Topic: Tight A$: The New John Lennon Reissue Campaign

[Hammond Eggar]

My favorite Paul solo song is a toss-up between "Daytime Nighttime Suffering" or "Jenny Wren." 

Wow, "Jenny Wren."  Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is a beautiful album.  I'm glad to see someone thinking outside of the box.  Most people think as if Paul's career ended with the break-up of Wings.  Uh, no.  I'd probably include Chaos and Creation in my Paul solo Top 10.  It's too bad "Fine Line" wasn't a hit.  I don't think Paul's hit the Billboard Top 40 Pop Singles chart since 1989's Flowers in the Dirt, another fine album.

[metaldams]

I'd probably include Chaos and Creation in my Paul solo Top 10.

It's more like top 1 for me. 

[Hammond Eggar]

It's more like top 1 for me. 

I don't blame you one bit.  What a statement that makes for Paul, that a musician in his mid-60s can still be vital and record one of his best solo works.  The fact that the album didn't make a huge dent on the charts doesn't change how great it is overall.

[metaldams]

I don't blame you one bit.  What a statement that makes for Paul, that a musician in his mid-60s can still be vital and record one of his best solo works.  The fact that the album didn't make a huge dent on the charts doesn't change how great it is overall.

Ray Davies' past couple of solo albums have been great too, and he's about the same age.  I think guys who are singer/songwriters actually benefit from being in their 60's, as they have a different view on life then when they were younger.  

On the other hand, guys in their 60's who try to still be rockstars, like Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler, look ridiculous.  Lemmy is the lone exception.

[Rich Finegan]

Speaking of solo McCartney stuff, how do you guys like "Secret Friend"?
It's bizarre, but a favorite of mine.

[metaldams]

Speaking of solo McCartney stuff, how do you guys like "Secret Friend"?
It's bizarre, but a favorite of mine.

I'm sure Hammond knows it, but I never heard it.  Doing the research, I see it's a bonus track on MCCARTNEY II ("Waterfalls" b-side, I'm guessing), and sure enough, that's one of the McCartney solo albums I don't have.  I'd say I have not quite, but almost half of his solo stuff.

[Hammond Eggar]

While I could never be too down on any Beatles solo releases, McCartney II is one album I've never fully embraced.  I just haven't gotten in to it the way I have many of his other releases.  Paul was obviously trying to be more experimental with his music.  What he created in 1980 was, in a way, more in line with some of his Fireman material, which has been hit or miss with me.  That said, back in 1995-96 I was doing the college radio circuit at San Antonio College.  For a time, I hosted a Saturday night alternative show.  I used the track "Trans Lunar Rising," from the Fireman LP Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest as my intro/theme music.

None of this is to say that I don't like McCartney II.  I applaud Paul for trying to take his music in a new direction.  That said, I am glad he got back to writing songs such as "Take It Away" and "Ballroom Dancing" as opposed to such fare as "Frozen Jap" and "Darkroom."

[metaldams]

I have heard that MCCARTNEY II is more experimental in nature, which I admit peaks my curiosity.  That's one reason why I've appreciated Paul solo more over the years while I'm slowly growing beyond just the hits.  Not everything he does is great, but enough of it is, and he's consistently making music and occasionally trying new things, which with his fame and money, he certainly doesn't have to do.

Funny story.  I was grocery shopping the other day, and as usual they had the piped in music in the background.  This time, the song they were playing was vaguely familiar, but the voice was undoubtedbly McCartney.  While going through the isles like crazy trying to get a better listen, I heard the words and found out it's "My Brave Face."  I guess that one's on FLOWERS IN THE DIRT, which I only had on cassette, listened to a few times, and probably haven't heard in over 10 years.  The only song I remember distinctly from that album is "Put It There," which I really love.  Funny how I heard "new" Paul in the strangest place.

But yeah, Paul's got a huge catalog, and it should take anybody years to digest.  I wonder how Frank Zappa fans feel? 

