B J Conlee wrote:

Great post and choices Anthony.  I still think "Slidin" is a great choice and answer for all three questions.  I forgot to add how great you and your brother's cover version of "Slidin" is.  Loved it and I hope you get some sort of prize from Paul and MPL for doing it.  If you don't mind, it you post your version of "Slidin".  Everyone here should see it.

PS I also love the fact that your 4 year old daughter is growing up loving the Beatles and  Paul.  My Grandson just turned 2 last month.  I can't wait to turn him on to Paul and the Beatles.

Thanks BJ! The album is so strong that I don't believe there are any wrong choices - so much great material to choose from. "Slidin" is definitely a highlight for me as well, I actually added it to my playlist when I'm working out. I love when Paul goes into full out rock mode, like "Only Mama Knows", "Save Us", "Cut Me Some Slack", "Hunt You Down", etc., so I loved this one right away as well. Really happy you enjoyed our short cover! Here's the link as requested:

Slidin' Cover:

Agreed, it's a really wonderful experience to introduce her to this music that's been with me all of my life, and even more wonderful that she's enjoying it, haha

oobu24 wrote:

^ Yes, great job AnthonyB! Well done!

Thank you so much!!

B J Conlee wrote:

While I'm loving McCartney 3, it brings up these similar but different questions:

What is the "best" song on McCartney 3?

What is your "favorite" song on McCartney 3?

What is the "most important" song on McCartney 3?

While the 1st 2 questions are very subjective (lots of potential choices) but I think the 3rd question above is the easiest (for me anyway) to answer.  The most "important" track on McCartney 3 is in my opinion "Slidin",  Slidin is very important on the album because it stretches the "scope" of the type of songs on McCartney 3.  It is the only "harder rock" song and it is done so well.  I'm glad that Paul included this version on the proper McCartney 3 album because Rusty and Abe added so much to the song.  I love the main guitar solo in the middle.  It was just the right length and I also loved the psychedelic-like lyrics.  Finally, it contained some of Paul's best vocals on the album.  Thoughts?

Here are mine:

Best song: "The Kiss Of Venus"- For me, this ticks off all the boxes of a "classic" Paul McCartney composition. Just an absolutely incredible, inspired melody, as well as beautiful lyrics. I also love that Harpsichord musical interlude, pure McCartney.

Favorite song: "When Winter Comes"- I loved this track immediately, as it made me think of the McCartney/RAM era, which is what I believe he's reflecting on here lyrically. I couldn't help but hear this song through the lens of 2020, and it's just so relatable on a multitude of levels. Also, my 4 year old daughter loves the animated music video for this, as well as the music video for "Find My Way"; they've both been frequently on repeat at our house since the album's release, haha.

Most important song: "Deep Deep Feeling"- See my lengthy post about this song a little further down this page, haha. I would argue it's the most important because it's the most different. There are a few songs from "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" that strike me as having a similar mood ("How Kind of You", "At The Mercy", and the B-side "Growing Up Falling Down"), but none of them are quite as experimental. To my ears, this is Paul exploring new musical territory, which is astounding, considering how prolific he's been over the last 6 decades.

Yankeefan2 wrote:

AnthonyB - Just listened to your cover of "Put It There" and you all did wonderful job, perfect song to do with your Dad !! BTW - I made sure I "liked it" on youtube.

Thank you so much for the kind words, really appreciate it! We did that right around the time MPL released the "Flowers in the Dirt" Archive, always been a favorite song of mine. One of my earliest memories is being in the car with my Dad listening to that album.

B J Conlee wrote:

What does McCartney 3 do for Paul's legacy?  That's a very good question.  My quick answer is that i think it does a lot for his long range legacy.  First of all, it completes the "trilogy" of his"do-it-yourself" type of albums and I think it is the "best" of all 3.  On top of this and for anyone who was on the fence about Paul's  overall  "musical career"(Beatles, Wings and Solo) McCartney 3 in my opinion just  "cements" just how good his Post Beatles' career has been.  Yes, some could say that his Post Beatles' career was inconsistent at times but on the "whole" his body of work has been "Great"..  I think most people now that we are into 2021 would agree with that statement.

BJ,

Thanks for the heads up on the YouTube panel discussion, will definitely check that out! I thought the album was great the first time I heard it, but I'm loving it more with each and every listen. Great songs, playing, & production, and I think it's sequenced perfectly, as it has a great flow from beginning to end.

I've heard the"inconsistent" comments in reference to Paul's solo career many times, and it's usually, ironically from people who aren't well versed with his solo catalogue at all (beyond some hits). Art and music are a very subjective thing, so I respect everyone's opinion, but I do find it interesting that the word "inconsistent" is something that gets tossed around, because I really can't think of any artist, at any point who hit the mark every single time. Artists are human beings who make missteps, and I think there's a beauty in that. Also, who's to say what a misstep is? What impacts or emotionally speaks to one person may not speak to another on any level whatsoever. Anyway, just my two cents, haha.

Hi BJ,

Good to hear from you! I completely agree on "Women and Wives" and "Lavatory Lil" - both fantastic tracks! "Women and Wives" has such a great lyric - Paul is clearly drawing from his personal experience, imparting important lessons he's learned throughout his life's journey. "Lavatory Lil" is very Beatley in it's sentiment and sound, and I was hooked on it right away (really great guitar playing on this track as well, that Tele sounds awesome!)

The more and more I listen to "Deep Deep Feeling", the more it completely mesmerizes me. It's the way the track is constantly evolving, introducing new elements, sounds and melodic motifs that keep it interesting and make your ears perk up. It's just so well constructed, and I think it really nails what it's trying to achieve. All of these different, shifting components, from the off-kilter drum groove, to the echoey electric guitars, to the motifs that the piano and acoustic guitars play at different points throughout the song, to the tremolo synth strings, to the vocal counterpoint that happens at 5:40, to the polyrhythm that occurs when the shaker is introduced at 5:54, to the backwards background vocals at 6:20 - I find it all totally hypnotizing.

