But... Tug of Peace, Average Person and Talk More Talk are in his bottom (ow) 5 songs I cannot hear the similarities between It's Not On and Talk More Talk tho
Changing the subject: I finally got around to watching Bruce McMouse last night and it really is a gem. The restoration and quality of the image and sound is fantastic. I hadn’t thought I wanted McCartney in 5.1 until this. I can see the short-comings that got it shelved in 72-73, but in 2019 it’s a great document.
I believe the comparison between It's Not On and Talk More Talk refers mainly to the voices, not really the songs themselves.
"Some things like buttons are best left undone" is one of the most ominous and disturbing lines I think Paul has ever written. I like it! The song is intended to be a fun little experimental piece. I really doubt he felt it carried any serious weight or considered it for release at the time. Now it is an interesting curio on the archive.
He recorded it with the intention of release it 33 years later He thought "Hey, let's do a track that I'll keep in the vaults for the next thirty years and then release it in a comprehensive collection of my albums in expanded editions!" "Paul, you're a genius!"
Eleanor Rigby, For No One, She's Leaving Home, Fool on The Hill, Rocky Raccoon, Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Junk, Teddy Boy, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Another Day, Single Pigeon, Little Lamb Dragonfly, 1882, Band on The Run, Mrs Vanderbilt, Picasso's Last Words... It goes on and on! This is ignoring songs written in first person, but sung to women that probably don't exist (Drive My Car, Honey Pie, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window, etc), that could arguably be "story songs" as well.
Whereas local Target stores by me have the RRS double CD on its CD end cap with Wild Life nowhere to be found.............
To be honest, nor can I. But when better minds than mine (and by that I mean Madinger/Easter's "Eight Arms to Hold You") state that "Talk More Talk" is based on "It's Not On", I'd like to trust that they are correct. It's possible that the basis was just "let's do funny voices in a song", I don't know.
McCartney scholars point to "Message to Joe" as the forerunner of the entire "Let's Do Funny Voices" canon.
I cannot hear the similarities between 'It's Not On' and 'Talk More Talk'... In addition to the manipulated voices, listen to the meter of the chorus of 'It's Not On' (beginning at 0'22) and the verse of 'Talk More Talk' (beginning at 0'58). Chip Madinger www.lennonology.com
I must admit the phrasing is almost identical But it doesn't mean anything to me, there's multiple songs by the same artist that got the same phrasing but aren't inspired by the same song But hey, I may be wrong (I probably am)
The chorus alone on It's Not On is just beyond brilliant. I can imagine the Beach Boys singing the backing vocals on it.
Well, I had some delays doing some other stuff, but I finally got around to putting some thoughts together on more of the Red Rose Speedway box. So I had already posted on the 'Wild Life' box and the double LP version of 'Red Rose' so I guess I was up to the bonus audio and DVD Videos. Just for context, these were the 2 posts I did so far for the Big Barn Box 1971-1973; Wild Life overview (around page 335) Wings: Wild Life & Red Rose Speedway (Expanded Reissue) Red Rose Speedway 2-LP (around 350) Wings: Wild Life & Red Rose Speedway (Expanded Reissue) RED ROSE SPEEDWAY BONUS AUDIO 1. Mary Had a Little Lamb-apparently Mary had a lot of little lambs and they’re all roaming around the ‘71-‘73 box. This would have helped the bonus selection from the ‘Wild Life’ set if it was there. 2. Little Woman Love- I too don’t understand this being on the ‘Ram’ box too but the only explanation I can think of is Paul didn’t know at the time of the ‘Ram’ box if he’d do a ‘Red Rose Speedway’ box but this also could have helped the ‘Wild Life’ box and it was a ‘Wild Life’ bonus. 3. Hi Hi Hi – I always think of this as a RRS CD bonus so it’s good here. 4. C Moon- ditto with this one. Both great songs and this reggae excursion and childlike song beats both “Seaside Woman” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb”. 5. Live and Let Die – The big mama of the set and always tremendous. Would have brought massive firepower to ‘Red Rose’ had it been added to that. 6. Get on the Right Thing (early mix) - 25 seconds longer with some minor differences. Extra guitar feedback and a directive by Paul on the long intro, What’s interesting and I’m not sure if anyone has caught this but on just about every track on the box we have Paul’s vocal centered but here, his lead vocal is in the right ear for a lot of it and moves to the center right before the 2 minute mark. Like he might as well be in the ‘right’ ear singing about the ‘right’ thing. For the rest of it, the vocal is in the middle. The backwards guitars are also different along with more of Paul’s ad-libs. The soulful breakdown with handclaps acapella at the end was a fun surprise along with Paul’s mouth trumpet effect sputtering on the fade. I love those fake mouth instruments he did. 7. Little Lamb Dragonfly (early mix)-The mix sounds different but it feels like the same backing track without the strings and a different vocal take. It’s cool to have just the band like the ‘Live and Let Die’ band-only track. Some of the lyrics are missing and while it goes on for its full 6 minute length, the arrangement has no changeups from the release other than the vocal. 8. Little Woman Love (early mix) Linda’s up in the mix but the arrangement is the same with a slightly different sound, and since some of these are ‘Ram’ tracks, I can hear this being on ‘Ram’ – a bit like “Heart of the Country” and a bit of “Eat At Home” mixed. 9. 1882 (home demo) One of those pounding piano demos with below standard audio quality, I’ll take it since I'll take any outtakes and it does wrap up quickly, which is good since the piano can get annoying. 