Set List critique
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Bruce M.:
My Salamander:
So is it true that Paul really did rehearse "No More Lonely Nights" in the past 10 years or so for possible inclusion on the set list? That would be amazing to hear - even a rough bootleg of a rehearsal. I wish Broad Street outtakes were available - they certainly filmed more of the live band warehouse scene than what made it into the movie. For starters, they recorded a new version of Band On The Run with Ringo on drums - it has never come out but man would love to hear that - a 1983 era Paul singing Band On The Run would have been amazing. And such a shame he didn't tour in the early 80s when he was in his early 40s with tremendous vocal power. Can you imagine that?
We can dream about coulda-shoulda-woulda scenarios till the cows come home. But after John was killed, I'm pretty sure the last thing Paul wanted to do was go out on the road. He hunkered down for a while, and understandably so.
Paul & Linda had visa issues in the 80's (late 70's too )
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My Salamander:
... And such a shame he didn't tour in the early 80s when he was in his early 40s with tremendous vocal power. Can you imagine that?
I've said it many, many times -- although almost no one agrees with me: Paul McCartney was at his technical, vocal-peak in the early '80s.
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I always get upset when he plays 'Hope of Deliverance' in South America, but never includes it in his setlist when he tours the US.
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sirpaul64:
I always get upset when he plays 'Hope of Deliverance' in South America, but never includes it in his setlist when he tours the US.
He did that song a couple of times in the US last year, actually.
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5th-beatle:
sirpaul64:
I always get upset when he plays 'Hope of Deliverance' in South America, but never includes it in his setlist when he tours the US.
He did that song a couple of times in the US last year, actually.
I think it was only done at the first show of the tour, in Orlando. I was at both Orlando shows and he did not do it the second night, and I think it disappeared after that.
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True. An old friend from Ohio, who is a huge fan, went to the Indianapolis show last year and was gutted that "HOD" had already been yanked from the show.
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I remember reading that "Hope Of Deliverance" did not receive a very enthusiastic response from the audience in Orlando. Is that true? If so, that could explain why it was suddendly dropped after a single performance. On the other hand, maybe Paul wanted to surprise his US fans just once, but already had no intention of keeping it in the setlist, as he did this year with "On My Way To Work".
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Not every song has to be a shreek-inducing, hair-pullingly exciting blast of OMG!'ness*. This is Paul McCartney. Not Justin Beiber. Right? * = of course, that would be MY reaction.
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RMartinez:
Bruce M.:
SoilyCompany76:
My Salamander:
And I would loooove to hear No Values and/or Not Such A Bad Boy in the setlist (with Rickenbacker of course). THAT would be a knockout. Not gonna happen of course - not even counting that the Ricky has left the building and ain't never coming back
How I would love that thought. "No Values" rocks, I absolutely love that song and it would sound great live, but I suppose it's just a dream
I love both these songs, but Paul seems pretty determined to forget that Broad Street ever happened. He never even plays No More Lonely Nights, which was one of his last real hit singles and one of the few '80s tunes audiences might recognize.
You may have nailed it. The 80s were not too kind to McCartney, so it may be he just wants to forget that period. As to why he won't play songs from 1988-2010, well it is probably as simple as those works were just not that popular. They were known at the current time, but you don't ever hear My Brave Face or Hope Of Deliverance on the radio. Or anywhere. Same with Fine Line or any of the more recent songs he wrote. They are just not that popular. I suspect the Rolling Stones don't play songs from Bridges to Babylon in their current set list. Maybe I am wrong.
In very recent years, when I was working in an office, the piped-in music (there was a new crop of maybe a couple hundred songs every month, but a lot of them stayed for months or even years or forever), I used to hear My Brave Face, Put It There, and Fine Line a LOT... along with Silly Love Songs, With A Little Luck, etc. But still, he probably could get away with My Brave Face, at least, in the live set.
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My walgreens regularly plays My Brave Face, Hope of Deliverance, and Fine Line. Not sure why those three......but I love it! On another note, I heard I'll Follow The Sun & Wonderful Christmastime at Hershey Park today! (They had a Christmas in July event)
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audi:
My Salamander:
... And such a shame he didn't tour in the early 80s when he was in his early 40s with tremendous vocal power. Can you imagine that?
I've said it many, many times -- although almost no one agrees with me: Paul McCartney was at his technical, vocal-peak in the early '80s.
Never really thought about it before, but he had some damn good vocal performances in that era.
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audi wrote: My Salamander wrote: ... And such a shame he didn't tour in the early 80s when he was in his early 40s with tremendous vocal power. Can you imagine that? I've said it many, many times -- although almost no one agrees with me: Paul McCartney was at his technical, vocal-peak in the early '80s. I absolutely agree. I've always thought that Paul's middle eight vocal break in Say Say Say ("you never ever worried and you never shed a tear") is one of the finest pop vocal moments ever recorded by anyone. Really highlights the absolute best qualities of Paul's powerful / super clear pop voice in the early 80's. His vocal on My Brave Face as well - I could listen to the first chorus of "now that I'm alone again" endlessly...
