BEST OF THE BEST OF Paul MCCARTNEY POST BEATLES' songs (TOP 20)

wingsoverkc wrote:

BJ, why do you do this to us?? Ha.  Well, let me pour a tall bourbon and diet Coke, make some notes, and away we go (no particular order, they all are #1):

Every Night  (McCartney) - should had been released as a single

Backseat of My Car (RAM) - ditto as above

Bip Bop (Wild Life) - Sue me; I just love this song

RRS Medley (RRSpeedway) - Sue me again; ten minutes of beautiful and fun McCartney

Hi Hi Hi (single) - powerful, naughty, and just rocks!

Helen Wheels (BOTR) - Great fun lyrics, incredible guitars and drums

Band On The Run (BOTR) - Duh

Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five (BOTR) - IMO, the greatest rock song of the 70's

Listen To What The Man Said (Venus and Mars) - The perfect pop song; just perfect

Silly Love Songs (Speed of Sound) - ditto as above; 'and what's wrong with that, I like to know!'

Let 'Em In (Speed of Sound) - my daughter called it the 'marching song'; the reaction in Moline in 2019 was powerful!

Maybe I'm Amazed (Wings Over America) - played at my wedding in 1990; still give me chills

London Town (London Town) - the most Beatlesque song Wings recorded

Girl's School (single) -  Wings at their absolute best; everything I love about Wings in this rocker

So Glad To See You Here (Back To The Egg) - Another Wings classic; fast, loud, messy, and just plain rocks!

Once Upon A Long Ago (single) - An amazing, haunting tune

Average Person (Pipes of Peace) - Sue me again, but this song has lyrics that just touched my soul. I used to be both a bartender and boxer

Every Present Past (Memory Almost Full) - A classic McCartney tune; so reminded me of Wings. 

Queenie Eye (NEW) - Another song that made me proud to be a McCartney fan. 

Dominoes/Happy With You (Egypt Station) - Sorry, sue me, but can't decided which song is better. Simple masterpieces.

 

Great post Wingsoverkc.  We're much alike being so crazy about Post Beatle Paul.  Some of your choices I had considered for my list (1985,  Listen to What the Man Said, Let 'em In,  Ever Present Past, Dominoes etc) and others had me laughing with your comments.  Great that Maybe I'm Amazed was played at your Wedding.  Thanks again for your quick resply.  

PS I loved your Bip Bop comment.

In no particular order, although MIA is definitely #1:

 1. Maybe I'm Amazed

 2. Band On The Run 

 3. Hi Hi Hi 

 4. Magneto & Titanium Man

 5. Helen Wheels

 6. Jet

 7. Wanderlust

 8. Dear Boy

 9. No More Lonely Nights

10. Beautiful Night

11. Calico Skies 

12. Somedays 

13. Little Willow 

14. Young Boy

15. Heaven On A Sunday

16. Appreciate 

17. I Can Bet

18. New

19. I Don't Know

20. Come On To Me

Bruce M. wrote:

This is impossible, but what the hell, I'll play. This list is approximately chronological as I can't possibly rate these over each other:

Maybe I'm Amazed

Too Many People

Band on the Run

Silly Love Songs

Here Today

Wanderlust

The Pound Is Sinking

Calico Skies

Little Willow

Somedays

Too Much Rain

Riding to Vanity Fair

Mr. Bellamy

Only Mama Knows

The End of the End

Sing the Changes (GENYC live version)

Confidante

Dominoes

Hand in Hand

Do It Now

Great list Bruce.  There is not one song on your choices that I don't love.  I had Too Many People on my initial Top 20 but changed it out for Uncle Albert because it was such a big hit.  I actually like Too Many People better.  I also love some of your choices that weren't on my Top 20 like The Pound is Sinking, Somedays, Mr. Bellamy and Sing the Changes.  The last one is also a great choice.  I hear the GENYC live version on Spotify all the time and it is great.  Finally, I love the fact that you have 4 Egypt Station songs in your list.  I love them all but I have to say that I Don't Know is still my favorite ES song.  I still can't believe that Paul didn't play one of the 5 (including I Don't Know) on his post ES tours.  I still shake my head. 

Kestrel wrote:

In no particular order apart from Waterfalls being my absolute favourite: 

Waterfalls.

Little Lamb Dragonfly.

Scared.

You Tell Me.

Riding To Vanity Fair.

How Kind Of You.

Somedays.

No Values.

Love In Song.

Somebody Who Cares.

Distractions.

Single Pigeon.

That Day Is Done.

Juniors Farm.

I lie Around.

Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five

One Of These Days

Dear Friend.

