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Thursday 31 March 2016

Pure McCartney

"Pure McCartney" is a new 2CD or deluxe 4CD compilation of previously released songs.
So the news are out...er somewhat. I guess we'll have to wait for paulmccartney.com for the press release. Meanwhile, we're off to London, so you'll have to do with other news sources for a while.

Likely songs featured:

Maybe I’m Amazed (McCartney)
Heart of the Country (RAM)
Jet (Band on the Run)
Warm and Beautiful (Wings at the Speed of Sound)
Silly Love Songs (Wings at the Speed of Sound)
Listen to What The Man Said (Venus and Mars)
Dear Boy (RAM)
The Song We Were Singing (Flaming Pie)
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (RAM)
Early Days (New)
Big Barn Red (Red Rose Speedway)
Another Day (non-album single)
Flaming Pie (Flaming Pie)
Jenny Wren (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
Too Many People (RAM)
Let Me Roll It (Band on the Run)
New (New)
Live and Let Die (non-album single)
English Tea (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
Mull of Kintyre (non album single)
Save Us (New)
My Love (Red Rose Speedway)
Bip Bop (Wild Life)
Let ‘Em In (Wings at the Speed of Sound)
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five (Band on the Run)
Calico Skies (Flaming Pie)
Hi Hi Hi (non-album single)
Waterfalls (McCartney II)
Band on the Run (Band on the Run)
Appreciate (New)
Sing The Changes (The Fireman – Electric Arguments)
Arrow Through Me (Back To The Egg)
Every Night (McCartney)
Junior’s Farm (non-album single)
Mrs Vandebilt (Band on the Run)
Say Say Say (2015 remix) (Pipes of Peace)
My Valentine (Kisses on the Bottom)
Pipes of Peace (Pipes of Peace)
The World Tonight (Flaming Pie)
Dance Tonight (Memory Almost Full)
Souvenir (Flaming Pie)
Ebony and Ivory (Tug of War)
Fine Line (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
Here Today (Tug of War)
Press (Press to Play)
Wanderlust (Tug of War)
Winedark Open Sea (Off The Ground)
Beautiful Night (Flaming Pie)
Girlfriend (London Town)
Queenie Eye (New)
We All Stand Together (non-album single)
Coming Up (McCartney II)
Too Much Rain (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
Good Times Coming / Feel The Sun (Press to Play)
Goodnight Tonight (non-album single)
Baby’s Request (Back to the Egg or Kisses on the Bottom)
With A Little Luck (London Town)
Little Willow (Flaming Pie)
Only Mama Knows (Memory Almost Full)
Don’t Let It Bring You Down (London Town)
The Back Seat of My Car (RAM)
No More Lonely Nights (Give My Regards to Broad Street)
Temporary Secretary (McCartney II)
Great Day (Flaming Pie)
Venus and Mars/Rock Show (Venus and Mars)
Hope For The Future (non-album single)
Junk (McCartney)

52 comments:

Dogma said...

Mmm... We dont need this, we want the next Archive release!!

Dogma said...

Mmm... We dont need this, we want the next Archive release!!

Debjorgo said...

Sure we need this. This has hit written all over it! Hell, I'm buying two copies.

Unknown said...

Great stuff. Can't wait

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jesse Fine said...

First off...all of the songs are on Spotify. We can just make our own playlist and save a few bucks.
Secondly....why is there nothing from Flowers in the Dirt?

Chris said...

It could just be an April Fool's joke !

Debjorgo said...

That's my guess, Chris.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Well if this is the real deal and not an April Fool wind up, then I hope there'll be a comprehensive promo film collection done properly this time using the correct aspect ratio.. That said, there will be no holding of breath at my end..

Unknown said...

If it is an April fool's joke then Paul has a lot of people in on it because I just pre ordered it from amazon on 2 cd, 4 's deluxe, and 4 LP

Gabor Peterdi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gabor Peterdi said...