He's singing about some heavy, nearly indescribable stuff here in the reference to the "deep, deep pain of feeling", which could be interpreted an infinite amount of ways. Musically, the half-step motion of the introductory verses is very unsettling, so it's a really nice release when the B-section is introduced ("Sometimes I wish it would stay, sometimes I wish it would go away"). The subject matter of the lyric really fits the spacious vibe of the track, in my opinion. It carries an emotional punch and depth (no pun intended) that's reminiscent of some of the darker material he's put out since "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard". I also hear that vibe a bit on the track  "Women and Wives" as well. I know some people have an issue with the length and the use of repetition in the melody, but I find that because the track is constantly changing underneath, the 8+ minutes length is warranted.

On the flip side, like I posted before, I find "Deep Down" interesting and fun on a musical level, but it doesn't warrant it's length of over 6 minutes, as it never really evolves into anything different. As a personal preference, I wish he had manipulated the sound of his voice on this track, as it's not his best vocal performance and it's very out front and exposed. There's also not much going on here lyrically (as far as depth of meaning is concerned), and the juxtaposition of the youthful energy and sentiment ("throw a party every night") is kind of jarring for me when it's being sung by a clearly elderly voice.  Effects or doubling his vocals could have helped mask this - a good recent example of fantastic use of effects and doubling was on "Frank Sinatra's Party", where it works really well. This is really the only track on the album where the voice is an issue to me - even "The Kiss Of Venus", where his voice is even more exposed in the arrangement as it's only accompanied by an acoustic guitar, it works because he's using a softer part of his voice, and the lyrics are fantastic. Also, that melody is just exquisite - what a song! At any rate, I'm glad that you and others are enjoying "Deep Down", my brother actually really likes this one as well.

Thank you for the kind words regarding our cover of "Put It There", really appreciate that! We actually did a short cover of "Slidin'" as part of the "12 Days of Paul" campaign, which was really fun to do. We hadn't heard the song yet at that point, and basing it off the snippet of sheet music that was posted by MPL, this is how we interpreted it:

Hope you have a happy and healthy new year!

Yankeefan2 wrote:

Anthony B. wrote:

For the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards, recordings must be released between Sept. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020 - so, unfortunately "McCartney III" won't be eligible for a Grammy nomination until 2022.

The music that will be judged will mostly be from music released in 2021 and nominations will be announced in 2021 also which is why I used 2021 in the title. You are correct, the actual award ceremony will be in 2022.  No big deal, just trying to explain my twisted logic -lol.

Indeed, hopefully "McCartney III" will still be on the Grammy commitee's radar when voting comes around for 2022. As far as logic is concerned, can you explain to me how the New York Yankees haven't signed their best hitter, DJ LeMahieu yet? I know this is the wrong forum for this, but I just don't understand it, haha

For the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards, recordings must be released between Sept. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020 - so, unfortunately "McCartney III" won't be eligible for a Grammy nomination until 2022.

I’ve been listening to the album nearly every day since the release, really digesting and immersing myself in these tunes, and I have to say that I really adore this record. The fact that we have this album at all is just such a gift. Here are some quick, random thoughts on my standout tracks:

“Find My Way” - classic Macca with psychedelic flourishes, I dig it

“Pretty Boys” - in the tradition of Paul’s acoustic arpeggio-driven tunes, a la “The Songs We Were Singing”, “Somedays”, “Early Days”, “Happy With You”, etc. Cool lyrics, and I love when the groove kicks in. Since Paul and the rest of The Beatles are arguably some of the most photographed people in history, it's really interesting to hear him reflecting on the treatment/experience of photographic subjects/models.

“Deep Deep Down” - the most experimental and vibey track in this collection, has the “McCartney II” spirit, and makes me think of “Kicked Around No More” and “Growing Up Falling Down” as far as the atmosphere goes. This definitely feels like new territory being explored by Paul though, which is crazy, considering he’s been a recording artist for nearly 60 years. Also, the polyrhythm around 5:57 when the shaker comes in 

“Slidin’” - That riff! So heavy, and I love that he’s screaming his head off in the background like he’s Dave Grohl - all the yes!

“The Kiss of Venus” - probably my favorite “melody” on the album, and WHAT a melody! I hear shades of his work on The White Album here, and the lyrics are beautiful as well. A late career classic in my estimation.

“Seize The Day” - great melody and message, musically and sonically like a cross between his classic baroque-pop tunes combined with Brian May-esque guitar tones - great stuff.

“When Winter Comes” - a close second for my favorite melody here - just beautifully played and performed. I’ve been listening to this one a lot today, and it's hitting me in all the feels. So cool to hear him reflecting on the late 1969/early 1970 Scotland farm life with Linda and the kids, but it also occurred to me how relatable it is to these times; everyone in isolation, being forced to tend to their own figurative (or literal) gardens. I absolutely love it.

I like the rest of the songs as well (just not as much), with the exception of “Deep Down”, which I dig musically, but as a song it feels underdeveloped and drags on for too long (for me). Part of me wishes this track was left as an instrumental, because I don't feel the vocals really add anything. Perhaps it will grow on me, time will tell.

I'm just so grateful that we got this record, especially during these tough times.

I've been loving the #12DaysofPaul Promotion that Capitol is doing for the album, posting excerpts of the sheet music for each song in different cities and asking musicians to submit their interpretations. "Slidin" was the song they posted for New York, so my brother and I decided to take a crack at it - hope you dig it!