10. Big Barn Bed (early mix)- The rhythm section is different, or just sparser without overdubbed guitars- the acoustic guitars have more presence. The solo sounds exactly the same so it’s probably the released backing track without overdubs. The different vocal take is close to the release. 11. The Mess I’ve heard this before and with it now in crystal clear sound, it’s got great guitar tones and the recording sounds well produced but the performance just lacks edge and at times energy. It’s stiff and if you heard the live version first, it’s hard to get rid of that feeling that the excitement was in that one. It’s still great to have a studio version of the song though after all these years and it has some entertainment value. 12. Thank You Darling Like his other oldies style songs, this is positive and a bit silly. It’s just meant to be a cutesy distraction and I think it’s tolerable. It’s just a relaxed tune that I don’t think anyone took too seriously. I like it on a certain level. It's another song that has been touched by the 1950's I'm realizing a few of these are throwbacks whether it's pre-WWII like "Gotta Sing Gotta Dance" or 50's "Best Friend", the 50's boogie on the coda of "Hi Hi Hi". Still not good enough to make the 2-LP RRS. 13. Mary Had a Little Lamb (rough mix) This would qualify as significantly different. It’s a different vocal take over the sam that ends around the time of the single’s length, but then continues on for about 5:30 with a fake fade a minute earlier. At times, the vocals sound lower in the mix. I hear more guitar on this too. 14. 1882 (live in Berlin) I’m not sure which version I like better; studio or live, but both are really great to have officially released. It’s definitely outside of McCartney’s normal box, it kind of rolls along slowly with a Dylan style arrangement and long story form lyric. It’s on the sad side and would have contrasted well with all the love songs around ‘Red Rose’. But it didn’t make the cut of the single or double albums of RRS. 15. 1882 (studio version) I’m starting to get used to this version as perhaps my go-to version maybe because it’s fresher to me. I like Paul’s vocals here and the band are just about as good as the live version. These 2 though I heard them back to back, I'm unsure which is 'better' or more confidently performed. 16. Jazz Street This is not the 8 minute version but at 5:30, it’s good enough and with its release, it becomes another one of those Mac instrumentals that has some well thought out specifics and the rhythm is dynamic dipping into the quieter slow moments easily. The piano that leads the band makes me think this was a precursor to “1985”. Some of the rawest material Wings recorded, this has a lot of power, especially at around 3:30, it starts getting into some edgy rock-the drums are rapid fire- the fastest I’ve ever heard Seiwell go and the throbbing distorted bass rapid fire notes on the end are reaching experimental territory. 17. Live and Let Die (take 10, group only) One of the highlights of the box, and the Big Barn Box as well, this has Paul’s vocal way up in the mix, and a great band-only attempt and they succeed in getting that excitement and thrill the single has. Though George Martin’s strings are excellent, the composition underneath proves it could provide its own muscle. It was a pleasure hearing the speedy guitar and piano runs and drums crashing. RED ROSE SPEEDWAY DVD Music Videos Hi Hi Hi-I was a little disappointed with this video- it’s pretty dark and not very exciting. The band does not seem to excited or happy -their stage presence just isn’t here like it normally is. The best part is the speedy coda where the stage goes red and they finally dance around a little. C Moon-Much lighter and brighter, this is the more enjoyable video despite taking place on the same soundstage as “Hi Hi Hi”. Paul sits at the piano while the group bob around to the reggae groove. Denny’s playing vibraphone and trumpet and strangely enough, Henry is playing drums. Mary Had a Little Lamb (Countryside)- With a mix of the kind of countryside background you’d see in a play and a cartoon of Mary and a lamb, this video goes back and forth between Wings playing and the cartoon. It’s a cute cartoon and Wings look kind of comfortable here sitting around and miming. That is until Henry McCullough slides off the little hill like he barely made it through the song. Mary Had a Little Lamb (desert)- Looks more like a small carnival with the clown and wizard combo of wardrobe. I’ve never seen any footage or still from this and the best part may be a sparkling Linda with the horse. Denny’s still has the rare beard and moustache like Henry. Mary Had a Little Lamb (barn)- I don’t know-hanging in a chicken coop with Wings. I’m not sure what to make of all this. While this has an actual little lamb, I didn’t realize how much Paul devoted to the ad campaign of this single. It did hit #9 UK and #28 US, it’s got to be one of his least known top tens. It’s all denim for Paul and Linda here and they could have done a promo video for “Big Barn Bed” here which I think of seeing this. Mary Had a Little Lamb (Psychedelic)- This looks like a 60’s psych TV effect with Wings in front of a green screen apparently floating in a sea of colors on their clothing and around them. They look a bit uncomfortable or stiff or tired. My Love – One of the defining moments of Wings and probably the video that most people remember this first lineup with. Paul and Linda dancing to Henry’s guitar solo, everyone’s clean shaven like the LP artwork, Paul with the mullet from the ‘Red Rose’ cover, Linda flying around with her wings. I love the karate guy back of her outfit. The red effects and smokiness remind me of the album too. I enjoy Paul’s charisma at the end with his white tuxedo and outstretching his hand like he’s