Too much filler here for me. A 2CD version is fine from Paul but I would not call songs like Bip Bop or Arrow Through Me etc. hits. If it does come out I hope a 24bit 96khz version download will be available too.

Nighthawk said...

It's now official. 67 songs.
http://www.paulmccartney.com/news-blogs/news/67-tracks-of-pure-mccartney

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

I suspect this is aimed at newcomers and for someone who doesn't already own the back cataloug it will be useful, but nothing from Flowers in the Dirt - WTF

Martin said...

No My Brave Face or Check My Machine?
And I hope the 12' of Goodnight Tonight is on there too....

42N said...

Where is "Best Friend" on this list? Its one of his very best live tunes.

Simple Letters said...

This is a great place, it’s superb that these people at party venues recognize that the holiday party is the time to celebrate not only the year’s achievements, but the talent and teamwork that made those achievements possible.

Tony said...

This is a terrible compilation. I just can't see that it makes any sense. Paul fans have all the tracks and have their own favourite playlists. Casual fans want hits packages, and this comp misses out so many hits it's painful. Unconvinced listeners are hardly likely to be converted by tracks like Bip Bop, Big Barn Bed or Great Day. To pick Winedsrk Open Sea as the only track from OTG is ridiculous. It's one of the weakest tracks off a mainly excellent album. Nothing from FITD - unbelievable. (On the other hand, I wholly approve of the absence of anything from Driving Rain - a terrible album all round).

RHWinter said...

"Tony said: I wholly approve of the absence of anything from Driving Rain - a terrible album all round"
That's a good sentence for me to answer this: I like Macca's Music mainly up to "Tug of War". After that there are only VERY FEW songs I like (e.g. "Big Boys Bickering"). The reason is simply that The Beatles and Wings were responsible for the Soundtrack to my adolescence. The only Macca Album after Tug of war that I like from the first down to the last song is Driving Rain! Why? Because with the songs about coping with Linda's death and allowing himself his (then) new love, for me Macca seems to have a message beyond the usual proof that he's such a great musician, composer and - lest we forget - forever young... - Just my two Cents. Thanx for listening.
Richard

RHWinter said...

P.S.: I really like "Arrow Trough Me"!

Maurice Dion said...

Hello Friend, I have all these songs.........BUT THE ARCHIVES..........

Debjorgo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Debjorgo said...

I thought this was an April Fools joke because of the song selection. It looked like it was made up just to confuse people. And it was a few days before April 1st.

I have everything here. I bought Wingspan for the one or two rare tracks. This, cool picture on the cover; not enough of a draw for me.

I think they could have done a much better introductory 4 disc set. Singles are picked as singles for a reason.

Driving Rain is worth getting just for Rinse the Raindrops. I love that song (although it's too short) and a few others. I skip the songs I don't like.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I think everyone's track list would look different. Maybe some would agree in certain areas. I think picking 4 CDs worth of tracks from a catalog this massive would always be controversial among fans unless it was just an obvious greatest hits package, which clearly this is not trying to be. I think it's a fine package of some classic recordings that appears to be a very wide mix of some hits and some deep tracks. Agree that I would pick some of the tracks differently, but then no doubt I would pick differently from you also. I don't mind "Bip Bop" at all, but I probably would have picked "Dear Friend" or "Some People Never Know." But Bip Bop is a fine example of Paul's raw creativity, coming out as an off-beat bit of acoustic rock that doesn't take itself too seriously, but has a cool, unique vibe to it. That's what I like about it. Agree it's weird about certain tracks from Tug Of War, Flowers In The Dirt and Off The Ground not making the list. But that's what the original CDs are for. That's why many die-hard fans will simply dig out old CDs to hear our favorite hits and deep tracks.

