McCartney's Best "Meaningful Lyric" Songs
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Everyone seems to diss it, but lonely old people/treat her gently really struck a nerve with me. Guess it didn't really fit in with the rest of Venus and Mars but I always found it kind of haunting.
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B J Conlee:
SusyLuvsPaul:
On some of his excellent strongly melody-driven efforts I wish he had worked more on the lyrics. But he's said he's satisfied with all his work, so his personal artistic satisfaction is what matters the most to him, which is understandable. He should strive to please himself first before thinking of the listeners.
____________________________________________________ Susy, Good reply. I do think he has plenty of songs with very good lyrics where they are as good as the melodies with them. Not all but certainly a good number. That was my thought with this thread. You mention Chaos as an album you like for the introspective. If you have the time, give me an example of one or two of the songs on Chaos that you like the best from a lyric perspective.
All of them, really.
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Jenny Wren is very meaningful. At the Mercy is good too.
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prudence1964:
Jenny Wren is very meaningful. At the Mercy is good too.
_____________________________________________ There's a bunch of songs on Chaos and Creation that would qualify for the premise of this Thread. Paul songs where the lyrics are as good as the melodies. Jenny Wren is one of my favorites from Chaos. Paul calls this the "Daughter of Blackbird" so it is done in the style of Blackbird with Paul's acoustical guitar but even a little more complicated. Jenny Wren covers even more injustices but not in a preachy way. Never heard of an instrument called a Duduk but the solo by Pedro Eustache is simply beautiful. It is just that Duduk with Paul's beautiful guitar. Great song and lyrics. Jenny Wren (from Chaos and Creation) Like so many girls Jenny Wren could sing But a Broken Heart Took Her Song Away Like the Other Girls Jenny Wren took wing She could see the World And Its Foolish Ways How We Spend Our Days Casting Love Aside Losing Sight of Life Day by Day She Saw Poverty Breaking Up a Home Wounded Warriors Took Her Song Away But the Day Will Come Jenny Wren Will Sing When This Broken World Mends its Foolish Ways Then We Will Spend our Days Catching Up on Life All because of You Jenny Wren You Saw Who We Are...Jenny Wren Great lyrics and certainly relevant today!!
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prudence1964:
Has anyone mentioned maybe I'm amazed yet?
Another great one prudence1964!!! I love that song!
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Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People meant so much to me last year as I watched my Mom slowly pass away. Wasn't a huge fan at 18, but in 2015 it was my favorite song. Thanks Paul.
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Did I miss it, or has no one mentioned The End of the End? It's the song that got me through my father's death.
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Bruce M.:
Did I miss it, or has no one mentioned The End of the End? It's the song that got me through my father's death.
_______________________________________________________ Bruce, Glad you brought "The End of the End" up. It was certainly yet another song in the back of my mind when I started this thread. Little Willow was the song that helped me when my Mother passed away. When Paul gets thinking about serious emotional type subjects, he can surely write some great lyrics. They are simple but deep at the same time.
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One thing that is great about being a Macca fan is that you continue to discover songs that are absolute gems. This next example of a song with great lyrics I didn't even know until about 2 months ago when I secured a copy of the Press to Play CD. Think about the millions of Beatle "Paul" fans who have no idea that the song exists. Part of this is Paul's own fault but that is another subject for another day. Anyway the song is Footprints and it is a story song about a lonely old man. In this case I'm including all the lyrics because they are so "powerful". In one 4 minute song, it covers so many emotions including sadness, loneliness, regret, remorse, disappointment etc. In the end, he still hopes his love might come back someday. Love the way Paul's beautiful spanish guitar frames the beginning and end of the song. And the elements of cold and snow plus the white blanket metaphor is pure genius. Footprints (from Press to Play) It's Beautiful outside, an old man gathers wood Can he see me sitting here? His mind is somewhere else. His friends have flown away, he's left out in the cold He won't sit by my fire, he says he likes the snow Where footprints never go, he likes it in the snow It's getting dark outside, the old hand's going home Has he someone waiting there. Or is he living on his own? Where footprints never go, he likes it in the snow White Blanket hiding the traces of tears she didn't see Oh white blanket covers the memory Of all that used to be. All that used to be But his heart keeps aching in the same old way He can't help feeling that she might come back someday. It's Beautiful Outside, a magpie looks for food The old man throws a crumb Do you think he's found a friend Where footprints never go, he likes it in the snow White Blanket hiding the traces of Paths he didn't take Oh white blanket covers the memory Of Moves he didn't make Oh white Blanket hiding the traces of tears she didn't see Snow white Blanket simply covers the memory of all that used to be But his Heart keeps aching in the same old way He can't help feeling that she might come back someday ________________________________________________ I think it is criminal that this song is not know by someone as known as Paul McCartney. Such a great song!
