe archive sets I didn't buy because I just don't care anymore. I already had at least four different versions of the original release along with all the peripheral singles that I never have any inclination to listen to any of it anymore. So obtaining a set of downloads that I skipped through once and stored away did me just fine for the archive version. The four tracks I chose are pretty good songs, the best of the lot, but nothing I want to add to even a random Spotify playlist these days.
     
  14. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    I like all the songs on the album although it has a schizo quality about it.

    The one specific comment I'll make is that I realized Paul was just beyond being a singles chart hit maker at this point .

    I thought "My Brave Face" had all the qualities I would look for in a hit single.

    A quick tight intro, melodic verse, and a catchy, strong, easy to remember sing along chorus.
    Yet it only made #25 here in the US.

    When I saw that I realized the parade had started to pass by the solo Beatles
    cluttering up the top ten singles chart .:D
     
  15. moonshiner

    moonshiner Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Distractions
     
  16. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    My Brave Face
    Put it There
    This One
    Figure of Eight
    We Got Married
    Distractions
    Back on My Feet

    Some great tracks from these sessions. Particular mention goes to Paul's demos for You Want Her Too and So Like Candy. I really like this album, although a few tracks I generally skip.
     
  17. pokemaniacjunk

    pokemaniacjunk Forum Resident

    Location:
    south paris maine
    My Brave Face
    We Got Married
    Put It There
     
  18. My Brave Face is one of my favorite Paul songs of his whole career (thanks, Elvis). We Got Married isn't so great here, but it's outstanding on the subsequent live album. Also like This One and Figure of Eight. A somewhat weak album overall, but it is redeemed by these highpoints and is better than its predecessor.
     
  19. jgkojak

    jgkojak Mull of Kansas

    Location:
    Lawrence, KS
    The core of the record is fantastic:
    My Brave Face, This One, Figure of Eight, Distractions, That Day Is Done, You Want Her Too, Put It There

    3 b-sides are quality:
    Back on My Feet, Flying To My Home, Lovliest Thing

    One outtake that should have made the record;
    The Lovers That Never Were


    If you need to throw in Rough Ride, which I guess gives you something different, you have his best album next to BOTR
     
  20. Chuckee

    Chuckee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Upstate, NY, USA
    Last album of Paul's I really enjoy as a whole, even the lesser songs are mostly quite catchy to me.
     
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  21. Big Pasi

    Big Pasi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vaasa, Finland
    We Got Married
    Put It There
    Don't Be Careless Love
    Flying To My Home
     
  22. Marvin

    Marvin Senior Member

    I don't know it that well - the recent release was the first time I heard it - but, so far, "Motor of Love" is a clear favorite.
     
  23. signothetimes53

    signothetimes53 Senior Member

    "Put It There" grabs me emotionally, every time.
     
  24. moople72

    moople72 Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC
    Side 1 is excellent.

    Side 2 ends with two sizable thuds.
     
  25. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    Voted for "My Brave Face", "We Got Married", "Figure of Eight", "This One", "Back on My Feet" and "Loveliest Thing".
     
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