‘Ever Present Past’ (2007)Ī genial selection from McCartney’s “Memory Almost Full” album finds its sweet spot in the chorus (“the things I think I did” quickly lodges in your brain), but also finds him embracing nostalgia (“Looking back It went by/it went by, in a flash”) wrapped in a warm synth-pop blanket. With its heavy bass intro meshed with electric piano, the lightly funky inclusion on Wings’ “Back to the Egg” album is enticingly scattershot, with horns and a clavinet providing an R&B vibe. Often dismissed as trite, the song actually unveils a vivid portrait of sadness (“Alone in her apartment she'd dwell/'til the man of her dreams comes to break the spell”). Noteworthy because it’s McCartney’s debut single following the Beatles’ breakup in 1970, and was therefore instantly dissected with microscopic precision. ‘My Love’ (1973)Ī valentine to beloved wife Linda that could be seen as a companion to “Maybe I'm Amazed.” Except for the unfettered devotion in the latter is replaced by swooping strings and a gushy chorus that merely offer an antiseptic veneer. Penned in tribute to McCartney’s Old English Sheepdog, Martha, the piano-heavy selection from “The White Album” is often tied to The Beatles’ inner-band turmoil at the time, as McCartney played all of the instruments on the tune. Utilizing the guitar-plucking style employed on “Blackbird,” as well as a duduk played by Pedro Eustache, the tender acoustic ballad is supposedly named for the character of the same name in Charles Dickens’ novel, “Our Mutual Friend.” 61. ‘Venus and Mars/Rock Show’ (1975)Ī bit like Elton John’s “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” this medley of two songs taken from the “Venus and Mars” album is a delectable melding of woodsy folk that escalates into a four-on-the-floor rocker. Injected with layers of percussion to provide a soft Latin touch, the “Off the Ground” single isn’t among McCartney’s most musically challenging songs, but its message of optimism never fades. ‘Little Lamb Dragonfly’ (1973)įrom Wings’ “Red Rose Speedway” album, the six-plus-minute gentle folk ballad is often connected to McCartney’s switch to vegetarianism. The lead single from “Pipes of Peace,” this second pairing with Michael Jackson (they teamed for the Jackson-written “The Girl is Mine” in 1982), lopes along on a lightly funky shuffle beat under the pristine production by George Martin. “As long as you and I are here, put it there,” goes the chorus of this acoustic guitar-fronted testimony of the strength of a mere handshake, wrapped in delicacy and finesse. With harmonizing reminiscent of Crosby, Stills & Nash, the B-side to “Goodnight Tonight” is a feast of poppy synths and raspy high-hats. ‘Queenie Eye’ (2013)īased on a game McCartney played as a child, the chant-along chorus is infectious on its own, but the rest of the song is indicative of a genius of melody whose touch remained deft 60 years into a career. So unfussy that a child could easily sing along, the other side of Wings’ “Hi Hi Hi” single – in the key of C, of course – follows the same lite-reggae format as its companion, with a xylophone! 73. Possessing more of a rock edge, the single from “Off the Ground” was a minor hit in Germany, but is best known for the origin of its title: McCartney and wife Linda were discussing cameras and their phrases “I like a Leica” and “I like a Nikon” merged into a story about a girl who liked a biker…like an icon. But it’s hard to fault McCartney’s intentions – or the song’s easily digestible tunefulness. This duet with Stevie Wonder – a first for McCartney with another major artist – is much maligned because of its simplified ode to racial harmony. And for those Beatles songs co-written with John Lennon, if McCartney included them in his book, “ The Lyrics,” they were under consideration. Songs that he wrote that became hits for others (such as Badfinger’s "Come and Get It" and Elvis Costello’s “Veronica”) weren’t included. ![]() ![]() ![]() So here is an imperfect list of 80 of our favorites from The Beatles, Wings and his solo catalog.
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