Great piece of writing, and I couldn't agree more. Paul's willingness (and ability) to experiment with so many different styles (Helter Skelter and Blackbird on the same album too for example) is up there with reasons why he's so special. I always think of his reply when the other Beatles mentioned the drudge of doing Maxwell's Silver Hammer - 'I recorded it because I wanted to do it'. I'm paraphrasing, but it's a fair enough statement.
The detail I keep circling is the placeholder lyrics—the names Paul apparently never bothered to fix because they happened to work. You've got me noticing a real through-line in how you write about him: back on "Helter Skelter" it was a song that isn't "about" anything, and here it's words that don't quite mean anything but carry the whole off-kilter mood anyway. With Paul especially, words and meaning keep coming apart, and you keep catching it. That's the thing I can't stop chasing in songs, so watching you track it across the catalog is a pleasure.
And Chris picked well—handing the earnestness case a song he doesn't even like is the perfect test, because the only way to win is to make a skeptic feel the heart under the goof. You did. I came in filing "Rocky Raccoon" under shaggy novelty and left thinking about that last flicker of redemption. The line about how it's "far cooler to actually care about things" is the one I'm keeping.
(And congrats on the wedding, Chris—enjoy the honeymoon.)
I truly cannot understand this endless Beatles worshipping I was in the live audience at the Ed Sullivan theater when they first landed here Through the mindless sreaming all I heard was some pretty lame airhead pop slop by some mediocre musicians. I must confess I am on the Kinks/Stones side of the fence as their songwriting skills, musicianship and stage presence was always mu h more adult honest and insightful To this day I cannot listen to the Beatles, especially the smug smarmy Mc Cartney. George Harrison was intelligent and thoughtful and he really showed his gifts after they split up I know I'm probably the only baby boomer who feels this way but it is my opinion however unpopular
Great piece of writing, and I couldn't agree more. Paul's willingness (and ability) to experiment with so many different styles (Helter Skelter and Blackbird on the same album too for example) is up there with reasons why he's so special. I always think of his reply when the other Beatles mentioned the drudge of doing Maxwell's Silver Hammer - 'I recorded it because I wanted to do it'. I'm paraphrasing, but it's a fair enough statement.
Love this take! This experimentation is no doubt a massive part of why the Beatles remain so intriguing.
I would love for a psychologist to explain to me WHY and HOW that tiny fraction of songs end up getting stuck in our heads for all eternity!
The detail I keep circling is the placeholder lyrics—the names Paul apparently never bothered to fix because they happened to work. You've got me noticing a real through-line in how you write about him: back on "Helter Skelter" it was a song that isn't "about" anything, and here it's words that don't quite mean anything but carry the whole off-kilter mood anyway. With Paul especially, words and meaning keep coming apart, and you keep catching it. That's the thing I can't stop chasing in songs, so watching you track it across the catalog is a pleasure.
And Chris picked well—handing the earnestness case a song he doesn't even like is the perfect test, because the only way to win is to make a skeptic feel the heart under the goof. You did. I came in filing "Rocky Raccoon" under shaggy novelty and left thinking about that last flicker of redemption. The line about how it's "far cooler to actually care about things" is the one I'm keeping.
(And congrats on the wedding, Chris—enjoy the honeymoon.)
I truly cannot understand this endless Beatles worshipping I was in the live audience at the Ed Sullivan theater when they first landed here Through the mindless sreaming all I heard was some pretty lame airhead pop slop by some mediocre musicians. I must confess I am on the Kinks/Stones side of the fence as their songwriting skills, musicianship and stage presence was always mu h more adult honest and insightful To this day I cannot listen to the Beatles, especially the smug smarmy Mc Cartney. George Harrison was intelligent and thoughtful and he really showed his gifts after they split up I know I'm probably the only baby boomer who feels this way but it is my opinion however unpopular
You are absolutely correct. It is unpopular.