Spotify's "This is: Paul McCartney" Channel
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Kestrel wrote:
SusyLuvsPaul wrote:
SusyLuvsPaul wrote:
Kestrel: "Wasn't 'The Fool' some arty group who worked for Apple?"
Yes, it was, Dutch artists who illustrated things for them. The Fool might have had that in mind too, when he chose his nic, not just "The Fool on the Hill" song. Which is clever and witty of him.
I just saw Marijke Koger of "The Fool" 's documentary "Summer of Love" at her website and suggest interested fans here view it.
Thanks Susy, I'll check that out.
Found it here:
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Nancy R wrote:
Found it here:
Thanks for the link. I just need to find the time now to sit and watch it.
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Kestrel wrote:
Nancy R wrote:
Found it here:
Thanks for the link. I just need to find the time now to sit and watch it.
Are you still working? If so, what do you do? If it's something you don't want to say on the open forum (like MI6 agent or male stripper) I understand.
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Nancy R wrote:
Are you still working? If so, what do you do? If it's something you don't want to say on the open forum (like MI6 agent or male stripper) I understand.
I 'retired' 20 years ago but now work in a voluntary capacity for two charities over three days a weeks. I'm an admin for three FB pages, there's a large garden to attend to, a house to keep shipshape, and I like walking and I meet up regularly with friends,even despite the covid restrictions. If I can spend 10 minutes a day on this site then I've done well. And then of course there's my p/t job as a MI6 agent moonlightling as a male stripper.
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Kestrel wrote:
Nancy R wrote:
Are you still working? If so, what do you do? If it's something you don't want to say on the open forum (like MI6 agent or male stripper) I understand.
I 'retired' 20 years ago but now work in a voluntary capacity for two charities over three days a weeks. I'm an admin for three FB pages, there's a large garden to attend to, a house to keep shipshape, and I like walking and I meet up regularly with friends,even despite the covid restrictions. If I can spend 10 minutes a day on this site then I've done well. And then of course there's my p/t job as a MI6 agent moonlightling as a male stripper.
You're a riot! -
While I'm still enjoying Spotify's "This is: Paul McCartney" channel, I wanted to add some thoughts regarding a couple of tracks that are on the Spotify "playlist". The two tracks that peaked my interest are..."The Girl is Mine" and "Pipes of Peace":
"The Girl is Mine" by Michael Jackson with guest artist Paul McCartney - To me, this was a rather odd choice as a song on a strictly Paul McCartney playlist. "The Girl is Mine" was written entirely by Michael Jackson. In fact, Paul didn't have anything to do with the song except for singing it with Michael in the Los Angeles studio. The song was produced by Quincey Jones and Paul didn't play any intruments in the production. With having both superstars on the song, it was obviously a big hit. By 1985, it had sold 1.3 million copies and it was the first single off of Michael's huge album Thriller. I guess because it was such a big hit, Spotify included it on their Paul McCartney "This is: Paul McCartney" playlist.
After it was released in October of 1982, it immediately topped various US charts and was heard on the big radio stations all the time. Initially I liked the song (a MOR ballad) but like any song that gets played too much, you can quickly get tired of it. Hearing it now like 40 years later (on good quality speaker phones) I now think it is a pretty giood song and well produced. On top of this, Michael and Paul's singing is top notch. It does get a little sappy when Michael starts to "talk" at the end of the song, but it doesn't bother me now. In fact, I love Paul's retort to Michael and he sings "I don't believe it".
What surprised me was the post reviews of the song from music critics. I read some of these reviews and they seem to be far harder on Paul than Michael. Some of them were downright "personal and hurtful" to Paul (Stylus Magazine and Salon.com). For example, one called Paul a "wimpy old fart" and another described the sappy duet with the "irrepressibly silly Paul McCartney". These reviews so much against McCartney really surprised me given the fact that Paul didn't write the song and his singing to me is good to very good. Then again, I have found that many old music critics who were big Beatles' fans and particularly John Lennon fans never got over the fact that in their mind Paul broke up the Beatles. I still hope that someday Spotify adds a 2nd volume to the "This is: Paul McCartney" channel. While "The Girl is Mine" is a decent song, I would prefer to hear all Paul McCartney Post Beatles' songs on this channel particularly deeper cut songs since Paul has so many hidden gems.
Pipes of Peace (written solely by Paul McCartney) I really have a greater appreciation for this song after hearing it on head phones from the Spotify channel as I'm riding my bike. The production from George Martin is great and I like Paul's lyrics and vocals. Looking back during the time that the album was released, I remember that Say Say Say (cowritten by Paul and Michael Jackon) was the first single off the Pipes of Peace Album. It became a big hit (6 weeks at # 1) but I was surprised that the US label made "So Bad" the A Side of the 2nd single. Conversely, UK released the song "Pipes of Peace" as the A side for the 2nd Single. Pipes of Peace (the song) was a #1 hit in both the UK and Ireland. In the US, "So Bad" only reach #23 on the Billboard US charts. Because of that change in the US, I think the good news is that "Pipes of Peace" (the song) didn't get overplayed. I still think that from a sales point of view, Pipes of Peace should have been an "A" sided single with maybe "The Other Me" as the B side and then have "So Bad" as the 3rd single. Besides thinking "Pipes of Peace" is a very good to great song, it also had one of the best video's that Paul ever did.
