Paul's 30 Best Post-Beatles Singles

An American journalist has recently published their list of Macca's top 30 post-Beatles singles, including Wings and solo tracks.  One day we'll get around to listing our favourites, but for now let's see what they have to say.

1. Maybe I'm Amazed (1977)
2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (1971)
3. Band on the Run (1973)
4. The Back Seat of My Car (1971)
5. Another Day (1971)
6. Jet (1973)
7. Coming Up (1980)
8. Fine Line (2005)
9. Old Siam, Sir (1979)
10. No More Lonely Nights (1984)
11. Silly Love Songs (1976)
12. I've Had Enough (1978)
13. Letting Go (1975)
14. Helen Wheels (1972)
15. Goodnight Tonight (1979)
16. Arrow Through Me (1979)
17. New (2013)
18. Live and Let Die (1973)
19. My Love (1973)
20. Waterfalls (1980)
21. Junior's Farm (1974)
22. Venus and Mars/Rock Show (1975)
23. Getting Closer (1979)
24. Jenny Wren (2005)
25. Hi Hi Hi (1972)
26. My Brave Face (1989)
27. With a Little Luck (1978)
28. Temporary Secretary (1980)
29. Young Boy (1977)
30. This One (1989)

Do you agree?  What are your favourites? 

Paul Calls off Japan Tour

Paul McCartney has recently made a public announcement on social media letting his fans know that he has come down with a virus.  He postponed a Tokyo concert on the 18th of May after contracting the virus with hopes to continue the rest of his shows in Japan.  However, he did not recover overnight like he hoped and has been forced to cancel the rest of the Japanese leg of the tour with doctors' orders for bed rest.  Paul has since plighted his sincerest apologies to his Japanese fans as he is very upset to be letting them down.  The postponed concerts are hoped to be rescheduled at a later date.

Paul Tours the U.S.

Sir Paul has recently announced a large lineup of concerts in the U.S. this year as part of his Out There! tour.  So far he has 17 concerts lined up with four of them already sold out!  Check out the dates and locations below. 

June 14: Lubbock, TX - United Spirit Arena
June 16: Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
June 19: New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center (SOLD OUT)
June 21: Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
June 22: Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
June 25: Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
June 26: Louisville, KY – Yum! Center (SOLD OUT)
July 5: Albany, NY – Times Union Center (SOLD OUT)
July 7: Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center (SOLD OUT)
July 9: Chicago, IL - United Center
July 12: Fargo, ND - Fargodome
July 14: Lincoln, NE - Pinnacle Bank Arena
July 16: Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
August 2: Minneapolis, MN - Target Field
August 7: Salt Lake City, UT - EnergySolutions Arena
August 10: Los Angeles, CA - Dodgers Stadium
August 14: San Francisco, CA - Candlestick Park

Throwback Thursday: The Beatles

Though the Fabs' tenth album is actually self-titled (as The Beatles), it is more commonly known as its appropriately-dubbed name The White Album.  Whilst the plain cover itself is somewhat bland, there is a key feature unique to an album cover.   On the sleeve for all the original records released the title "The BEATLES" is embossed, rather than printed, and each album has an individual serial number.  Additionally special to this album is the fact that it is a double album, and one of the first to be released by contemporary popular artists (other artists such as Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan released double albums around the same time).  The White Album was released on November 22nd, 1968, being the only album for the group that year.

Being a double album, it contains double the amount of songs than a regular album - 30 in total (disc one has 17, disc two has 13).  Most of the songs were recorded with less than all four members performing, and many were 'solo' recordings.  Ringo left the band briefly (but was coaxed back), meaning that Paul had to play the drums on the two opening tracks, "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Dear Prudence".  Everyone was basically doing their own thing and exploring their individual talents.  The White Album introduces Ringo's first solo composition, "Don't Pass Me By".  He also lends his vocals to last track "Good Night".

Previously only getting one to three of his songs on an album, George contributed four to the double album: "Savoy Truffle", "Piggies" and the often overlooked "Long Long Long".  One of the most-loved and famous Beatles songs, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", is his fourth contribution.  Eric Clapton plays lead guitar on the track.  Third track "Glass Onion" references earlier Beatles songs "I am the Walrus", "The Fool on the Hill", "Fixing a Hole", "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Lady Madonna" (released as a single in 1968).

