My first real-time awareness to the stranger side of Paul McCartney was when Coming Up was released. I was about 12 and getting into pop music. At the time, I didn’t realise it was him and the song just grabbed me straight away. It’s *obviously* him, I realise that now – but without context and just hearing this immediately brilliant pop song on the radio stopped me in my tracks and it was brilliant to eventually find out the truth.
Temporary Secretary was from the sane album and sounds even less like him. And let’s be clear about this, the song is completely great. Could be Silicon Teens/The Normal, could be a Residents number (but the fact it’s got a tune rules that out), or “Weird!” Al Jankovic, or at a push Randy Newman or at an even bigger push Frank Zappa. But no – it’s everyone’s favourite scallly, aahr Paul.
So – what I would like you to post is Macca songs that don’t sound at all like him. Not the meandering sound experiments, but preferably songs that on first listen don’t make you think it’s him. I’m sure there are quite a few.
This is a bit of extreme Macca, maybe a tad self-conscious, but still pretty good
Or then there’s this… if we’re including The Fireman
Ian Peel wrote a brilliant book, ‘The Unknown Paul McCartney’ charting his long history of off-kilter, experimentation and non mainstream music
The first one couldn’t be anyone but McCartney really but it is a great song.
The second one – wouldn’t have picked that as Macca but it makes sense now I know.
The first two The Fireman albums “Strawberries, Oceans, Ships, Forest” and “Rushes” are pretty radically un-Macca in content. Electric Arguments quite a bit less so but still worthwhile. In my opinion.
I had a re-listen to all three just a few days ago, purely on a whim. Probably my favourite McCartney albums.
There are loads
It’s the kind of song you’d hear over the PA before a show and you make a mental note to find out what it is. Bit of a giveaway at the end as his unmistakable speaking voice is heard. Something that would make it amazing would be a loud, internal organ-shifting bass line.
Yep, I’ve jettisoned a considerable number of Dylan and Beatles’ books in the last few years, but one I kept was “The Unknown McCartney.”
I always thought that Paul was the weird one in the Beatles.
Penny Lane or Strawberry Fields Forever? For me, the weird one is Penny Lane.
Strawberry Fields still sounds like one of the weirdest things they ever did. I came to it knowing only early Beatles, was like something from another planet for a 14 yr old
McCartney played a large part in the strangeness of Lennon’s songs of course. The tape loops on TNK or the idea of the orchestra on ADITL. He wasn’t so out there on his own Beatles stuff though. Anyway I thought we’d got beyond a McCartney versus Lennon contest, which DD wants to persist with. They all were indispensable really.
Yes he plays the intro on Strawberry Fields
DD????
“Diddy” David
Definitely the correct superhero alter ego as he, too, hasn’t been able to see anything since the sixties..
Paul can’t possible compete with the very strange comments above (not Dai’s one).
1. Strange that one can’t compare Paul with John on the same 45. Why not? I think Penny Lane is weirder… so did John Robertson.
2. “Definitely the correct superhero alter ego as he too walrus jibbidy jabbedy on the hill yadda yadda. ..”
Wtffffff does that mean???
You calling me a Fulham supporter? You reckon?
Thanks for clearing that up.
There’s a lot going on there – My Sharona, a bit proggy and a honky tonk piano which makes me think of the Glass of Champagne hitmakers, Sailor. A curate’s egg (no pun intended).
I would never have picked this is as a Macca tune. I am travelling through the galaxy with Carl Sagan speaking from time to time.
Another one from Macca 2. This is just gorgeous.
Actually a B side but appears on the extended reissue
*sigh* Yes…
Thanks – yes, not immediately identifiable. Feels a bit cosmic again – can imagine the Catina band on Tatooine giving this one a nudge.
None of these videos are available to me – have MPL put the hems on them?
Honey Pie. Also Kreen Akrore. He’s something of a conceptual artist who wants to give an idea a go even if it doesn’t seem to mean anything.
I’m familiar with this one. I know both John and Paul like it because they had such fun doing it, but it’s not great.
We did one whole podcast episode on the song, it’s a classic! : https://play.acast.com/s/nothing-is-real-a-beatles-podcast/nothing-is-real
And very good it was too. Agree completely
This is brilliantly barmy. It has no words, so I doubt many people would identify it as McCartney.
This is my favourite so far. The melody line reminds of Jet but I only say that because I know it’s McCartney. I love the fact that he didn’t build it into a more straightforward song . Beginning to think McCartney II is an album I should have been into in 1980.
MII definitely benefited from being expanded in 2011. Truth be told the 3CD version is too much, but the original album isn’t enough. It would have been a great CD-length double vinyl album.
Hello All,
First time poster, but read this thread and had a contribution. It *may* fall into the category of “Obviously Macca”, but I think it qualifies under the subject title.
It is 222
Thanks for posting – I don’t think it is obviously Macca and it’s another lovely piece I can imagine hearing at an art installation (say) and liking it a great deal.
Thanks 🙂
By the way, I love Temporary Secretary as well. Monkberry Moon Delight is superb, but I would not class it as “Out There”. I think his vocals are great there, and you can hear his voice “failing” once or twice.