London Town
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Yes I'd love to have a longer Backwards Traveller!
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wingsoverkc:
Just think if London Town had Mull of Kintrye and Girl's School on the original release instead of Children Children and Cuff Link? And what if Backward's Traveler was longer? London Town was this close to being a masterpiece.
I've always sort of thought "I've Had Enough" was the wink link. It seemed forced and really lacked a tune...like Paul was trying too hard to come up with a rocker that never really rocked....I thought, "Why didn't he just place "Girls' School" here...even though it was released the previous year." It would have been a much nicer fit. And it really rocked!! (And I'm not sure I would call "Morse Moose and the Grey Goose" epic. I sort of wished that had not been on the album at all. " Don't Let It Bring you Down" would have the proper way/song to end the album....IMO.)
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The one I could really do without is Famous Groupies. Otherwise one of the best of Wings, and the 70's in general. Great bonus tracks too!
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It's a very British album...
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moptops:
It's a very British album...
"British you know, useless!" (Victor Spinetti in Help!)
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The album never got its due. Punk & disco were at their peek. New Wave was just beginning. Meanwhile, corporate rock acts were getting hammered by the press. Paul put out this "folksy" album that really didn't fit into any of the main music camps at the time. Also, The Beatles were probably at their all-time low in terms of popularity. Lennon disappeared, Ringo put out some awful albums at this time, and George's stuff paled in comparison to what he was doing 5 years earlier. Releasing Mull of Kintyre during this period was 1 of the smartest music decisions McCartney ever made.
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JoeySmith:
The album never got its due. Punk & disco were at their peek. New Wave was just beginning. Meanwhile, corporate rock acts were getting hammered by the press. Paul put out this "folksy" album that really didn't fit into any of the main music camps at the time. Also, The Beatles were probably at their all-time low in terms of popularity. Lennon disappeared, Ringo put out some awful albums at this time, and George's stuff paled in comparison to what he was doing 5 years earlier. Releasing Mull of Kintyre during this period was 1 of the smartest music decisions McCartney ever made.
Except in the USA, where the song was met with a resounding "thud". Here, people didn't know what a Mull of anything was and didn't want to know. It was too British and European. I believe it became the best-selling song in Britain...ever, surpassing "She Loves You". I would guess that record has been eclipsed by now, however. One can imagine it being "the" go-to song in all the pubs; a great sing-along-t0 song. It's kind of Paul's solo "Hey Jude".
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Beatles4Ever&Ever:
JoeySmith:
The album never got its due. Punk & disco were at their peek. New Wave was just beginning. Meanwhile, corporate rock acts were getting hammered by the press. Paul put out this "folksy" album that really didn't fit into any of the main music camps at the time. Also, The Beatles were probably at their all-time low in terms of popularity. Lennon disappeared, Ringo put out some awful albums at this time, and George's stuff paled in comparison to what he was doing 5 years earlier. Releasing Mull of Kintyre during this period was 1 of the smartest music decisions McCartney ever made.
Except in the USA, where the song was met with a resounding "thud". Here, people didn't know what a Mull of anything was and didn't want to know. It was too British and European. I believe it became the best-selling song in Britain...ever, surpassing "She Loves You". I would guess that record has been eclipsed by now, however. One can imagine it being "the" go-to song in all the pubs; a great sing-along-t0 song. It's kind of Paul's solo "Hey Jude".
To this day, "The song remains the UK's best-selling completely non-charity single" according to Wikipedia. Amazing.
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I love London Town, particularly, because it gave Denny Laine the opportunity to shine!! It's simply beautiful, and it is such a shame that it has been overshadowed. Love "London Town", "Children Children" "I'm Carrying", "With A Little Luck" and "Girlfriend". They are fine tracks.
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Mother77:
What an underrated album this is. I'm working my way through the great McCartney's albums from the s/t and and now up to this. So many all time great tracks: London Town Cafe on the Left Bank I'm Carrying Backwards Traveller Girlfriend With a Little Luck Don't Let it Bring You Down even the reissue track Girls School rules. Any love for this album round here?