[falsealarms]

For what it's worth, Rolling Stone Magazine recently issued their listing of the top 100 Beatles songs:

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/stopthepresses/264896/beatles-greatest-songs-did-rolling-stone-get-it-right/

What I would have put #1 (IN MY LIFE) was 5th.

[Hammond Eggar]

For what it's worth, Rolling Stone Magazine recently issued their listing of the top 100 Beatles songs:

Thanks for the link.  The writer of the article suggested a list of the most underrated Beatles songs.  I've compiled my own personal top 10, although not in order of preference.  That's still too difficult for me, but here's the list just the same.

TOP 10 MOST UNDERRATED BEATLES SONGS (ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

1] Any Time at All (1964)
2] Dear Prudence (1968)
3] For No One (1966)
4] For You Blue (1970)
5] Hold Me Tight (1963)
6] I'll Be Back (1964)
7] I'm Down (1965)
8] Mother Nature's Son (1968)
9] She Said She Said (1966)
10] There's a Place (1963)

[falsealarms]

Thanks for the link.  The writer of the article suggested a list of the most underrated Beatles songs.  I've compiled my own personal top 10, although not in order of preference.  That's still too difficult for me, but here's the list just the same.

TOP 10 MOST UNDERRATED BEATLES SONGS (ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

1] Any Time at All (1964)
2] Dear Prudence (1968)
3] For No One (1966)
4] For You Blue (1970)
5] Hold Me Tight (1963)
6] I'll Be Back (1964)
7] I'm Down (1965)
8] Mother Nature's Son (1968)
9] She Said She Said (1966)
10] There's a Place (1963)

The first 3 on that list are especially good.

[Curly4444]

Wrong, their all especially good. 

[Rich Finegan]

I'm sure Hammond knows it, but I never heard it.  Doing the research, I see it's a bonus track on MCCARTNEY II ("Waterfalls" b-side, I'm guessing), and sure enough, that's one of the McCartney solo albums I don't have.  I'd say I have not quite, but almost half of his solo stuff.

"Secret Friend" was originally not on any LP. It was the B-side of a 12-inch British 45 single of "Temporary Secretary".
Here you can see excellent large scans of the labels:

http://cgi.ebay.com/BEATLES-PAUL-McCARTNEY-temporary-secretary-12-45-vinyl-/180559022489?pt=UK_Records&hash=item2a0a280999

Images of the cover are here:

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=mccartney+temporary+secretary&_sacat=0&_odkw=mccartney+secret+friend&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313#item2a0a280999

"Secret Friend" is ten and a half minutes long, so didn't fit on any album at the time. I think this 12-inch single was pretty obscure even at the time, especially here in the States, so a lot of McCartney fans still seem to be unfamiliar with it. (I'm glad I got it way back then, as some of these eBay prices are pretty high!)

So I never really thought of it as part of "McCartney II" or any other album, just as a unique obscure B-side that quickly became a favorite.
I hope you get to hear it some time!

[Hammond Eggar]

I may have to upgrade my CD copy of McCartney II, seeing as it doesn't feature any of the bonus songs, including "Secret Friend."  OK, that's one more release I need to add to my list.

[stooged and confused]

Two of the most over looked Beatles songs is "Nowhere Man" (a #3 hit ) that gets lost in their massive catalog. The other is "All My Loving", which has number one stamped all over it, but with so much material available in 1964, it was relegated to an LP cut on Meet The Beatles.

As for McCartney, I like a lot of his stuff, but he has taken quite a thrashing from critics and his former band mates over the years. Lennon skewered him on the track "How Do You Sleep" from his Imagine LP. Harrison takes him to task on "Wah Wah" from All Things Must Pass and mild mannered Ringo nails him in his #9 hit single "Back Off Boogaloo".

[Liz]

Wrong, their all especially good. 

I agree, and while I'm a bigger Beach Boys fan than a Beatles fan, I still do love them and how they changed the world.

[shemps#1]

It's kind of hard to argue with the list, except personally I think "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is ranked too high as I am not as big a fan of the early years as I am Rubber Soul onward. My personal favorite Beatles tune tends to fluctuate depending on what mood I am in but currently I would go with Strawberry Fields Forever, followed very closely by A Day In The Life and Across The Universe.