Some of the songs were written whilst The Beatles were visiting the Maharishi in India. These include Lennon's "Sexy Sadie" (originally titled "Maharishi" with crude lyrics), "Dear Prudence", (written about Mia Farrow's sister) "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" and "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" (which marks the only occasion when a female sings lead at all on any Beatles songs, with Yoko Ono singing the line "Not when he looks so fierce").  The album also includes the highly experimental track "Revolution 9", which is referred to as a 'sound collage'.

Four songs were recorded during the White Album sessions which were released as 1968's singles - "Revolution", "Hey Jude", "Lady Madonna" and "The Inner Light" (a Harrison composition featuring the sitar).  "Hey Bulldog" was also recorded at this time but wasn't released until the following year on the Yellow Submarine album.

Unique to this Beatles album: The Beatles is the only double album released by the band.

Product of 1969

1969 was a big year.  In Beatles history it was the year Abbey Road was released and the year they officially broke up.  Other historical events included the moon landing and, most likely, the birth of either you or someone you know.  To celebrate 45 years this year, why not get a fun commemorative professionally designed t-shirt?  Click here to order one now!

Throwback Thursday: Magical Mystery Tour

Roll up, roll up for the Magical Mystery Tour, step right this way!  
These are the unmistakable opening lyrics of "Magical Mystery Tour" which, like it's predecessors A Hard Day's Night and Help!, shares its title with an album and a film. The studio album, released on Boxing Day of 1967, is actually the soundtrack to the film.  The idea came about when, after the success of Sgt. Pepper, Paul (unsurprisingly) suggested that the band make an unscripted film about their music.  The ultimate result was a bunch of ordinary people, and the Beatles themselves, traveling on a coach going on different 'magical' adventures - all in all equating to a lot of nonsense.  Whilst the film was not admired by critics (or many people, really), it's still a favourite amongst diehard Beatles fans.

The film contained six Beatles compositions including "The Fool on the Hill", "Blue Jay Way" (Harrison's only contribution to the film/album), "Your Mother Should Know", "Flying" (an instrumental piece credited to Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey), well-known favourite "I Am the Walrus" and, of course, the titular track, opening the film. These six songs make up the first side of the soundtrack/LP, which is the shortest album for the group, totalling only 11 songs.

The remaining five songs released on the soundtrack were not written with the film (or an album) in mind and were, in fact, 1967's singles thrown onto the record.  "Hello, Goodbye", "Baby You're a Rich Man", "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" were the singles the group released in 1967 and are, of course, well-known and liked.  Ah, but we can't forget perhaps The Beatles' most universally-known and quoted song - "All You Need is Love", of course, was the fifth single for 1967 and the final track on the record.  The song was actually performed on a live broadcast via satellite to 26 different countries.

Whilst Magical Mystery Tour is considered one of The Beatles' thirteen studio albums, the 11-tracked soundtrack version was actually initially only released in the US whilst in the UK a double EP was released consisting only of the six songs actually in the film.

Unique to this Beatles album: technically it's not one of their studio albums as the LP was only released in America.

Throwback Thursday: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Everyone knows it.  It's only Rolling Stone magazine's listed number one greatest album of all time.  It was 46 years, 9 months and 26 days ago today!  Sgt. Pepper told the band to play!  They've been going in and out of style, and they're guaranteed to raise a smile.  46 years, 9 months and 26 days is the exact duration from when the legendary album was released (June 1st 1967) and today (March 27th 2014).  And they certainly have not gone out of style!

The concept came about from an idea Paul had of recording an album as a fictitious band (with the leader supposed to be Sgt. Pepper).  The only 'band member' who is actually named is Billy Shears, the pseudonym of Ringo Starr.  The opening track shares a title with the album, and it introduces the band before segueing into "With a Little Help From My Friends" and introducing Billy Shears.  Paul and John wrote the song specifically for Ringo to sing.  However this alter ego concept ended with the opening two songs and the titular reprise second-last on the album.  The idea was quickly abandoned and, whilst the remaining songs on the record are extraordinary, they bear no connection to the idea.