I don't think this is meant as the ultimate introductory sampler either. I think it would look different if it was. (It would look different if I was personally in charge of it.) By the name "Pure McCartney" my best guess is that these are songs that were handpicked by Paul as summing up something about his spirit of creativity and artistry, both in recording and writing. I think the title and some of the unexpected choices make that very clear, that this is more about what sums him up as an artist... featuring some of the overplayed hits, some of the obvious deep tracks, but also a healthy handful of unexpected tracks. It does throw out the rules of expectation a bit, kinda like McCartney.

Unknown said...

In other words: "I'm not a great one for that; 'Maybe it was too many...' What d'ya mean? It's great. It sold. It's the bloody Beatles White Album. Shut up!"

ciuzo85 said...

That's exactly what I was thinking yesterday (the phrase from the "Anthology"). If you want a proper and definitive "McCartney Greatest Hits" kind of "The Ultimate Lennon Collection", it'll finally come out, but this is not the case. Let's be glad we'll have a personal compilation by the man himself

db said...

'Handpicked by Paul' makes for fascinating debate: creator vs consumer, but no real reason to spend money on what I already have... Unless you're the kind of oddball that buys 'Mind Games' etc in every possible format.

Tony said...

Which goes to prove that one man's weed is another man's flower.

Debjorgo said...

There are a few rarities here. Hope For the Future (I have all 5 versions but no copies on disc), We All Stand Together, the Say Say Say remix. I already have them but if you don't....

Unknown said...

McCartney (3)
"Maybe I'm Amazed"
"Every Night"
"Junk"

Ram (5)
"Dear Boy"
"Heart of the Country"
"Too Many People"
"The Back Seat of My Car"
"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"

Wild Life (1)
"Bip Bop"

Red Rose Speedway (2)
"Big Barn Bed"
"My Love"

Band on the Run (5)
"Jet"
"Let Me Roll It"
"Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five"
"Band on the Run"
"Mrs. Vanderbilt"

Venus and Mars (2)
"Listen to What the Man Said"
"Venus and Mars / Rock Show"

Wings at the Speed of Sound (3)
"Warm and Beautiful"
"Silly Love Songs"
"Let 'Em In"

London Town (3)
"Girlfriend"
"With a Little Luck"
"Don't Let It Bring You Down"

Back to the Egg (2)
"Arrow Through Me"
"Baby's Request"

McCartney II (2)
"Temporary Secretary"
"Waterfalls"

Tug of War (3)
"Here Today"
"Ebony and Ivory"
"Wanderlust"

Pipes of Peace (2)
"Say Say Say"
"Pipes of Peace"

Give My Regards to Broad Street (1)
"No More Lonely Nights"

Press to Play (2)
"Press"
"Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun"

Flowers in the Dirt (0)

Off the Ground (1)
"Winedark Open Sea"

Flaming Pie (8)
"The Songs We Were Singing"
"Calico Skies"
"Souvenir"
"Flaming Pie"
"The World Tonight"
"Beautiful Night"
"Little Willow"
"Great Day"

Driving Rain (0)

Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (4)
"Fine Line"
"Jenny Wren"
"English Tea"
"Too Much Rain"

Memory Almost Full (2)
"Dance Tonight"
"Only Mama Knows"

Electric Arguments (1)
"Sing the Changes"

Kisses on the Bottom (1)
"My Valentine"

New (5)
"New"
"Queenie Eye"
"Appreciate"
"Early Days"
"Save Us"

Singles (9)
"Another Day"
"Live and Let Die"
"Mull of Kintyre"
"Hi, Hi,Hi"
"Junior's Farm"
"We All Stand Together"
"Coming Up"
"Goodnight Tonight"
"Hope for the Future"

Titenhurst said...

Spies Like Us - glaring omission

Gabor Peterdi said...

