Take it Away! Two guys take us through Paul McCartney’s misunderstood and often unfairly maligned post Beatles career. Have listened to all the 70s ones and while I don’t agree with everything, I think it is an excellent listen.
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This is a great podcast, having tried a couple of Macca-Fabscasts, this is the only one I felt compelled to go on and binge-listen to. I went through them all in Feb-Mar and yes, I don’t agree with everything they say, but they have done their research and are prepared. It made me go back and listen to, and even like, Press To Play. That’s an achievement. And it shines a light on overlooked tracks such as this slice of stomping Macca madness:
Like Press to Play? You are going too far there Dr. (but I didn’t get that far yet). However equally Wildlife has a terrible reputation and has a few gorgeous songs (see above), likewise Red Rose Speedway. I thought this anyway , but they reinforced that.
One small dislike is they refer to side 2 of albums as the B side and sometimes call tracks records, so e.g. it’s the 2nd record on the B side of this record. They also worry too much about lyric “meaning”, but these are minor quibbles.
I adore Wildlife, I think it’s a great record. These podcasts have made me realise something: As a kid discovering the Beatles in the late 80s, I wished I could have enjoyed the albums as they came out. Discovering solo Macca, I never wished that. In fact it’s detrimental to his solo career. Macca’s solo career is much more enjoyable now as a retrospective thing. A big, crazy vat of good and bad.
Thanks for alerting me to this. Just listened to the first ‘McCartney’ one. Enjoyable and informed opinions, although I feel they’re being a bit too generous in their admiration of this one. Macca’s decision to insert a Q&A – which effectively signalled an end to Fabdom – remains a strange one.
I think Lennon was actually right that M used the split to help sell his record. But that was fair enough in terms of how he’d been shat on with Let it Be.
I agree that McCartney had reasons to be miffed, but the Q&A insert seems an odd route to take. A lot of passive aggression circling around that time, I guess, and lawyers getting in the way of face to face communication.
Didn’t the others earn royalties from ‘McCartney’? ‘Sentimental Journey’ also came out before ‘Let it Be’.
I think they all earned royalties from each other’s solo albums up to 73. And I believe McCartney had negotiated a better rate so he got more than the others and at that time he wasn’t selling more than John, George or Ringo.
Which is why Ram was credited to Paul AND Linda. Linda wasn’t part of the Apple deal. So 50% went to her, the other 50% went to Apple.
She got songwriting credits too up to Band on the Run I believe.
Listened to part one of the Ram podcast yesterday, and I was a bit shocked to hear that ‘Dear Boy’ was not another sarky Lennon dig, but some Macca unpleasantness aimed at Melville See Jr, Linda’s first husband, who committed suicide in 2000.
It’s pretty weird to write a song about your partner’s ex., but to do it in such a condescending, high-handed way? That’s not a good look.
“And even when you fall in love, dear boy,
It won’t be half as good as this”
…the only reasonable answer to this is “Fuck off, you smug c***”
Great song though
True. Love that effect on his voice, and beautifully sung.
F*** context!
Amazing arrangement too, in my top 5 solo Macca.
Cheers for the recommendation, going to give this one a go, will start by sampling At The Speed of Sound, been playing that a lot recently. This is a gem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmsSkZaUUoc
Update: listened to all the albums ones now, finding I disagree more and more. Can’t remember the names of the guys, but one of them describes most things as “great” (he even loves Ebony and Ivory), the other sometimes seems to like to adopt a contrary position e.g. leaving off the wonderful, glorious Golden Earth Girl from his Off the Ground compilation because he doesn’t like the lyrics! I think that is somewhat missing the point of McCartney. Still enjoyable though.
Just heard on the excellent Nothing is Real podcast from our own @DrJ and @Steven-C that one of the presenters of this podcast, Ryan Brady, has passed away apparently in a car crash. He was 34, his main job was as a record company executive, but he was also a musician. What terribly sad news, RIP Ryan.
Only just hearing this now, @dai – I was still subscribed to the podcast and two new episodes just popped up – tributes to Ryan Brady. I enjoyed listening to the podcast – like most, I didn’t agree with everything but there was no denying their enthusiasm and fascination with their subject. RIP.
Yes I got that too, also gave his other podcast a listen. Seemed to be a really nice guy, what a terrible shame.