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Nancy R:
B J Conlee:
jl4761:
Maybe I missed it here on this thread but what about "My Love?" That song has to rank as one of the greatest love songs ever written!
_______________________________________________________ I always liked My Love also. AM radio/Top 40 was still big when "My Love" hit the charts. It went right to # 1 and the problem with that is that it got way overplayed. Paul had similar problems with future # 1's like Silly Love Songs and Ebony and Ivory. Initial success and then criticism. It went with the territory as they say. Critics love to go after most artists who have big time success and Paul was no exception. There were some critics who were anti-Paul for breaking up the Beatles, so they were always ready to be pounce. When I heard My Love years later live on Paul's 2002 tour it was different. With primary his fans, the response on My Love was great. I still remember how he hit the notes at the end of the song. It garnered a hug standing ovation from what I remember. At that time, his vocals were still very good. Although some critics would use the "cringe" term on parts of My Love, I like the lyrics. One of my favorite lines is: "And when the cupboard's bare I still find something there with my love" _________________________________________________ I find again the humor in that first line above. Paul being a little "tongue and cheek" here. Some people who don't like Paul would love to jump on the "Cupboard's bare" line saying Paul couldn't write lyrics while I think it is one of the best lines in the song. Think of how many artists would love to have as "bad" a song as "My Love".
The reason he wrote that line was because when he first invited Linda to visit him in London in mid-Sept. 1968, all she found was some moldy cheese and sour milk in the fridge. Paul was busy recording at Abbey Road and she had to call someone (maybe Alister Taylor?) to get groceries and dog food!
That bit about the poor remnants in the fridge.... that is a great story.... now, that is a story Paul should be telling..... I can certainly relate!..... I think that is a great story... "I might be Paul McCartney, but I'm still no good at keeping my fridge stocked.... guess what, I am human!"... I love it.
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"I go back so far, I'm in front of me" - Brilliant. Agree with those who've posted about Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People.
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wingsoverkc:
Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People meant so much to me last year as I watched my Mom slowly pass away. Wasn't a huge fan at 18, but in 2015 it was my favorite song. Thanks Paul.
This is another song that has accumulated through the years. Having seen someone close to me deteriorate through Alzheimer's, the song certainly takes on more significance for me... of course, when Paul wrote that at the time , no one was attuned with that disease..... but, yeah, listening to this song now... it is quite a beautiful lyric.
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Bruce M.:
Did I miss it, or has no one mentioned The End of the End? It's the song that got me through my father's death.
Sometimes I need to segregate lyrics from the tune.... and you are right, Bruce.... lyrics are great on this.... and, whilst I was not the biggest fan of the "tune" at the time, this is another that I am appreciating more.... for the "tune".... lyrically, however, you are right..... perhaps on release, however, it was just a little confronting..... for me.....I am happy to hear about Paul's immortality, not the converse...... of course maybe my real problem is it makes me confront my own mortality!
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toris:
Nancy R:
B J Conlee:
jl4761:
Maybe I missed it here on this thread but what about "My Love?" That song has to rank as one of the greatest love songs ever written!
_______________________________________________________ I always liked My Love also. AM radio/Top 40 was still big when "My Love" hit the charts. It went right to # 1 and the problem with that is that it got way overplayed. Paul had similar problems with future # 1's like Silly Love Songs and Ebony and Ivory. Initial success and then criticism. It went with the territory as they say. Critics love to go after most artists who have big time success and Paul was no exception. There were some critics who were anti-Paul for breaking up the Beatles, so they were always ready to be pounce. When I heard My Love years later live on Paul's 2002 tour it was different. With primary his fans, the response on My Love was great. I still remember how he hit the notes at the end of the song. It garnered a hug standing ovation from what I remember. At that time, his vocals were still very good. Although some critics would use the "cringe" term on parts of My Love, I like the lyrics. One of my favorite lines is: "And when the cupboard's bare I still find something there with my love" _________________________________________________ I find again the humor in that first line above. Paul being a little "tongue and cheek" here. Some people who don't like Paul would love to jump on the "Cupboard's bare" line saying Paul couldn't write lyrics while I think it is one of the best lines in the song. Think of how many artists would love to have as "bad" a song as "My Love".