MY LIST WOULD BE

"Another Day"
"Maybe I'm Amazed"
"Every Night"
"Junk"
"The Back Seat of My Car"
"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
"Heart of the Country"
"Big Barn Bed"
"Hi, Hi,Hi"
"My Love"
"Live and Let Die"
"Jet"
"Let Me Roll It"
"Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five"
"Band on the Run"
"Mrs. Vanderbilt"
"Helen Wheels"
"Junior's Farm"
"Listen to What the Man Said"
"Venus and Mars / Rock Show"
"Warm and Beautiful"
"Silly Love Songs"
"Let 'Em In"
"Mull of Kintyre"
"London Town"
"Girlfriend"
"With a Little Luck"
"Don't Let It Bring You Down"
"Goodnight Tonight"
"Old Siam Sir"
"Arrow Through Me"
"Baby's Request"
"Coming Up"
"Temporary Secretary"
"Waterfalls"
"Take It Away"
"Here Today"
"Ebony and Ivory"
"Wanderlust"
"Ballroom Dancing"
"Say Say Say"
"Pipes of Peace"
"No More Lonely Nights"
"We All Stand Together"
"Press"
"Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun"
"My Brave Face"
"This One"
"Hope Of Deliverance"
"The Songs We Were Singing"
"Calico Skies"
"The World Tonight"
"Beautiful Night"
"Little Willow"
"Your Loving Flame"
"Fine Line"
"Jenny Wren"
"English Tea"
"Too Much Rain"
"Dance Tonight"
"Only Mama Knows"
"Sing the Changes"
"My Valentine"
"New"
"Queenie Eye"
"Appreciate"
"Early Days"
"Save Us"
"Hope for the Future"

old man taylor said...

I guess MacManus on the credits would be impure McCartney

Titenhurst said...

more unnecessary compilations please, with a 40 year old photo of the artist

Shad Radna said...

No McCartney fans are obliged to buy this. It's not compulsory. If you've got this stuff already then don't buy it if you don't want to. And if your reason not to buy it is that it doesn't have any songs from an album you already own... well, just think about it.

Judemac said...

Up for pre-order

http://www.amazon.com/Pure-McCartney-4-CD-Deluxe/dp/B01DN253G2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459693502&sr=8-1&keywords=pure+paul+mccartney

RHWinter said...

"Old man taylor said: I guess MacManus on the credits would be impure McCartney"
Just what I was thinking!
"Flaming Pie said: more unnecessary compilations please, with a 40 year old photo of the Artist"
Just my 5 Cents: GREAT to have that very good photo of bearded Paul from beloved Linda!

Titenhurst said...

I couldn't be more of a fan if I tried. This just doesn't excite me at all. I've read that Flowers is next up for archive release, hence it's omission here.

Unknown said...

I'd go with the following, as far as what the phrase "Pure McCartney" means to me, and skipping some of the ones that I do love but have been killed by radio. (I don't need to hear Band On The Run ever again, I can play it backward in my head. Same with The Eagles Hotel California, which I loved until its radio death also. So that immediately leaves off things like Listen To What The Man Said, which I really do love, but they are on every compilation every time anyway. Otherwise just buy Wings Greatest, or All The Best.)

This sums up McCartney for my money. Included just a few of my favorite essential B-sides, without going too B-side crazy.

That Would Be Something
Every Night
Maybe I'm Amazed
Too Many People
Dear Boy
Heart Of The Country
Hi Hi Hi
Dear Friend
My Love
I Lie Around
Helen Wheels
Bluebird
Let Me Roll It
1985
Rock Show
Letting Go
Beware My Love
Soily (studio, One Hand Clapping)
Warm and Beautiful
Don't Let It Bring You Down
I've Had Enough
Girl's School
Spin It On
Arrow Through Me
Old Siam Sir
Daytime Nighttime Suffering
Baby's Request
Coming Up (live)
Waterfalls
Tug Of War
Ballroom Dancing
Get It
Pipes Of Peace
Sweetest Little Show
Stranglehold
Good Times Coming
Move Over Busker
Only Love Remains
My Brave Face
You Want Her Too
This One
Be Bop A Lula (Unplugged)
Off The Ground
Hope Of Deliverance
Mistress and Maid
The Lovers That Never Were
The Song We Were Singing
Little Willow
Great Day
What It Is
Lonely Road
Jenny Wren
Dance Tonight
Only Mama Knows
That Was Me
Sing The Changes
My Valentine
Queenie Eye
Early Days

Unknown said...