The sitar makes an appearance once again with George's sole piece on the album, "Within You Without You".  Fun fact: the album was influenced by the Beach Boys' 1966 album Pet Sounds, which itself was influenced by Rubber Soul.  This influence can be seen on "Good Morning Good Morning" with the animal sounds.  A popular song from the album, "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds", was written by John about a drawing his son Julian had showed him, contrary to popular belief.  The entire lyrics of "Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite!" were derived from an 1843 circus poster that John had purchased from an antiques shop.  The track also features a middle of various recording tapes chopped and mixed up to give the whimsical tunes heard.  A similar technique was used on Revolver's "Tomorrow Never Knows".   Other tracks on the album include "Fixing a Hole", "She's Leaving Home", "Lovely Rita", "Getting Better" and "When I'm Sixty-Four".

Perhaps (or very likely) the most loved and well-known performance, not just from this album but of all Beatles songs, is "A Day in the Life".  It has been named the number one Beatles song and number 28 in Rolling Stone's list of greatest songs.  The last track on the album, it incorporates a forty-piece orchestra, heard in the middle of the song and on the famous final chord, which rings out for over forty seconds.  There are two distinct parts of the song - John's (verses) and Paul's (middle).  At the end of the song, amongst random studio chatter, is a very high-pitched dog whistle.

The album cover collage contains around sixty people including Ghandi, Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, Edgar Allen Poe, Sigmund Freud, Lewis Carroll and original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe.   Lennon wanted to include Jesus and Adolf Hitler but were ultimately left out of the final product.  To the left of the Beatles themselves, you can see wax models of them.  There are supposedly various 'clues' on the album sleeve which contribute to the 'Paul is Dead' theory.

Unique to this Beatles album: many many many things.

A Guy in Uruguay

Following on from previous announcements about tours in Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, Sir Paul has now announced another location - Uruguay!  It's seems South America are the lucky ones this time around.  Maybe he should keep this southern hemispherical theme and move west... there's a very large country with a very large fan base here waiting for you, Paul!

Throwback Thursday: Revolver

  

Revolver marks the halfway point for the band, album-wise, being their seventh out of thirteen.  It also signifies a pivotal point in their musical development.  They started to experiment with different styles and even invent new techniques.  Revolver was the precursor for the famed and much-loved subsequent album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which is often classified as the most experimental and pivotal album in, not only The Beatles themselves' history, but in the history of rock and pop music.  It is also said to have heralded the beginning of the psychedelic era.  Like most of their albums, this LP contains fourteen songs.  However this time George Harrison was lucky enough to get three of his songs featured on the album.

Whilst many of the songs are much-loved and well-known (the likes of "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine"), it's the lesser-known, more obscure compositions which exhibited fresh musical techniques and styles.  Harrison plays the sitar on his track "Love You To", much like he did the previous year on Rubber Soul's "Norwegian Wood". Harrison also contributed opening track "Taxman" and "I Want To Tell You".  Adding to the list of 'firsts' that The Beatles provided to the musical world, Lennon's "I'm Only Sleeping" contains a guitar solo - but not just any guitar solo.  Oh no, it's a backwards guitar solo, played by Harrison, created by running the tape backwards.  This was a unique technique in 1966.  "Tomorrow Never Knows" may be the most experimental one, with the entire song consisting of different random tapes looped and played in odd sequences, with the final result being sounds such as the 'seagull' sound heard throughout the song.

Many are under the impression that drummer Ringo penned the popular "Yellow Submarine" due to his deep baritone vocals dominating the tune.  In actual fact, Paul dreamed up the song with Ringo in mind.  Of course, the immensely popular single went on to become an animated film and an album for the quartet, released three years later.

The album cover illustration was created by bassist Klaus Voormann, an old friend of the group whom they'd met in their Hamburg days.  The artwork is a mixture between line drawings and photo collages.  Voormann's name can be seen woven into the right side of Harrison's hair.  There are certainly many aspects of Revolver which make it unforgettable, loveable and revolutionary.

Unique to this Beatles album: the album features the first backwards guitar solo, seen on "I'm Only Sleeping"

Paul Does South America

Following on from last year's Out There tour, Sir Paul has recently announced some new tour destinations, set to take place in April this year.  This time around Paul is heading south... South America, that is, with concerts lined up in Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and Ecuador.  It seems, in typical Paul McCartney fashion (much like last year), the dates and locations are being revealed periodically, usually one at a time.  We are anxious to see where he is heading next and if (hopefully) it's on other continents too!  Watch this space for more tour information.