POLL Those Years Ago: The Beatles Solo Careers Poll Results Thread

damn shame this didn't make it on ATMP or Material

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2rFr0DyQcg

when i was writing abt
lennon/ono blues and politics 68-71-ish earlier in the month, my takeaway was honestly being a bit startled how MUCH they got done in that period: several LPs, several art-pol stunts, gallery stuff, as well as getting the beatle divorce sorted and moving to america

How good is I'm Carrying? I must've heard it before but that's my big (re)discovery from this excellent poll.

It's good -- very much in keeping with Paul's other acoustic numbers throughout the 70s, which are almost all aces:

Mama's Little Girl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ACW8TUEqUw
Love In Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcSIS_h1gE
I'm Carrying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkrIg1d_s58

We're Open Tonight isn't quite in those songs' league, as it's a bit more slight, but still very good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pclzML3LW8w

https://www.paulmccartney.com/news-blogs/news/paul-to-release-all-new-double-side-single

:D

So this poll led me down a solo Beatle rabbit hole and I watched this last night:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07938WKMW

Any Amazon Prime members here might really enjoy it. It follows J & P throughout the seventies and features Klaus Voorman, Denny Laine and whole other host of ex-Wings members.

Thanks Darin - enjoyed this despite every single one of the talking heads being an old white guy! The ex-bandmates were fine, but some of the rock writers I could do without (sorry, Xgau).

Ended up watching the others in the series (which covers 1958-1980) too.

Just discovered this Paul McCartney solo podcast by accident – it's surprisingly good, hosted by two real McCartneyheads who go through one album an episode (or two). Have only listened to the Ram ones so far but I learned a lot.

https://takeitawaypodcast.com

this is really good, way to go paul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aef2eV7GmQw

Just discovered this Paul McCartney solo podcast by accident – it's surprisingly good, hosted by two real McCartneyheads who go through one album an episode (or two). Have only listened to the Ram ones so far but I learned a lot.

https://takeitawaypodcast.com

― Alba, Wednesday, June 20, 2018

awesome, thanks!

I of course listened to the Press to Play podcast first.

yeah i'm excited to get into that macca podcast and i hate podcasts

same

i wish podcast episodes weren't 28 hours long each, though

this is really good, way to go paul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aef2eV7GmQw

It is!

Other track's no slouch either. Drums are mixed high, is Ringo involved?

Macca sounding oddly like E from Eels there.

OK these guys despise "Press," fuck them

new Paul is cool stuff. i like "Come On to Me", the chorus sounds like something Beck might come up with if he didn't suck nowadays

So this poll led me down a solo Beatle rabbit hole and I watched this last night:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07938WKMW🕸

Any Amazon Prime members here might really enjoy it. It follows J & P throughout the seventies and features Klaus Voorman, Denny Laine and whole other host of ex-Wings members.

Stoked on these new songs, guys. <3

Pretty solid song (v white album IMO) but god, that video, like someone made it on a dare to produce the shittiest imaginable promo

From the email that went out:

Sharing a title with one of Paul’s own paintings, Egypt Station is the first full album of all-new McCartney music since 2013’s international chart-topping NEW. Preceded by two of its tracks just released as double A-sides - plaintive ballad 'I Don’t Know' and raucous stomper 'Come On To Me' - Egypt Station was recorded between Los Angeles, London and Sussex, and produced (with the exception of one Ryan Tedder track) by Greg Kurstin (Adele, Beck, Foo Fighters).

Of the forthcoming album’s enigmatic title, Paul says, “I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’ It reminded me of the ‘album’ albums we used to make... 'Egypt Station' starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station. So it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that. I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from.”

True to the inspiration behind its title, Egypt Station ’s 14 songs combine to convey a unique travelogue vibe. Between the opening and closing instrumentals 'Station I' and 'Station II', each song finds Paul capturing a place or moment before transporting the listener seamlessly to the next destination. Stops along the way include an acoustic meditation on present day contentedness ('Happy With You'), a timeless anthem that would fit on virtually any album of any McCartney era ('People Want Peace'), and an epic multi-movement closer clocking in at seven minutes with a song suite structure harkening back to the days of Paul’s previous combos ('Despite Repeated Warnings'). The result is a kaleidoscopic journey through myriad musical locales and eras, yet firmly rooted in the here and now - with Paul’s singular unmistakeable melodic and lyrical sensibility serving as a guide.

(with the exception of one Ryan Tedder track)

nooooooooo

I thought I posted this but I didn’t. I enjoyed it as well. Who knew Amazon had so many Beatles documentaries? (but still not The Compleat Beatles, which was my introduction to them but I believe has been pulled out of circulation)

yeah, these are pretty great. I ended up watching all four docs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSGlnXRHLZo

anyone seen this? Paul is unusually forthright.

"I Don't Know" almost sounds like the tune Jimmy Fallon says he tried to pitch him, around 4 min in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40dnEuHWySU

Cool interview, Alfred!

LADS

I'M AT A DJ NIGHT AT A BAR RN AND THEY'RE PLAYING "TEMPORARY SCRETARY" AND IT'S RULING....

SECRETARY

otm

Of the forthcoming album’s enigmatic title, Paul says, “I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’

good stuff Paul

Stops along the way include an acoustic meditation on present day contentedness ('Happy With You'), a timeless anthem that would fit on virtually any album of any McCartney era ('People Want Peace'), and an epic multi-movement closer clocking in at seven minutes with a song suite structure harkening back to the days of Paul’s previous combos ('Despite Repeated Warnings').

True, but other times he's aimed for the "Abbey Road" style medley, it's come up short.

You say that like “Hold Me Tight” is somehow lesser than “Golden Slumbers”

Alfred, that McCartney interview you posted is amazing.

Isn't it? For most of it, he drops the guile. The moment when he reminisces about hanging out with George a few months earlier is touching.

I know we all hate James Cordon and he's the worst thing about this but it is rather charming, even if Paul does tell the story of Let it Be for the 56000th time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjvzCTqkBDQ

my mom was on a trip visiting Liverpool last week and when they got on the Magical Mystery Tour bus the driver was like, "Paul actually just hopped onto the bus a few days ago". gg imagine that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50A9cU4o0Lo

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/paul-mccartneys-producer-greg-kurstin-breaks-down-egypt-station-666987/

all of that sounds v encouraging :D

so I ranked Paul's shit.

that's p close to how i'd rank them myself -- i've definitely played his debut more than anything else he ever did.

My seven favorite solo Beatles albums.

If he’d cut... “No Words"

lolwhat. best song on the album!

good writeups, cheers

best song?!

to me, it's up there. I wish it was twice as long

"no words" was in my top five? it's totally the best song on band on the run

I love you, ILM.

it's sublimely produced disco-ballad-rock.

88. One of These Days - Paul McCartney (feat. Paul) (394 points, 7 votes)

I pretty much know duck-all about Solo Beatles, but “Temporary Secretary” (a recent discovery) led me to McCartney II — and the above closing track is a very fine song.

McCartney II is pretty much the hipster/Pitchfork readers choice.

Yr starting at the wrong end of the list morris