Tag Archives: paul mccartney

My iPod #211: Wings – Country Dreamer

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I am late, I know, forgive me. I did have a good day today. I went to Romford with mates, had some Nandos and watched American Hustle (which is a good film that I recommend, unlike 47 Ronin). It is probably the last time I’ll go out before I go back to university on Tuesday, which I am very much looking forward to.

“Country Dreamer” is a track that Wings recorded in 1972 for their album “Red Rose Speedway”. It didn’t make it on there, and was released as a B-Side to “Helen Wheels”, a single they released the year after.

After starting to like The Beatles in 2009, 2010 was the year that I began to listen to each member’s solo material. I knew Paul McCartney was in Wings, and what is generally considered to be the band’s best album? “Band on the Run”, duh. So I downloaded that, and this song was the last one. Apparently the version I downloaded was a re-release of the album from 1993.

This song’s very frilly and a bit sappy. It is too happy. Paul sings about wanting to different things with ‘you’ and asks if you would like to do it too. The things he wants to do take place in the country (he was into that type of scenery a bit) because he dreams of doing that stuff there, and with ‘you’ he knows that it can all come true. That’s basically it. If you like it, that’s cool.

My iPod #206: Paul McCartney – Coming Up

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What’s up everyone! New year, new me, new year, new me. How are you all? I’m very well.

So it has come to this. Only a few more hours until the new year. I never thought when I started the blog in February that could have the energy or the mental capacity to write about one song each day (more or less). It has been good fun. I may have sounded repetitive on many occasions; you have to give me a break though. Has anyone done anything like this before? Probably. But I haven’t seen it, so it hasn’t as far as I know.

How’s the change in design? Thought the blog needed some spice and crap. So it will stay like this for the foreseeable future.

“Coming Up” by Paul McCartney was released as the first single from his second solo album “McCartney II” in 1980. It is a track of pure optimism. The ascending melodies played on the bass and the keyboards along with McCartney’s manipulated vocals combine to produce a cheerful tune about looking forward to the times ahead. If you need a friend, McCartney tells you it’s coming up. You want a love? Paul says it’s coming. You want peace? Paul says it’s coming… like a flower. We just have to believe! I made that up, I don’t know what I am saying anymore.

Have a happy new year!

My iPod #62: Paul & Linda McCartney – The Back Seat of My Car

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Right. I have some explaining to do.

Yesterday I went out with friends to watch “Man of Steel”, the new Superman movie. I was out for a long time, I couldn’t put out my post and for that, I apologise to the small number of people who actually view this blog.

To be honest the film wasn’t that good; I don’t see what all the fuss is about.

Today, I bring a special two-in-one post.* Only to make up for yesterday though, don’t be expecting anything more.

“Ram” is the second album released by Paul McCartney after The Beatles split in 1970. However, it was credited to both he and his wife Linda, and therefore doesn’t really count as a solo album.

“Ram” is one of the happiest albums I’ve listened to. Whereas “McCartney”, his first album, was more of a collection of old songs he had written whilst he was still in The Beatles, “Ram” on the other hand gave off a sense of freedom and also a sense of closure. Paul had ‘found his love awake and waiting to be’ and was ready to take things head on.

“The Back Seat of My Car” is the final track on the album, and probably the most emotional. Love is a theme that runs throughout, but this is when it reaches its peak.

The story in the song is pretty simple. The couple have dreams of getting away ‘along the highway’ to ‘Mexico City’ but prefer making out in the back seat of a car unbeknownst to the girl’s father who is always nagging at them. Awww. How romantic is that?

Sure, the story is short and sweet. The actual composition is beautifully performed, with calming and soothing vocals by Paul and slight changes in tempo here and there culminating in an audience participation section and a rocking outro make it perfect for the album closer.

Also, the song contains what is probably the best vocal delivered by McCartney. Ever.

I can’t describe it very well, just listen to it; you’ll get what I mean.

John Lennon thought this was one out of several songs on the album on “Ram” that was aimed at him and Yoko, it isn’t, but you can hear his thoughts about it if you search for it on YouTube.

*8/7/26 – There were originally two posts merged into one here, but I’ve decided it didn’t look nice and split them into two. If you want to see how this was originally laid out, here is is on the original site.