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Hate to say it, but I always had the impression "Pipes of Peace" has a bad name among the jeering "He made 'Rupert the Frog' ! " contingent who liked to maintain Paul was/is bubblegum and a "wimpy," overly sweet music maker of wince-inducing too sugary fare, overall. Also for "The Girl is Mine." Just too wholesome and mainstream for them. Leftover resentment about the Beatles break up probably is part of what fuels that critical school of thought, as B J said. "Pipes of Peace" lyrics are too children's song innocent and innocuous for them. They would prefer the rough and tough gritty "Street Fighting Man"type of approach when it comes to that subject. They deemed Paul too pretty boy and preppy looking clean cut in publicity shots for "The Girl is Mine." And as also approaching middle aged fuddy duddyhood.. too "easy listening." Nevertheless his big hits then were very popular and ubiquitous. Along with his vast song catalogue and top draw as a touring artist and legendary status as a Beatle, part of the first "super star band," and his many honors and awards, Paul's legacy and stature in the music industry are secure no matter what those reviewer snobs write.
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SusyLuvsPaul wrote:
Hate to say it, but I always had the impression "Pipes of Peace" has a bad name among the jeering "He made 'Rupert the Frog' ! " contingent who liked to maintain Paul was/is bubblegum and a "wimpy," overly sweet music maker of wince-inducing too sugary fare, overall. Also for "The Girl is Mine." Just too wholesome and mainstream for them. Leftover resentment about the Beatles break up probably is part of what fuels that critical school of thought, as B J said. "Pipes of Peace" lyrics are too children's song innocent and innocuous for them. They would prefer the rough and tough gritty "Street Fighting Man"type of approach when it comes to that subject. They deemed Paul too pretty boy and preppy looking clean cut in publicity shots for "The Girl is Mine." And as also approaching middle aged fuddy duddyhood.. too "easy listening." Nevertheless his big hits then were very popular and ubiquitous. Along with his vast song catalogue and top draw as a touring artist and legendary status as a Beatle, part of the first "super star band," and his many honors and awards, Paul's legacy and stature in the music industry are secure no matter what those reviewer snobs write.
Susy...great and smart post as usual. I'll get back to you a little later.
After listening to the song "Pipes of Peace" several times recently and after so many years have gone by, I think more than ever, it was by far and away the best song on the Pipes of Peace album. I think it has aged well and is a great Paul McCartney Solo song in retrospect. What do you think of the video for the song "Pipes of Peace"?
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You're right, POP is the best thing on that album. It's always great when Paul pens songs on this theme; was thinking how amazing and awesome his late period and newer "People Want Peace" and "Despite Repeated Warnings" are, serving as worthy companion pieces to his classic anti-war anthem "Pipes of Peace" and the lighter more "campfire" but pleasingly jaunty and perky "Hope of Deliverance" and his other works on this theme. Paul's and the Beatles' pacifist stance has always resonated with me. I don't like seeing war stuff but his POP video is visually striking and cinematic, tells a story. His "Pipes of Peace" song is ultra-melodic and tuneful. It sure showcases Paul's genuis gift for melody. Lately, his "On the Wings of a Nightingale" and "Heaven on a Sunday" are also recurring earworms for me, and I especially love to sing "On the Wings of a Nightingale" as it invariably lifts the spirits in these dark times. "Oh, I can feel something happening, oh I can feel something happening to me..." And: "Peaceful, like heaven on a sunday, peaceful not knowing what to do," I've been loving to hear that in my head and sing that one, too. Those songs and other McCartney jewels are helpful and consoling music therapy which only works with the very best sounding, most meaningful music. I so hope that more music lovers will discover Paul's "hidden gems" and "deep cuts." His solo masterpieces. It would mean the world to them.
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I really like the song Pipes of Peace ... the video is well done, historical, with enough of a good feel about it even with the subject of war and peace.
So Bad has a good video for a Paul fan... with Ringo in it too. Only Love Remains has that ... "he did it again"... another treasure ...
I used to like to play it... Average Person ... i could start naming all the song titles. It would have been a lot, but it could have been part of a double Tug Of War album set.
I probably played Tug Of War twice as much.
I listened as a whole album then,,, today's world always an easy way to skip around and search, but I am glad I know it as a full album.
It probably doesn't get heard by the "only knows Maybe I'm Amazed and Hey Jude fan" ... I was and am always happy with new songs.
Some may discover these songs like the are new if they are to hear them played on a playlist type of thing.
Thanks again for this thread, it has me randomly picking some songs that I have not played in awhile. I still know them well, just haven't played them like I Used to...
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Nancy R wrote:
Kestrel wrote:
Nancy R wrote:
Are you still working? If so, what do you do? If it's something you don't want to say on the open forum (like MI6 agent or male stripper) I understand.
I 'retired' 20 years ago but now work in a voluntary capacity for two charities over three days a weeks. I'm an admin for three FB pages, there's a large garden to attend to, a house to keep shipshape, and I like walking and I meet up regularly with friends,even despite the covid restrictions. If I can spend 10 minutes a day on this site then I've done well. And then of course there's my p/t job as a MI6 agent moonlightling as a male stripper.
You're a riot!LOL Good One