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"Tug Of War" is another great example. Also: From his sweetest vocals to his power-house screaming (all within one song -- "The Pound is Sinking," for example), along with his ability to absolutely nail a complex melody, the early '80s saw his most skillful vocal chops.
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audi:
"Tug Of War" is another great example. Also: From his sweetest vocals to his power-house screaming (all within one song -- "The Pound is Sinking," for example), along with his ability to absolutely nail a complex melody, the early '80s saw his most skillful vocal chops.
Hard to argue you with that point but I will add that one of his best ever vocal performances on record IMO was "Run Devil Run", especially "Brown Eye Handsome Man" and "Lonesome Town"
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audi:
"Tug Of War" is another great example. Also: From his sweetest vocals to his power-house screaming (all within one song -- "The Pound is Sinking," for example), along with his ability to absolutely nail a complex melody, the early '80s saw his most skillful vocal chops.
I always felt '68-'73 to be his vocal peak. But I can very easily see where you're coming from.
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yankeefan7:
audi:
"Tug Of War" is another great example. Also: From his sweetest vocals to his power-house screaming (all within one song -- "The Pound is Sinking," for example), along with his ability to absolutely nail a complex melody, the early '80s saw his most skillful vocal chops.
Hard to argue you with that point but I will add that one of his best ever vocal performances on record IMO was "Run Devil Run", especially "Brown Eye Handsome Man" and "Lonesome Town"
The best opera singers are the oldest ones. Heck, even Elvis Presley hit his vocal-peak at age 40. Tina Turner at 51! And Tony Bennett defied his age well into his 70s.
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audi:
Not every song has to be a shreek-inducing, hair-pullingly exciting blast of OMG!'ness*. This is Paul McCartney. Not Justin Beiber. Right? * = of course, that would be MY reaction.
Exactly. To expect someone who plays approx 37 songs in a concert to have every one of them make the crowd go nuts is freaking crazy - SMH !!
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yankeefan7:
audi:
"Tug Of War" is another great example. Also: From his sweetest vocals to his power-house screaming (all within one song -- "The Pound is Sinking," for example), along with his ability to absolutely nail a complex melody, the early '80s saw his most skillful vocal chops.
Hard to argue you with that point but I will add that one of his best ever vocal performances on record IMO was "Run Devil Run", especially "Brown Eye Handsome Man" and "Lonesome Town"
Yes, great performances on that album, and what audi says about "Tug Of War" is right on, too! I have to disagree about "Say Say Say," though. I always thought the "And you never shed a tear" line was one of the first cracks in his vocal power; it actually makes me cringe a bit. I think "No More Lonely Nights" (the chorus in particular) is vastly superior as a vocal performance. But that's just me!
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favoritething:
yankeefan7:
audi:
"Tug Of War" is another great example. Also: From his sweetest vocals to his power-house screaming (all within one song -- "The Pound is Sinking," for example), along with his ability to absolutely nail a complex melody, the early '80s saw his most skillful vocal chops.
Hard to argue you with that point but I will add that one of his best ever vocal performances on record IMO was "Run Devil Run", especially "Brown Eye Handsome Man" and "Lonesome Town"
Yes, great performances on that album, and what audi says about "Tug Of War" is right on, too! I have to disagree about "Say Say Say," though. I always thought the "And you never shed a tear" line was one of the first cracks in his vocal power; it actually makes me cringe a bit. I think "No More Lonely Nights" (the chorus in particular) is vastly superior as a vocal performance. But that's just me!
I love Brown Eyed Handsome Man, I think it would be a great soundcheck song,it's time to replace Midnight Special ! One of my favorite solo vocals has been "No More Lonely Nights" too, I just think we will never see him sing that...his range now couldn't handle it... Every Night is a different story ! he needs to put that back in setlist...
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I believe Paul could handle No More Lonely Nights just fine now - problem isn't with his range, he still has tremendous upper register range. The problem is rather with lower key melodies such as Long And Winding Road and Blackbird - age makes it difficult to hold and navigate lower key notes/melodies especially at a slower tempo. I believe the reason he doesn't do No More Lonely Nights is because he knows every concert review that mentions him playing that song will include some sort of reference to the song being from his mega flop film from the 80s. I'm certain that's why he won't play it. I love that movie, but I'm afraid it did damage his solo career in terms of being considered a hot top 40 radio airplay artist - it was right after that movie that the hit singles stopped coming. If Broad Street had never come out, he might well have continued having top 10 radio hits into the 90s. :