Country Dreamer.

Band On The Run.

 

Great list Kestrel.  I still remember that you got me onto Scared.  I didn't like it initially but after repeated listens I love it too.

Love some of your non-hit choices like Waterfalls, Country Dreamer, I Lie Around, Single Pigeon, Distractions, Love in Song and LIttle Lamb Dragonfly.  I liked You Tell Me as a song but didn't like the production on this track on the MAF CD.  The production on MAF still frustrates me a lot because so many of the songs are so great.

B J Conlee wrote:

Similar to a previous Post that asked us to list our  the Top 40 of Paul's Post Beatles' songs, but in this case I thought it would be interesting to narrow that list down to the top 20 BEST OF THE BEST Paul songs beginning with his first album McCartney.  This list would include all Post Beatle Paul songs including his period with Wings.  I am going to start with my own personal Top 20 list.  I also decided to narrow my list to songs that are "relatively well known" to Beatle and Paul fans.  Songs that have gotten at least some airplay or in other cases, a lot of airplay.  I'm not going to include my favorites that I would call highly underrated or  generally unknown unless you're a Paul geek like I am.  

The general criteria I am using includes: songs written entirely or almost entirely by Paul,  final studio performance including vocals, overall melody, creativity (is it unique and doesn't sound like other Paul or Beatle songs) etc.   

Here's is my list pretty much in album order.

TOP 20 PAUL MCCARTNEY POST BEATLE SONGS

1. MAYBE I'M AMAZED (MCCARTNEY) ...Album version

2. BAND ON THE RUN (BAND ON THE RUN)

3. UNCLE ALBERT/ADMIRAL HALSEY (RAM)

4. LIVE AND LET DIE (SINGLE)

5. SILLY LOVE SONGS (WINGS AT THE SPEED OF SOUND)

6. WITH A LITTLE LUCK (LONDON TOWN)...album version

7. MULL OF KINTYRE (SINGLE)

8. COMING UP (MCCARTNEY 2)...album version

9. HERE TODAY (TUG OF WAR)

10. WANDERLUST (TUG OF WAR)

11. PUT IT THERE (FLOWERS IN THE DIRT)

12. CALICO SKIES (FLAMING PIE)

13. BEAUTIFUL NIGHT (FLAMING PIE)

14. LITTLE WILLOW (FLAMING PIE)

15. RIDING TO VANITY FAIR (CHAOS)

16. TOO MUCH RAIN (CHAOS)

17. ONLY MAMA KNOWS (MEMORY ALMOST FULL)

18. THE END OF THE END (MEMORY ALMOST FULL)

19, EARLY DAYS (NEW) 

20. I DON'T KNOW (EGYPT STATION)

IF I HAD TO NARROW IT DOWN TO A TOP 10, MY LIST FROM ABOVE WOULD BE:

1.MAYBE I'M AMAZED 

2.BAND ON THE RUN

3.LIVE AND LET DIE 

4.SILLY LOVE SONGS 

5.WANDERLUST

6.RIDING TO VANITY FAIR 

7.CALICO SKIES 

8.BEAUTIFUL NIGHT 

9.ONLY MAMA KNOWS  

10. I DON'T KNOW

1) Maybe I'm Amazed

2) Venus Mars/Rock Show

3) Band On The Run

4) Tug Of War (the song)

5) How Kind Of You

6) Wanderlust

7) About You

8) House Of Wax

9) Too Much Rain

10) Jet

11) Dear Boy

12) Little Willow

13) Dance Til We're High

14) I Can Bet

15) That Was Me

16) My Brave Face

17) Early Days

18) Here Today

19) Despite Repeated Warnings

20) Beware My Love

Yankeefan2 wrote:

B J Conlee wrote:

Similar to a previous Post that asked us to list our  the Top 40 of Paul's Post Beatles' songs, but in this case I thought it would be interesting to narrow that list down to the top 20 BEST OF THE BEST Paul songs beginning with his first album McCartney.  This list would include all Post Beatle Paul songs including his period with Wings.  I am going to start with my own personal Top 20 list.  I also decided to narrow my list to songs that are "relatively well known" to Beatle and Paul fans.  Songs that have gotten at least some airplay or in other cases, a lot of airplay.  I'm not going to include my favorites that I would call highly underrated or  generally unknown unless you're a Paul geek like I am.  

The general criteria I am using includes: songs written entirely or almost entirely by Paul,  final studio performance including vocals, overall melody, creativity (is it unique and doesn't sound like other Paul or Beatle songs) etc.   

Here's is my list pretty much in album order.