[metaldams]

I always put "Nowhere Man," "We Can Work It Out," and "A Day in the Life" as my top three, but really, anything after that is too hard to rank.

As for the MCCARTNEY II bonus tracks, I believe almost all of his early and mid period solo records have bonus tracks.  Just check out each album under Wikipedia.  I know the self-titled debut doesn't have any, but just about every other one does.

[archiezappa]

I dunno.  I don't see a point in reissuing the CD's of Lennon once again.  They would do better to put together a vinyl LP box set that would include all of his LP's from "Two Virgins" to "Milk & Honey."  That way, you could have everything you need in the right format:  vinyl!  And, for all those users out there, they could include download codes in the box, so you can oompah, oompah, stick it in your ipod.  And, having every LP in a nice box, would warrant the inclusion of an LP size book to be included with the box set.

There is only one problem:  Too Much Yoko!!!

Maybe I oughta just make a mix tape of only the Lennon songs from "Double Fantasy."  Yoko almost ruined that album for me!

[archiezappa]

I have McCartney II, too!  But I only have it on vinyl.  I don't know about that bonus track, but I don't really like the song "Temporary Secretary."  Why couldn't he just hire a permanent one?  I don't understand.

But I do like "Coming Up."  It's one of his best songs.  I have a few CD's of Mr. McCartney, too.  "Chaos & Creation" and "Memory Almost Full" are two of his best.  But, "McCartney" still holds up with the best of them.  "Driving Rain" is okay, but not really up to par.  "Off The Ground" is good, too.  But not as good as the aforementioned stuff.

As I mentioned before, I'd love to have all of John's stuff on vinyl.  I have 3 of his LP's on vinyl.  The others I have on CD.  I do actually have "Two Virgins" and "Life With The Lions."  Each have their own levels of weirdness.  His best albums are "Imagine" and "Rock N Roll."  Neither have Yoko!

As for the other Beatles, George's output on Dark Horse Records is awesome!  I have the CD box set of those.  Great stuff!

Now, Ringo, on the other hand, is an interesting one.  No doubt his best album was "Ringo" which featured 3 other well known Liverpudlians...  However, I do have several other CD's of his like "Vertical Man," "Liverpool 8," and especially, "Time Takes Time."  TTT is great.  I actually found my copy in the cutout bin in Walmart a couple of years ago.  Quite a surprise, actually.  Only cost me like four bucks.  Totally worth it.

[falsealarms]

I've always liked this (Harrison-written) song, but recently have come to love it. The way the song goes to a new level around 1:15 is simply amazing. I especially like the lines:

"I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe and how."

[youtube=425,350]RnYOlpsH2sc[/youtube]

[metaldams]

I've always liked this (Harrison-written) song, but recently have come to love it. The way the song goes to a new level around 1:15 is simply amazing. I especially like the lines:

"I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe and how."

[youtube=425,350]RnYOlpsH2sc[/youtube]

The bridge in "Something" is one of the few things I can play bass and sing at the same time and sound decent doing both.  That's a minor miracle in itself, because usually even without a bass, my singing is one step above Yoko Ono.

[archiezappa]

"Something" was one of their absolute best songs.  I also enjoyed Elvis Presley's rendition of it that he did in his "Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite" TV special.  Harrison really developed as a songwriter by this point.

[metaldams]

"Something" was one of their absolute best songs.  I also enjoyed Elvis Presley's rendition of it that he did in his "Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite" TV special.  Harrison really developed as a songwriter by this point.

In addition to "Something," I also have Elvis doing "Hey Jude" and a few verses of "Lady Madonna," in my collection. They appear on his 60's and 70's box sets, respectively.

[archiezappa]

Oh yeah.  I do have "Elvis Now" on LP, which has his rendition of "Hey Jude."  I forgot about that.  Thanks for reminding me.  I'll need to dig that record out and play it.  (I wish I had all of Elvis' and The Beatles' records.  Instead, I have all of the records by The Monkees!)