The funniest part about it is that it is SO subjective. I remember about 15 years ago, there was a large-ish faction of people in rec.music.beatles that agreed very strongly among them that the White Album would have made a much better single disc... but even among that group that agreed that this was plainly true, no one could come close to agreement on what tracks should be cut. Everyone got really hot under the collar about... "You can't cut Piggies, that is the soul of the album" etc. It got pretty funny seeing it played out that so many people agreed that a single album would have been better, but everyone was 1,000 miles apart on what was the good stuff and what was the filler.

In the end, compilation albums are a bit stupid in that same way too. Even within my own imaginary list, I'm leaving off about 5 songs per album that I feel are absolutely essential, just for the sake of fitting it to approximately 4 CD. But we live in an age now where there is literally no reason for limiting space. Hopefully new listeners will get good tips on things to check out, and will find ALL of the things that they love about McCartney.

For those new listeners who are just content with only the overplayed radio hits... WOW, I say! Missing a lot of good stuff. The thing about McCartney is there are usually a few shabby tracks that didn't get baked long enough... but he almost always has some great rock, and some great acoustic-based, deep tracks. He usually lays out a pretty tasty buffet before its all over.

Unknown said...

Imagine if the White Album was only an EP, but it was a "REALLY STRONG" EP.

James Percival said...

One wonders who will buy this cd given that it falls between either a a fully comprehensive singles / greatest hits package and a more interesting exploration of the more experimental McCartney. In any case the greatest hits have been pretty well covered with Wings Greatest (exactly what it said on the tin, and brought together 45s that many would not necessarily have bought), All The Best which was later and more comprehensive, and Wingspan which was an interesting idea, even if the hits disc pretty much replicated the earlier collections.

For my money I would have gone for the lesser well known singles, B sides and albums tracks that explain the brilliance of Macca far more than the overplayed radio hits. So this would be my list presented chronologically without the album titles:

Maybe I'm Amazed (and why not the live version which was the later single_
Every Night

Dear Boy
Back Seat of my Car

Tomorrow

Little Lamb Dragonfly

Bluebird
Let me Roll it
1985
No Words

Love in song
Letting go
Call me back again
Rock show

Beware my love
Must do something about it (macca's vocal, although I thought Joe English did a great job)
Warm and Beautiful

London Town
Girlfriend
I've had enough
Don't let it bring you down

Old Siam sir
Winter Rose
Rockestra
Baby's request

Waterfalls (I know it was a single, but not that well known)

Here today
Wanderlust
Dress me up as a robber
Someone who cares

The Man (cheesy, but it's one of the few I like off PoP)

Rough Ride
Distractions
Put it there
Figure of eight

Peace in the Neighbourhood
Golden Earth Girl

The world tonight
Flaming Pie
Heaven on a Sunday
Beautiful night

Run Devil Run

Your loving flame
From a lover to a friend

Jenny Wren
Too much rain
Fine line

Ever present past
Only mama knows
Mr Bellamy
That was me

My valentine

Queenie eye
Appreciate
Alligator (I must admit I haven't played this album for a while so I was tracking other peoples choices)

And the B sides, etc:

C moon
I lie around
The mess
Country Dreamer
Bridge over river suite
Sally G
Girls School
Check my machine
Secret friend
Back on my feet
Flying to my home
Soily (live)

You can probably tell I like the melodic Macca, but I have created cd collections for the car based around ballads and rockers, and this list could be split along those lines rather than chronologically. I also wonder about the inclusion of his orchestral music because Leaf and Spiral, for example, are two of his greatest compositions imho. Finally, I'm not au fait with all the bootlegs so I can only list what I know from official releases.