TOP 20 PAUL MCCARTNEY POST BEATLE SONGS

1. MAYBE I'M AMAZED (MCCARTNEY) ...Album version

2. BAND ON THE RUN (BAND ON THE RUN)

3. UNCLE ALBERT/ADMIRAL HALSEY (RAM)

4. LIVE AND LET DIE (SINGLE)

5. SILLY LOVE SONGS (WINGS AT THE SPEED OF SOUND)

6. WITH A LITTLE LUCK (LONDON TOWN)...album version

7. MULL OF KINTYRE (SINGLE)

8. COMING UP (MCCARTNEY 2)...album version

9. HERE TODAY (TUG OF WAR)

10. WANDERLUST (TUG OF WAR)

11. PUT IT THERE (FLOWERS IN THE DIRT)

12. CALICO SKIES (FLAMING PIE)

13. BEAUTIFUL NIGHT (FLAMING PIE)

14. LITTLE WILLOW (FLAMING PIE)

15. RIDING TO VANITY FAIR (CHAOS)

16. TOO MUCH RAIN (CHAOS)

17. ONLY MAMA KNOWS (MEMORY ALMOST FULL)

18. THE END OF THE END (MEMORY ALMOST FULL)

19, EARLY DAYS (NEW) 

20. I DON'T KNOW (EGYPT STATION)

IF I HAD TO NARROW IT DOWN TO A TOP 10, MY LIST FROM ABOVE WOULD BE:

1.MAYBE I'M AMAZED 

2.BAND ON THE RUN

3.LIVE AND LET DIE 

4.SILLY LOVE SONGS 

5.WANDERLUST

6.RIDING TO VANITY FAIR 

7.CALICO SKIES 

8.BEAUTIFUL NIGHT 

9.ONLY MAMA KNOWS  

10. I DON'T KNOW

1) Maybe I'm Amazed

2) Venus Mars/Rock Show

3) Band On The Run

4) Tug Of War (the song)

5) How Kind Of You

6) Wanderlust

7) About You

8) House Of Wax

9) Too Much Rain

10) Jet

11) Dear Boy

12) Little Willow

13) Dance Til We're High

14) I Can Bet

15) That Was Me

16) My Brave Face

17) Early Days

18) Here Today

19) Despite Repeated Warnings

20) Beware My Love

Great list Yankeefan.  You are the one that got me into About You from Driving Rain.  Like you, I always wished Paul did a live version of About You on one of his many tours (how many songs have we said that about).  Beware My Love is another good choice.  The 2nd best song on At the Speed of Sound after Silly Love Songs in my opinion.  And I forgot about Venus and Mars.  I'm just thinking that  a great choice would be coupling Venus and Mars and Jet the way Paul and Wings introduced their Wings Over America tour...an amazing and best tour intro again in my opinion.  Additional choices on your list that I also love are Tug of War (the song), How Kind of You, House of Wax, Dear Boy and Dance Till We're High.  I was surprised you didn't include Take It Away.  I was thinking about that one but I was already at 20.  Same thing with Despite Repeated Warnings and Dominoes.

B J Conlee wrote:

Yankeefan2 wrote:

B J Conlee wrote:

Similar to a previous Post that asked us to list our  the Top 40 of Paul's Post Beatles' songs, but in this case I thought it would be interesting to narrow that list down to the top 20 BEST OF THE BEST Paul songs beginning with his first album McCartney.  This list would include all Post Beatle Paul songs including his period with Wings.  I am going to start with my own personal Top 20 list.  I also decided to narrow my list to songs that are "relatively well known" to Beatle and Paul fans.  Songs that have gotten at least some airplay or in other cases, a lot of airplay.  I'm not going to include my favorites that I would call highly underrated or  generally unknown unless you're a Paul geek like I am.  

The general criteria I am using includes: songs written entirely or almost entirely by Paul,  final studio performance including vocals, overall melody, creativity (is it unique and doesn't sound like other Paul or Beatle songs) etc.   

Here's is my list pretty much in album order.