The reason he wrote that line was because when he first invited Linda to visit him in London in mid-Sept. 1968, all she found was some moldy cheese and sour milk in the fridge. Paul was busy recording at Abbey Road and she had to call someone (maybe Alister Taylor?) to get groceries and dog food!
That bit about the poor remnants in the fridge.... that is a great story.... now, that is a story Paul should be telling..... I can certainly relate!..... I think that is a great story... "I might be Paul McCartney, but I'm still no good at keeping my fridge stocked.... guess what, I am human!"... I love it.
I think he did tell that story once, maybe on the Wingspan DVD? He was such a messy bachelor too. Good thing he had a housekeeper!
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B J Conlee:
One thing that is great about being a Macca fan is that you continue to discover songs that are absolute gems. This next example of a song with great lyrics I didn't even know until about 2 months ago when I secured a copy of the Press to Play CD. Think about the millions of Beatle "Paul" fans who have no idea that the song exists. Part of this is Paul's own fault but that is another subject for another day. Anyway the song is Footprints and it is a story song about a lonely old man. In this case I'm including all the lyrics because they are so "powerful". In one 4 minute song, it covers so many emotions including sadness, loneliness, regret, remorse, disappointment etc. In the end, he still hopes his love might come back someday. Love the way Paul's beautiful spanish guitar frames the beginning and end of the song. And the elements of cold and snow plus the white blanket metaphor is pure genius. Footprints (from Press to Play) It's Beautiful outside, an old man gathers wood Can he see me sitting here? His mind is somewhere else. His friends have flown away, he's left out in the cold He won't sit by my fire, he says he likes the snow Where footprints never go, he likes it in the snow It's getting dark outside, the old hand's going home Has he someone waiting there. Or is he living on his own? Where footprints never go, he likes it in the snow White Blanket hiding the traces of tears she didn't see Oh white blanket covers the memory Of all that used to be. All that used to be But his heart keeps aching in the same old way He can't help feeling that she might come back someday. It's Beautiful Outside, a magpie looks for food The old man throws a crumb Do you think he's found a friend Where footprints never go, he likes it in the snow White Blanket hiding the traces of Paths he didn't take Oh white blanket covers the memory Of Moves he didn't make Oh white Blanket hiding the traces of tears she didn't see Snow white Blanket simply covers the memory of all that used to be But his Heart keeps aching in the same old way He can't help feeling that she might come back someday ________________________________________________ I think it is criminal that this song is not know by someone as known as Paul McCartney. Such a great song!
Yes, yes, yes. This is far and away the best song on Press to Play, and arguably the best song of that whole mid-'80s period.
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The fact that Macca brought Fool on the Hill back on this tour made me think of some solo songs of Paul where the subject in the song is considered different/strange to the masses or group. Someone who is considered an outsider or is shunned because they are different. Again, Paul has written some great lyrics on these types of serious subjects. Here are a few examples: Fool on the Hill (Magical Mystery Tour) Day after Day Alone on a Hill The man with a foolish grin Is Keeping perfectly still But nobody wants to know him They can see that he's just a fool And he never gives an answer She's Given Up Talking (from Driving Rain) She's given up talking Don't Say a word Even in the classroom not a Dickie bird Unlike other children She's Seen and never heard She's Given up talking Don't Say a Word You see her in the playground Standing on her own Everybody Wonders Why she's all alone Someone made her angry someone got her scared she's given up talking Don't say a word Ah, but when she comes home its yap-a-yap Words are running freely like the water from a tap her brothers and sisters can't get a word in edgeways But when she's back at school again She goes into a daze **Not sure what dickie bird is...must be a British expression but I think these lyrics are great and it certainly happens to kids who are shunned. _________________________________________________ Friends to Go (from Chaos and Creation) I've been waiting on the other side For your friends to leave so I don't have to hide I prefer they didn't know So I've been waiting on the other side For your friends to go I've been sliding down a slippery slope Ive been climbing up a slowly burning rope But the flame is getting low I've been waiting on the other side For your friends to go You never need to worry about me I'll be fine on my own Someone else can worry about me I've spent a lot of time on my own **Up and down the track listing on Chaos and Creation are examples of Paul songs with good to very good lyrics. Contrary to what some anti-Paul critics say, the man can write some very meaningful and deeper songs.