T-Bird said...

Yes, I think James in on the money with his choices.

A.H. said...

For some time, I've played around in my head with this idea - well, desired fantasy actually - that would see the release of a seriously serious compilation of McCartney's post Beatles career - a no-holds barred, comprehensive collection of his finest work that would ultimately result in his standing as a singer-songwriter being regarded with a bit more respect by critics and general public alike.

Yeah - sure, such a compilation should reflect on his talent for hummable, hookable hits, but it should also show the side(s) of McCartney that the majority don't hear - the weightier, heavier, deeper material he's recorded since 1970 - the unheard classics (yeah - I know I'm not alone in this of course).
I think the general perception of McCartney from most folk who aren't 'the die-hards' is of: "Macca" - a very rich bloke who was once in The Beatles and who hasn't recorded anything as good since - with the exception of a few hit singles maybe. He's Mr. "Thumbs aloft," the ever accommodating crowd-pleaser who will always make sure there's a sing-along rendition of 'Hey Jude' in his set-list amongst an ever-increasing slew of Beatles classics (don't worry, punters! He won't bore you with his solo stuff for too long. There's plenty more Beatles to come!)

Okay, okay - maybe that's too sweeping a generalisation there - but you get my drift, right?
A compilation like that is all about getting the media (and, as a result, the general public) re-assessing McCartney's work as a solo artist (perhaps to have him regarded in the same breath as those who exist in the hallowed halls of the so-called "singer/songwriter" - i.e. James Taylor, Tim Buckley, Paul Simon, e.t.c.).

The whole thing of course should be marked by a round of nights at the Royal Albert Hall where the man himself performs from this back-catalogue - NO BEATLES SONGS, NO 1950s covers - just McCARTNEY on McCARTNEY. An effective media campaign highlighting his not-often shouted about musical achievements wouldn't go amiss either.

Anyway!... And then I woke up!!

James Percival said...

AH
While I agree with your sentiments, I do not agree with your conclusions. Like so many things it is difficult to quantify an artist's standing or appreciation. But to begin with do you really believe that the majority of general population / music fans / music critics seriously place Macca below the three you mention? I would find that impossible to believe. Some, sure, but not the majority. Moreover if McCartney gets flack it is probably far more as a reaction to the ridiculous respect and coverage he and the Beatles still receive. On any given day in the UK there is a Beatles story somewhere (eg 'lost' photos of McCartney on the BBC and Mail websites today). There was a poster a few months ago warning us all that the millennials and other youth tribes are in danger of being turned off by the constant pressure to like the Beatles. Sure it is difficult to quantify, but poll after poll still places the Beatles at the top and this is remarkable 40+ years after they split.
But let's consider some metrics:
Unquestionably the most commercially successful songwriter ever;
Millions of sales as a solo artist (was it really 1.3 billion records (Beatles + solo) as quoted by X factor a few years ago?);
Massive crowds for his live shows year upon year upon year;
Massive media coverage for anything he does.

The true test will be after he dies and the initial euphoria subsides. Then I think the experimental Macca, the classical Macca (I am mostly a classical and jazz fan and I think Standing Stone, Leaf, Spiral and Ecce Cor Meum really serious and quality works) and the deeper Macca will be more appreciated. Time will tell I guess.

A.H. said...

