"Masterpieces of Cathartic Suffering"
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Elsewhere I wrote that Lennon gave us more suffering, bitterness, resentment, misanthropic moments while Paul proffers more sugar or honey to make things go down easier. John's agonized ear-splitting primal screams during some of his orisons about his deep emotional pain are a case in point. I immediately realized Macca penned magnificent masterpieces of cathartic suffering as well, of course, like "Let It Be," "Eleanor Rigby" and "The Long and Winding Road," etc. How could a worshiped and adored young man at the zenith of pop culture glory, with the world at his feet, write something like "Eleanor Rigby"...what did he know of loneliness and isolation? He empathized and put himself in someone elses's shoes, to illustrate the human condition, wishing to write something of great import and significance. Paul McCartney achieved his goal many times over. And still is. On MAF, when he sings "On the day that I die," a grim chill went through me. NO I thought, you've promised you will live to be a hundred" (he has stated that before). He gave us a bitter foretaste of what will be a terrible day indeed. But he doesn't want it to be terrible and deeply sad, he wants "songs to be sung, and bells to be rung" and a singular extraordinary life celebrated and remembered. But that song imparted a different kind of suffering and pain than any others he or John gave us, it was about he himself leaving us. It's poignant and heart wrenching.
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'Things we said today' also sends a chill as does 'Dear Friend'
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I'd say "Rinse the Raindrops" fits the bill. Sounds like a primal screaming session to let out all his frustration and sadness following Linda's death.
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SusyLuvsPaul:
I immediately realized Macca penned magnificent masterpieces of cathartic suffering as well, of course, like "Let It Be," "Eleanor Rigby" and "The Long and Winding Road," etc. How could a worshiped and adored young man at the zenith of pop culture glory, with the world at his feet, write something like "Eleanor Rigby"...what did he know of loneliness and isolation?
Um, losing his mother at a young age perhaps? Anyhow, I've loved the song Tug of War since I first bought the album in 1982 but strangely, it means more to me now, more than ever. Paul's the greatest. Period.
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What about "One of These Days" from McCartney II? Absolutely gorgeous tune. "Here Today" also comes to mind.
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Paul told about writing "The End of the End" in a recent interview about giving away the Memory Almost Full CD in England's favorite Sunday paper The Daily Mail. It made me remember having a sort of fit in here over that song and begging him not to leave us. Then I was embarrassed, thinking that was excessive and too--too something. But we really don't want him to go. He's said before that he thinks he'll be here to make age 100...hold that thought, Sir Paul... His anecdote and description of how he came to write "End of the End" was charming, heartwarming instead of chilling, and so English, somehow. (and Irish)
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Carthartic suffering......how about Yesterday as a prime example Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away Now it looks as though they're here to stay etc. Yesterday I believe was inspired by the death of Paul's mother when he was a teen. From about the same time as John's Help and I think they have similar themes. Written at the height of Beatlemania ,they are both pouring out their hearts, longing for better, simpler times. Also they are sayingwe are still just people with feelings and problems just like anyone else.
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and what about Morse Moose and the Grey goose ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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And several on "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" which seem to ponder his second marriage. To touch on that here and there. "Morse Moose and the Grey Goose"? That's a fantastic rocker, and I need to hear the lyrics again, but it does seem like it would be a great vehicle for a cathartic effect. There are more autobiographical lyrics on "London Town" and "Press to Play" and on various Wings albums than you'd suspect on the first few listenings. You delve deeper and it's there. So much of his life in his songs, about his life...it's not just "in general love songs meant for universal application" and "story songs" that comprise the majority of his ouevre, by no means. He lets us inside his head and his life more than is initially detected. He can go very deep.
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Great Thread Suzy. You really do speak from the heart. I love reading your thoughts about Paul. Despite his apparent fantastic life, he has had great sadness and it does come out in his songs. He can't talk about it in public because he finds it too emotional and is afraid of letting go (we have only seen that happen 2 or 3 times hav'nt we?. So, he writes these amazing songs about his life for us.
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his socially concious 'simple as that' anti drugs record of the mid 1980s also helped millions kick heroin!
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He's written great "self-help" or "helping out" songs. It's awesome to see his compassionate side, and that's a big part of him. He's got a big heart. --was just thinking about a song on "Press To Play" called "It's Not True" which addresses lies and trash talk about his beloved wife Linda and he speaks up for her, reiterating "it's not true." That's a good example of his more autobiographical lyrics. It's a nice little rocker, too
or more of a pop/rock effort. An effort that succeeds! Yeah, man -
"Don't know why you hang around my door - I Don't live here any more"
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LINKA:
Great Thread Suzy. You really do speak from the heart. I love reading your thoughts about Paul. Despite his apparent fantastic life, he has had great sadness and it does come out in his songs. He can't talk about it in public because he finds it too emotional and is afraid of letting go (we have only seen that happen 2 or 3 times hav'nt we?. So, he writes these amazing songs about his life for us.
Agreed.
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There are so many of Paul's songs that get to me: Friends To Go "You never need to worry about me, I'll be fine on my own" How Kind Of You At The Mercy Lonely Old People Little Lamb Butterfly I'm Carrying Here Today Someone Who Cares I find all of these songs cathartic in one way or another.
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"dance till you're high" Winter's coming... soon will be here... if we knew what it meant we would take care (or it may go, "would we take care") --are these hugely touching, poignant lines about old age coming on and/or death's relative proximity, or about the coming Ice Age which many scientists claim is overdue...or about (incipient?) nuclear devastation to the extent that most life and nature on earth is destroyed...much to ponder and reflect and wonder about in this gorgeous song from "Electric Arguments," it's not just a Christmassy light dance number, is it. A potential Christmas number one hit (could have been) in England.
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its funny because even though i love that song.i think the lyrics sound a bit rushed and meaningless..
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Paul has written a bevy of "profound" songs, not just "silly love songs," at all. "Let it Be" might be number one, because of making you tear up thinking of your lost loved ones. It's a real catharsis in song. "End of the End." "The Long and Winding Road" and several on "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" Paul seems enthralled with all things (or many things, anyway) Russian...would love him to read some classic Russian fiction with their uber-profound themes, and then write some songs afterward, inspired. They would be bound not to be light love ditties (although those are enchanting and charming from his pen). "House of Wax," wow. Rather abstruse poetry along the lines of T.S. Eliot "J. Alfred Prufrock."
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Hey Sussy, you are looking for graet threads today, I congratulate you, this is specially touching. Many times I think the same things you said about Paul, he have the "magic touch" and he can change the ugly things in beauty. And this a very rare condition, most of people are like John was...well thanks to Life, Paul is only love
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Riding to vanity fair!!!!!!!!
