Paul McCartney: Ten gems from throughout his solo career

Paul McCartney dropped the Revolver-esque New yesterday, and it sent us down a worm-hole of all-Macca-all-the-time. To celebrate the prospect of an album full of new McCartney material (out October 14), we have assembled ten of his finest solo moments, and we dodged the obvious choices, as well, because everyone knows Band On The Run, and no-one needs to remember Mull Of Kintyre. Enjoy! List assembled by Michael Hartt and Nathan Jolly

Love In The Open Air

The fact that McCartney composed this sophisticated maudlin kitchen-sink-sounding instrumental at the age of 24 is impressive enough, but that he tossed it off during the year in which he recorded the game-changer Revolver record – not to mention the double-shot of Paperback Writer/Rain – makes it remarkable. They were bigger than Jesus in 1966, after all.

The Back Seat Of My Car

The dissolution of The Beatles the previous year didn’t slow Macca’s roll at all, jumping into the studio in early 1971 to record the under-rated Ram album, from which this gem is plucked. The part towards the end when Linda chimes in is just lovely and seems rather tossed-off, despite the track having built to a massive climax by then.

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

One of McCartney’s numerous few-songs-crammed-into-one tracks (see: Band On The Run) the first half seems rather lightweight with My-First-Sound-Effects-Library storm sounds threatening to ruin it. Could have fit rather easily into the Beatles mid-‘60s catalogue. Listen to that brass!

Goodnight Tonight (Extended)

The closest McCartney ever got to disco (unless you count the proto-disco of the Sgt. Pepper reprise), this track was an instrumental that McCartney recorded during the sessions for ’78 album Back To The Egg, which was resurrected when the band needed a stand-alone single. He slapped some words on it, and the track was an international hit. Lennon hated it, apparently, but loved McCartney’s bassline.

Coming Up
1980 was an odd year. Judd Apatow set the classic Freaks and Geeks in 1980 because of the facelessness of it. A slight disco hangover and punk attitude permeate this track, while pointing forward to the minimalist synth sounds and confused production that would drown most otherwise unassailable ‘60s heroes during this decade. This was the single that impressed Lennon enough to shake him out of retirement. Sadly, Catcher In The Rye was written years earlier, and we never got to see Lennon in full ‘80s flight.

The Fireman – Sing The Changes

Many McCartney fans aren’t aware of his ambient project with producer Youth, however much of his vital latter-career (who are we kidding, the man lives on berries, nuts and weed- he will live forever) output is contained on these three Fireman records. The first two were recorded and released without McCartney acknowledging his involvement – this 2008 gem was too good to keep a secret, however.

My Brave Face

One of McCartney’s finest pop tunes, this single was co-written with Elvis Costello, and included on Macca’s 1989 record Flowers In The Dirt. McCartney returned the favour, co-writing Costello’s amazing/sad Veronica.

Little Willow

From McCartney’s excellent 1997 album Flaming Pie, this Blackbird-esque track was written for Ringo’s late ex-wife Maureen Starkey, who had died of leukaemia three years prior. Simple and beautiful.

Hope of Deliverance

A jaunty mid-‘90s track from McCartney, which was actually this writer’s entry point into McCartney’s catalogue, which is akin to discovering De Niro through Meet The Fockers. Nevertheless, it is breezy, infectious, and has aged a lot better than whatever goop Pearl Jam were flinging around that same year.

Let Me Roll It

Reportedly a fuck-off track aimed at Lennon, written and sung in his style, McCartney nevertheless denies this to be true, and basically the tape echo on the vocals is the only argument that holds up to even a cursory listen. This has become a McCartney concert staple over the past decade or so (check this incendiary Jools Holland version below), however, at the time of release it was looked over in favour of its A-side: the stomping Jet.

And the superior live version.

BONUS TRACK: COME TOGETHER – SMOKIN’ MOJO FILTERS
Paul McCartney, Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher recorded this gem in 1995, for charity, and for the general good of the universe.