dropping a #1 on us and saying ‘take that knockout song critics’. He knew that was going to be a memorable song. Live and Let Die (Liverpool live 1973) It’s in black and white and it ain’t HD that’s for sure, but it’s cool to have like everything else we got. No overdubbing later here- they seem off tune- yes Henry is one, but Paul is off on keyboards as well. It’s one of their sloppiest performances. The blinking lights are the only difference in the visual effects for the song that would become the one adorned with the most for a number of tours after. The camera work and blurred video might be tough to watch. “It’s funny for me to be up here cause I used to be up there watching Cliff [Richard]” he quips after. Newcastle Interview 1973 A little “My Love” is played and Paul and Linda do the interview on their own. Both have their mullets or whatever LOL. Linda is so fair and says the criticism was justified cause she didn’t have a lot of experience and moments show her warmth. The interviewer asks about the university tour and Paul says maybe we’ll turn up in a dining hall again at some point as a joke. -------------------------------------- Only a couple more "Mary Had a Little Lamb"s to go! I mean, um, only two more things to comment on the Big Barn Box- the Bruce McMouse Show and Wings Live Over Europe. I'll push to complete it this week since the release has been out for over a month now.
I wouldn't trust George Martin, though: note how he vetoed "My Old Friend" from Tug Of War because he felt it wasn't up to standard, yet it's one of the strongest compositions and vocal performances of the period. Quite honestly, I think "It's Not On" is indicative of how restrained Paul felt by the Pipes Of Peace sessions — with Wings, he was used to being able to follow his whims and see where they go, and with Martin it was a regimen of "keep at it until it's perfect." Press To Play's failure, I think, has more to do with Paul getting the freedom but not the results and getting frustrated with that combination — which may explain why he allowed himself more time with Flowers In The Dirt.
Dear @lennonology , I'm intrigued by the differences between the Wild Life recording dates in your most excellent book and the recent Archive Collection. Your dates are so precise, even giving some dates for overdub sessions the Archive Collection doesn't give. Yet there are quite a lot of differences in the given mix dates. And to make matters more complicated, some of the dates are weekend dates. 17 October is a Sunday for example. Would that have been a day that Abbey Road was open? How do you explain the differences? Mumbo Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 26th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 8th October 1971 8 arms: The improvisation was recorded on July 26th and received sundry overdubs (including a plastic tube) before it was mixed on October 10th. Bip Bop Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Chris Blair at Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 24th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 15th October 1971 8 arms: "Tracked" on July 24th, 'Bip Bop' was the first song to be recorded, and was among the last to be mixed (October 17th). Love Is Strange Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Chris Blair at Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 24th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 5th October 1971 8 arms: Love Is Strange was originally recorded (July 24th) as a reggae-styled instrumental. Vocals and additional instrumentation were overdubbed on October 3rd, and the results were mixed on October 5th. Wild Life Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 26th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 15th October 1971 8 arms: Recorded on July 26th and mixed on October 17th. Some People Never Know Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at Studio 1, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 25th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 10th October 1971 8 arms: Recorded on July 25th and not mixed until October 10th. I Am Your Singer Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Chris Blair at Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 24th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 6th August 1971 8 arms: It was also recorded on opening day, July 24th, and the quartet of recorders were overdubbed on July 29th. Like 'Some People Never Know', the track was also mixed on October 10th, 1971. Bip Bop Link Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 2nd October 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 17th October 1971 8 arms: This instrumental link track was first named and given a separate track listing upon its CD release in 1988. Like the 'Mumbo Link', it was recorded on October the 2nd and mixed on the 8th. Tomorrow Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 26th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 8th October 1971 8 arms: The first track to be recorded on July 26th, it was mixed on October 8th. Dear Friend Orchestra arranged and conducted by Richard Hewson Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Chris Blair at Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 24th July 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 5th August 1971 Orchestra overdubs recorded by Tony Clark and Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 16th October 1971, 02:00-04:00 PM 8 arms: Dear Friend was recorded in a single take on July 24th. Richard Hewson's string arrangement was overdubbed in Studio Two on October 16th and the recording was promptly mixed during the same session. Mumbo Link Recorded by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 8th October 1971 Mixed by Tony Clark assisted by Alan Parsons at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 8th October 1971 8 arms: no dates given