Paul's worst album?

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:27 pm

Tug of War

Runner up.

jwh · Post by **jwh** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:20 pm

I'd have to say McCartney II is his worst album.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:26 pm

I don't own TOW, but did manage McCartney II...about 20 seconds into "Temporary Secretary" I remember removing the album from the turntable, feeling scammed. I then put on "Abbey Road" to console myself.

I only gave it a second, complete, listen several months later. It was no better.

The copy that I still own, has been played all the way through only once. I remember it as the "Secretary" album. Believe me, I know when something has the possibility of "growing on me". This one?

Not a chance.

lennonon · Post by **lennonon** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:47 pm

I know it's been mentioned but "Pipes of Peace"??? Rubbish. At least "Wild Life" has "Dear Friend" on it, where we get to hear a bewildered Big Macca express his angst and undying love for Lennon...

McCartney II is pretty bad, but I often don't even think of that as an album. "Driving Rain" is pretty much all dismissable now. "London Town" blows.

"Red Rose Speedway", "flowers in the Dirt" and "Off The ground" are also as mediocre as you can get without being *****.

On the other side, I love "Ram", I'm an "Egg" fan, "McCartney's" not bad.

Oh yeah, And anything having more than two Beatles songs on it (apart from Wings over America). Stop with the awful live re-re-re-re-recordings of these songs.

And, as someone unfortunate enough to have been in the Twin Towers that Tuesday morning I can tell you that "Freedom" is gut wrenchingly embarasssing. It may be the worst thing he ever wrote. I guess he's excused for the gut reaction on that one. Now if only we had a reason for "Move Over Busker"

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:24 pm

I wonder what the "Freedom" bashers think of "Give Peace a Chance"? To me they are the same song. Written quickly and thrown out there. For some reason if Lennon wrote an anthem song he was a genius. Personally, I think GPAC is over rated. I understand the meaning, but it is no Day in the Life.

ccollette · Post by **ccollette** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:26 pm

I'm in really late on this discussion. While we all sit around and ponder what each of us thinks Paul's worst album is, think about the best of today. Think about the song that holds the current #1 position. Akon's "I Wanna Love You", while JayZ's "Kingdom Come" sits atop the album charts ahead of The Beatles. What does this all say? People's tastes are different.. or at least the buying public are after Jay Z and not Paul McCartney. I remember being pretty impressed with his newest album 'Chaos and Creation In the Backyard". My personal feeling is that, though there was still room for improvement, it was a great record.

I have all of Paul's ablums from McCartney to Ecce Cor Meum (including the Fireman albums). I'd have to say that my least favorite mainstream release is probably McCartney II. Having said that, some Duranie out there might love it for the techno sounds on it. Also, there are some songs on it that I really love... Waterfalls, One Of These Days, On the Way.

The other thing we might consider thinking of is that Paul, while in The Beatles wrote about 6 tracks per album (give or take). What other songs did he write, or was he working on that he didn't bring in to the studio? With Wings, the weight was on his shoulders to do all the writing; come up with all of the hits. For those of you who have all of Paul's post Beatles stuff, go through each album (and the singles) and pick out the best 6 or so. Pretty frikin' good aren't they?

Also, consider the exhausting rate he produced material during the Wings period specifically. Most groups today take 3-5 years to come up with an album - I dare you to find 3 songs on most of those albums that are superb. I dare you to list 10 #1 hits this year that belonged in the #1 spot. The times have changed, and the 64 year old is no longer the new sexy hunk on the music video station...he doesn't have all the bling and T&A that so many use to sell records. The days of us all waiting to see Paul with a #1 again have long past - not because of lack of good music, but because Paul isn't fashionable anymore.

Anyway, I could ramble on all night....yap yap.
Just my opinions, feel free to tear them apart.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:45 pm

Waterfalls! Another buried treasure---good call. That and the Venus and Mars intro to Rock Show.

Poor Paul just learned to write songs collaboratively with Lennon, and he often laments the loss of his partner...in 1970. All alone, it's hit and miss with no one to smack him upside the head when necessary, or toss in an extra little bit to put it over the top ("can't get no worse...").

I love the man and his music. And at the same time, he can really get on my *****.

expomick · Post by **expomick** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:35 am

Where were all of you guys earlier this week?
Interesting comments all around.

I also feel that "Give Peace A Chance" is an over-rated song, so to speak...but it's catchy and it was recorded during the "Beatles Days" (excuse me if I have my dates wrong), so it probably gets a pass partly because of that.

Though I must confess, in late August of 2002, I was in Montreal to cover the first Champ Car race (then known as CART) in that city. We stayed at the same hotel that Lennon and Ono stayed in.

Management has grown weary of showing people around that room (you can book it for a ton of money), but we pestered them until we got the tour. The room is tastefully set up to acknowledge that GPAC was recorded there.

I also like most of "Back To The Egg", and usually that is a McCartney album that gets dumped on.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:18 am

Great post, Chris.

One has to remember he was putting out albums when, at various times, his chart competition was the Bay City Rollers, Menudo, Air Supply, Duran Duran, etc.

Additionally, when with Wings (and later, I suppose), he wasn't just writing and performing for lost Beatle fans, but a whole new audience of younger teenyboppers.

Yeah, there's some less than stellar product that has been put out by Paul (and the other solo fabs), but as has been said here before, he (and they) have put out so many untouchable songs, it would be impossible to maintain that quality for 40 years.

(I have been getting into Ram after a few decades of not listening to it, and am impressed with his "Teenage Symphonies To God" - BW influences on it).

(Note finger configuation)

congerz83 · Post by **congerz83** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:37 am

I love "London Town." MORSE MOOSE!!

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:45 pm

I always thought that London Town had some great melodies. I think it could have been a better album had it been taken a bit more seriously. I like the track "Don't Let it Bring You Down" the best.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:37 am

I always thought McCartney II was the worst for me. I liked most of the others but that one was the dud for me. I liked London Town too Brian. Especially "I've Had Enough" that one's nice to hear after a long hard day.

rickboy88 · Post by **rickboy88** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:03 pm

I'm another one who also might like "Back to the Egg" more than most. I still just have the LP of that, never getting around to the CD. I should dig that out tonight!
I also like the laid back newer "Chaos and Creation". Too bad he never used his 4001S on it (all instruments are listed out for each track).

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:20 pm

Thanks Randy! Glad I'm not alone.

David, Back to the Egg is one that I can really enjoy sometimes and other times just turn it off. I'm not sure what that is, but I guess it depends on my mood.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:40 am

Read through the interview. He speaks briefly about an album he didn't think was that good.

http://homepage.mac.com/paul_mccartney/macca_report/latest.htm