I'll probably love all of it soon. Actually, my thoughts when it first came out was.... "why did he leave that "Morse Moose and Grey Goose" thing in the album?? I thought the album should have ended after the GREAT....and one of my all-time favorite McCartney songs...."Don't Let It Bring You Down". After that, I thought the finale just embarrassing. The mood had been ruined for me. I'm waiting for it to be remastered so I can be dazzled!!! (I also wished the album had used the single version of "With A Little Luck". I thought the album version just meandered too much. I' may change my mind on that too. Haven't listed to it in ages....want the remastered version.) And I thought "Girls School" was vastly superior to "I've Had Enough," which seemed forced to me....but that's just me.
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moptops:
The album largely stiffed and the reaction at the time was pretty tame for a Wings album. People were after a "rockier" release. The years have been kind to London Town. It's one of my faves now too. I suppose along with Red Rose, it might be considered the neglected Wings album.
I wouldn't say it stiffed. As rich n said above, it only missed number one because "Saturday Night Fever" was such a huge smash. "London Town" held at Number Two for several weeks, as I recall. Plus "With A Little Luck" was a solid Number One single. I'm talking about the US, of course! Definitely one of my favorites of his. Nice variety of well-crafted songs, and Denny gets a couple of nice showcases. And I think "Morse Moose" is pretty cool. "Girlfriend" is probably the weak link for me, except the middle, non-falsetto section.
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This album flows very well. I much prefer it to BOTR
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moptops:
Yes I'd love to have a longer Backwards Traveller!
Me too!! Fab song!!
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DreamingofYesterday:
moptops:
Yes I'd love to have a longer Backwards Traveller!
Me too!! Fab song!!
I love it just the way it is. Nothing catchier.
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Did you realize that With a little luck is the the only top hit that he never played in concert? Don't know why... I don't know why he didn't play it in the 1979 tour.
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WingsOfMacca:
Did you realize that With a little luck is the the only top hit that he never played in concert? Don't know why... I don't know why he didn't play it in the 1979 tour.
He was going to play it in Japan during the ill fated 1980 tour. Segue to 1989 through current times, and Paul has assigned more stage time to Beatle songs while the remainder of the various set lists have been reserved to promoting current releases as well as a precious few what seems to be his favorite solo/wings songs that get repeated every tour...It would've been nice to hear live...but since that song (to me at least) is about an incredible smooth vocal that segues to a killer rock vocal, combined with the fact that his vocals these days are greatly diminished, I'm not overly anxious to hear it live these days
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Always been a fantastic album to my ears. Perhaps my Wings favorite and the most collaborative Denny Laine & Paul McCartney Wings album. I think it's a nice flow of the music here, a summery mood.
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rich n:
WingsOfMacca:
Did you realize that With a little luck is the the only top hit that he never played in concert? Don't know why... I don't know why he didn't play it in the 1979 tour.
He was going to play it in Japan during the ill fated 1980 tour. Segue to 1989 through current times, and Paul has assigned more stage time to Beatle songs while the remainder of the various set lists have been reserved to promoting current releases as well as a precious few what seems to be his favorite solo/wings songs that get repeated every tour...It would've been nice to hear live...but since that song (to me at least) is about an incredible smooth vocal that segues to a killer rock vocal, combined with the fact that his vocals these days are greatly diminished, I'm not overly anxious to hear it live these days
Just to add one more note - he's never played Say Say Say (number one here in the states) or Pipes of Peace (number 1 or 2 in the UK) live...I think Ebony and Ivory is the most recent top 5 song he has ever performed live And Flaming Pie/Calico Sky are the most recent songs he's performed during any recent tour which was not plugging that particular album
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Fine Line at Quebec 08 was an odd one. A nice surprise though.
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Not my favorite album. Maybe it's because girlfriend might be my least favorite song of all time.