Well well, take off your face (Paul McCartney) #249 - 254

Paul McCartney Another Day/ Oh Woman Oh Why (Apple, NZP 3398, 1971)

Paul and Linda McCartney Uncle Albert Admiral Halsey/ Too Many People (Apple, NZP 3410, 1971)

Paul and Linda McCartney Eat At Home/ Smile Away (Apple, NZP 3406, 1971)

Wings Give Ireland Back To The Irish/ Give Ireland Back To The Irish (Version) (Apple, A 9866, 1972)

Wings Mary Had A Little Lamb/ Little Woman Love (Apple, A 9924, 1972)

Wings Hi Hi Hi/ C Moon (Apple, NZP 3449, 1972)

Welcome to the wacky world of Paul McCartney singles. He used a number of guises along the way (you'll see what I mean as I go) so for ease of brain I've collected them all together under 'Paul McCartney'. 

This bunch forms his 1971 and 1972 efforts - from the parent album Ram and single only songs, or a combination of both in the case of Another Day. Good fun!

Now let me declare some prejudices at the outset: I'm a Lennon obsessive first and foremost, a Beatles collector second and a Beatles related product completist third (that explains all the Apple Records singles appearing in this countdown and the Ringo stuff to come).

That means that some of McCartney's stuff can be dodgy for me to listen to, even now. His quality control has never been a strength.

But having said that - McCartney had some amazingly awesome singles. There are five in the list above (one guess which one's the naff one).

Another Day didn't make the Ram cut and I can see why - it IS a natural single though. Even though Lennon has a pop at it in How Do You Sleep? it has a great pop hook and it's deceptively simple. It's McCartney in Rita Meter Maid third person narration mode which he's clearly a master of, but one which Lennon disapproved of.

Uncle Albert etc is one of my favourite Macca songs ever. In fact Ram is an terrific album which I've always loved. This brings back wonderful memories of my teenage bedroom at 18 Korma Rd. in Royal Oak, listening to the radio in my room, soaking up the oddities of this track. Something about it always brings me back to that teenage me.

Whatever your politics and whether or not you regard this as radical opportunism, Give Ireland etc is another wonderful song with a great pop hook. It was a single one off and displays Macca's genius in a glorious way.

Hi Hi Hi is McCartney as rocker and, my oh my - he sure can rock.  

Hidden gems: The first four B sides all come from Ram and are, for me, best heard on that album. The real hidden gem here is C Moon. Another example of Macca's tossed off genius for a catchy chune.

It's really hard to pick one track to highlight among these fantastic songs but this clip comes complete with some wonderful home movie footage of the McCartney's Ram days on their home in Scotland.