TOP 20 PAUL MCCARTNEY POST BEATLE SONGS

1. MAYBE I'M AMAZED (MCCARTNEY) ...Album version

2. BAND ON THE RUN (BAND ON THE RUN)

3. UNCLE ALBERT/ADMIRAL HALSEY (RAM)

4. LIVE AND LET DIE (SINGLE)

5. SILLY LOVE SONGS (WINGS AT THE SPEED OF SOUND)

6. WITH A LITTLE LUCK (LONDON TOWN)...album version

7. MULL OF KINTYRE (SINGLE)

8. COMING UP (MCCARTNEY 2)...album version

9. HERE TODAY (TUG OF WAR)

10. WANDERLUST (TUG OF WAR)

11. PUT IT THERE (FLOWERS IN THE DIRT)

12. CALICO SKIES (FLAMING PIE)

13. BEAUTIFUL NIGHT (FLAMING PIE)

14. LITTLE WILLOW (FLAMING PIE)

15. RIDING TO VANITY FAIR (CHAOS)

16. TOO MUCH RAIN (CHAOS)

17. ONLY MAMA KNOWS (MEMORY ALMOST FULL)

18. THE END OF THE END (MEMORY ALMOST FULL)

19, EARLY DAYS (NEW) 

20. I DON'T KNOW (EGYPT STATION)

IF I HAD TO NARROW IT DOWN TO A TOP 10, MY LIST FROM ABOVE WOULD BE:

1.MAYBE I'M AMAZED 

2.BAND ON THE RUN

3.LIVE AND LET DIE 

4.SILLY LOVE SONGS 

5.WANDERLUST

6.RIDING TO VANITY FAIR 

7.CALICO SKIES 

8.BEAUTIFUL NIGHT 

9.ONLY MAMA KNOWS  

10. I DON'T KNOW

1) Maybe I'm Amazed

2) Venus Mars/Rock Show

3) Band On The Run

4) Tug Of War (the song)

5) How Kind Of You

6) Wanderlust

7) About You

8) House Of Wax

9) Too Much Rain

10) Jet

11) Dear Boy

12) Little Willow

13) Dance Til We're High

14) I Can Bet

15) That Was Me

16) My Brave Face

17) Early Days

18) Here Today

19) Despite Repeated Warnings

20) Beware My Love

Great list Yankeefan.  You are the one that got me into About You from Driving Rain.  Like you, I always wished Paul did a live version of About You on one of his many tours (how many songs have we said that about).  Beware My Love is another good choice.  The 2nd best song on At the Speed of Sound after Silly Love Songs in my opinion.  And I forgot about Venus and Mars.  I'm just thinking that  a great choice would be coupling Venus and Mars and Jet the way Paul and Wings introduced their Wings Over America tour...an amazing and best tour intro again in my opinion.  Additional choices on your list that I also love are Tug of War (the song), How Kind of You, House of Wax, Dear Boy and Dance Till We're High.  I was surprised you didn't include Take It Away.  I was thinking about that one but I was already at 20.  Same thing with Despite Repeated Warnings and Dominoes.

Yes, the opening of the WOA was the best ever !! Jet fit perfectly after Venus and Mars/Rock Show. If this list was my favorite songs , "Take It Away" would be on that list. Since you wanted best songs, it was a close call and lost out to the others I listed.  I am glad you like "About You" , it is really a song on that album that flew under the radar and IMO would have been great song to hear live.

B J Conlee wrote:

Bruce M. wrote:

This is impossible, but what the hell, I'll play. This list is approximately chronological as I can't possibly rate these over each other:

Maybe I'm Amazed

Too Many People

Band on the Run

Silly Love Songs

Here Today

Wanderlust

The Pound Is Sinking

Calico Skies

Little Willow

Somedays

Too Much Rain

Riding to Vanity Fair

Mr. Bellamy

Only Mama Knows

The End of the End

Sing the Changes (GENYC live version)

Confidante

Dominoes

Hand in Hand

Do It Now

Great list Bruce.  There is not one song on your choices that I don't love.  I had Too Many People on my initial Top 20 but changed it out for Uncle Albert because it was such a big hit.  I actually like Too Many People better.  I also love some of your choices that weren't on my Top 20 like The Pound is Sinking, Somedays, Mr. Bellamy and Sing the Changes.  The last one is also a great choice.  I hear the GENYC live version on Spotify all the time and it is great.  Finally, I love the fact that you have 4 Egypt Station songs in your list.  I love them all but I have to say that I Don't Know is still my favorite ES song.  I still can't believe that Paul didn't play one of the 5 (including I Don't Know) on his post ES tours.  I still shake my head. 

Well, as I've said before, I think Egypt Station is his best solo album, by a significant margin. That said, this is so subjective that on any given day I might swap out 4 or  5 of these for others I love nearly as much, depending on my mooed.

Kestrel wrote:

B J Conlee wrote:The production on MAF still frustrates me a lot because so many of the songs are so great.

A victim of the 'loudness wars' era unfortunately? Hopefully a future re-mix / remastering project will put right that error of judgement.

I love a lot of the songs on MAF, but I just have to put aside the production in the case of many of them.