Hi James.
Whilst I don't "believe" that the majority of the population/fans/critics place McCartney below Simon, Buckley, Taylor, it's certainly an impression I have. For starters, unlike S/B/&T, McCartney is not only a songwriting genius, but, of course, a showman (whether it be duetting with Michael Jackson in elaborate Pop videos, starring in movies such as Broad Street, or appearing on X-Factor). I think the showbiz side has blighted his reputation as an artist with the general public, the majority of who have little interest in the music-scene barring the odd song that catches the attention. They won't be familiar with his back-catalogue except for the hits. A case in point; A guy in his forties once said to me that McCartney was "crap," with the exception of 'Live and Let Die.' I proceeded to ask him if he'd listened to any of his solo albums, to which he replied, "no." I should have asked him why he thought he was "crap." It wouldn't surprise me if it was because he'd based his opinions on what he'd gleaned from the 'popular' media over the decades (so, that'll be the Frog Chorus, the endless 'silly love songs,' the lightweight hits, e.t.c.). Were there more emphasis on his lesser known tracks, I think my friend would reconsider. This has happened to some degree with my wife for example (who's not a Beatles die-hard). She's always regarded Paul to be a bit "square." Just the other day, she heard a particularly terrible song on the radio (not by Paul) and opined that the "cheesey" voice of the singer was a bit 'McCartney-ish.' I was slightly miffed by this, so, without her knowledge, I clicked-up a rendition on YouTube of Soily. After it ended, she asked me if it was AC/DC. She was surprised when I told her who it was - She was introduced to a side of McCartney's solo catalogue that she'd never heard before. I played the same 'trick' on her with 'What's That You're Doing' the Macca/Wonder collab. She loved it. She would never have known Macca could be that funky had she not heard it.
Again, I don't want to make sweeping observations, but - from the impression I've gleaned from my own experiences over the years - this perception of McCartney is popular.

Yep, I agree that McCartney is a highly regarded songwriter by the general public (of course), but is the majority of that regard (90%-95% of it) merely based on his time in The Beatles? Would he rank above the likes of Buckley/Taylor for artistic integrity if he were to be measured only by his work in the post-Beatles years?

Of course, with regards to his live shows, there can be no denying the popularity there. However - again - are the majority of those attending these shows there to see Paul McCartney or Beatle McCartney? How many are there merely to see an ex-Beatle playing live, and - dare I suggest - wouldn't care less if none of his solo music was performed (with the exception of one or two songs perhaps)? Enough not to lessen box-office receipts if - hypothetically - he were to decide to conduct tours made up of only post-Beatle material? Also, with regards to the record-sales he's racked-up. Yes, jaw-dropping in scale, but, how much of those sales that's assured him the title of 'commercially successful songwriter ever' is due to his time as a member of The Beatles? Take those particular sales away, would he then stack so highly (surely the likes of Michael Jackson, Elvis, and perhaps Elton John are just three who'd top that)? I honestly dunno.

Any way. That's me digressing there, because the issue here isn't about 'sales' as such, but, the integrity and the artistic merits of his solo back-catalogue. It's not about how much he's sold, but the actual content of the music and the body of work he's laid down, which should (IMO) be regarded with more seriousness as a whole.

Invisible Ray said...

I am very upset with this compilation, I am assuming Macca hand picked the tracks himself! If he had left it to a professional the result could have been a triumph, but sadly not this time! For GOD SAKES.... Warm and beautiful is an embarrassment and that is just one that springs to mind. The family man McCartney wrote many great songs for Linda, but also a lot of wishy washy crap, which is very self indulgent. Ram is over used again and no FITD is a big mistake. The track listing fails to make a new (or veteran) fan interested and the truly great songs are thrown in all over the place. It would have been a much better idea just to either ask the fans for feedback or to have made a collection of songs from 1985 to the present, must fans already have the 70s and 80s taken care of on a number of superior compilations!

Invisible Ray said...

http://beatlesdiscs.blogspot.co.il/2011/03/pure-mccartney-paul-mccartney-10-june.html

Kirbyfan said...

To each his own!

There's plenty here to absolutely love, and if you don't then don't get it!

Sure there are songs that i wish were included, but for many people this is a must have!

How many of those people who fill stadiums all over the world to see McCartney will buy this, you better believe it will be a lot of them!

vadfromkiev said...
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