Tuesday, December 22, 2015

It doesn't make sense but I wanna be you (Paul McCartney) #496 - 497

Paul McCartney Young Boy/ Looking For You/ Oobu Joobu Part 1 (Parlophone, 1997)
Paul McCartney Jenny Wren/ I Want You To Fly (Parlophone, 2005)

Macca can write these types of A side songs, seemingly, at will. I suspect he got slightly bored with this type of writing and so that explains the Fireman, Liverpool Sound Collage projects and the classical pieces. These other forms are probably far more challenging for him (they are certainly much more challenging to listen to).

But Young Boy is a nifty pop song (I'm stopping short of calling it great) because it sounds so effortless.


Jenny Wren is an attempt to do a Blackbird and because he links them (see the video below) it tends to suffer by comparison. I don't think he's returned to this kind of finger picked style since - I could be wrong - so he must have got it out of his system. 

Hidden gems: Looking For You features Ringo on drums and Jeff Lynne. It wasn't included on Flaming Pie but has appeared as a bonus track since then. I can see why it didn't make the cut - it's a really featureless jam and these things rarely work themselves into gems.


Oobu etc is part of a radio show he did and it's of completist interest only (trust me).


I Want You To Fly wasn't included on the parent album either (the rather under-rated Chaos And Creation In The Backyard). I give him points for trying new things here. This doesn't sound like much else in his catalogue, so points for inventiveness and bravery. It's quite a cool, sinewy song with some great harmony vocals.

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