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Bruce M.:
Did I miss it, or has no one mentioned The End of the End? It's the song that got me through my father's death.
Just had a discussion of this one with my husband. I like it, but he thinks it's among the worst Paul has written and says it sounds like he's making it up as he goes along.
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Bruce M.:
Did I miss it, or has no one mentioned The End of the End? It's the song that got me through my father's death.
And thanks to your suggestion in the R.I.P. thread, I requested that one for my husband (who had just passed away) on a special Paul birthday show that our local Breakfast with the Beatles did. The DJ (Terri Hemmert) said let's hope this one can help with some of the healing pocess. Thank you BruceM.
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B J Conlee:
A while back there was a "worse lyrics" thread here that gathered many replies with examples. I personally had no problem with the subject. A a huge McCartney fan, I'm generally more of a melody, music guy first and that is why I love so many Macca songs. Some of Paul's "daft" lyrics don't bother me if I like the melody, beat, vocal, instrumentation etc. of the song. A perfect example is "The Other Me". I like the song a lot in general so the "dustbin lid" line doesn't ruin the song for me at all. Generally, I don't get "too serious" with the lyrics. One reason that Mr. McCartney is so prolific is that he writes many songs where he seemingly takes words out of the thin air that just fit well with the music he is creating. A good example is "The World Tonight" from Flaming Pie. Paul describes the song as just "gathering thoughts". Other examples would be great songs like Jet or 1985 from Band on the Run. Listeners have little idea of what the song is about but it is still very enjoyable to listen or sing. That is generally what the "Pop Genre" is all about and Paul is one of the greatest in Pop over the last 50 plus years. Conversely, Paul's Catalog is also filled with beautiful melodies coupled with great "meaningful" lyrics. Many of these songs could be categorized in the ACOUSTIC GENRE. The lyrics seem to match the melody perfectly but this time you know what what he means. Many of his greatest songs occurred when he was able to accomplish this feat on the guitar. Think of songs like Yesterday or Here There and Everywhere. They can also be piano based songs (think Let It Be or Hey Jude). With this thought in mind, I thought I would start a thread where the lyrics to a McCartney song are not only good to great but they really got to you. You can respond in different ways: *just list the song *take a few of your favorite lines from the song *put down the entire song's lyrics A great reference is this Website. Just go to the main page's Music Tab at the top and go to songs. That will give you complete lyrics to many Paul songs. My first example song is: PUT IT THERE (Flowers in the Dirt) One of my all time favorite Paul songs. While it is a Father/Son song, it can just as easily be interpreted as a Father/Daughter song or a Mother to son or daughter song. The obvious main point of the song is that the parent is telling their child (or grown son/daughter) that they can come to them no matter how heavy their problem is. The parent is saying that they are always there to "help" them. Such a simple but great song. LYRIC (excerpts) Give me your hand, I'd like to shake it I want to show you I'm your friend You'll understand if I can make it clear It's all that matters in the end Put it There if it weighs a ton That's what a father said to his young son I don't care if it weighs a ton As Long as you and I are here, put it there If There's a fight, I'd like to fix it I hate to see things go so wrong The Darkest Night and all it its mixed emotion Is getting Lighter sing along PLEASE ADD A SONG THAT YOU LOVE BECAUSE THE LYRICS ARE JUST AS GOOD AS THE MELODY. THANKS
It is very sad song but I think the lyrics to "The End Of The End" are quite touching and moving. "At the end of the end It's the start of a journey To a much better place And a much better place Would have to be special No reason to cry"
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Well, of course they censored d i c k i e bird! It is just a nickname for a small bird, but for the British it's this: http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/dicky-bird Dang, censored again. Just Google it! P.S. The link still works! So Paul is saying she won't say a word.