"Wings over America" was one of my favorite albums growing up. 

Always preferred the original album version but this one works too. Great song at any rate!  

Yes people lose some of their voices as they get older and studios are much kinder but still this song is Amazing

 gjeeg wrote: 
I see what you are saying - I loved the original version, it was one of my favorite songs in college and I can remember sitting in a rehearsal room, playing it and wondering how he managed those notes and that phrasing.

But, I like the live version as well. Being a little older (well, a LOT older now) I can understand how his voice has aged and what strikes me is the obvious passion.

 Zep wrote: 
hehehehe, really like that joke.

 Zep wrote: 

 gjeeg wrote:



 
Couldn't disagree more! I see what you're saying, but it's loose, immediate and has some passion. And I like Macca's voice when it's a bit grainy.

How has this dreadful live version come to define the song over the sweet and perfect original?
I adore Macca, but it is painful to hear him drag himself through this, unable to hit the high notes, amending the melody due to fatigue, delaying the start of lines and finishes for the same reason.
How does this happen?
Sad to hear RP push this corpoarte version I've heard countless times rammed down my throat on car radio culture.

drews wrote: The guitar-player is the late, great Jimmy McCulloch.

wingspan is a good movie. i liked it and it got me interested in OLD mcCartney again.

monquebec2008.sympatico.msn.ca, not to be miss, Sir Paul will be there july 22 2008 for a free concert.

dctrpunda wrote: And for the same song by different artists, too. Which i love and is food for my ears

and what a GREAT band behind him; who's the dude on guitar? keys sound good too, so probably not Linda...

RobRyan wrote: I think he is trying to enter a bit of newness to an old dog. I mean, a song like this, how many times has this been thrown at your ear, each note explored with headphones, perfect moments attained while on the road with that special someone, heard in the background at KMart or in an elevator, etc. He's mixing it up giving the ear something new to chew on. I think that's all there is to his preference for live versions.

Flapjack

Hands down: a 10. I usually wince that a 10 means "godlike" but this song is pretty close for me.

Q. When did Paul McCartney write Silly Love Songs? A. 1960-present.

Johray63 wrote: Strawberry Fields Forever, In My life, Julia, Norwegian Wood, I'm only Sleeping, Revolution, Dear Prudence, Day Tripper (all by JL)

Compare this to his newer stuff you'll find in Starbucks. Pretty laughable.

It's amazing how often my little rule of thumb works: If there's a live version and a studio version of a song, Bill prefers the opposite of my preference. There must be at least 10 such examples, this is one of them.

This is as good as it gets!

Banaszak wrote: Those are the Doors Of Perception Rats. They are little imaginary rodents that take up residence in your head and bite you in the ass when you aren't on the right track. I hate 'em!

It (still) seems to be hip to bash Paul McCartney, but when you ask the people, who do, to mention a Beatles song, probably 9 out of 10 times it's one that was actually written by McCartney and not (or only for a little part) by Lennon. It was one of Lennon's biggest frustrations that the most popular Beatles songs had his name linked to them, while they were often written by McCartney alone. Lady Madonna, Blackbird, Hey Jude, Let It Be, Penny Lane, Michelle, Got to Get You into My Life, Good Day, Sunshine and of course Yesterday, to name some. .

Stunning performance. Should be an 11.

dmax wrote: True, true, it is wonderful, but then you realize how co-dependent he is when he soon after met an married Heather... what a mess. its like he couldn't be alone for a moment.

Relayer wrote: Hey me too. Killer version.

Relayer wrote: I think he says baby as much or more than maybe....

Funny; for years I thought this song was "BABY I'm Amazed"!

Chills.

It's a great song. But if I want to hear it, I'll just turn on WBAB-FM, which plays it every day...this is not what I come to RP for.

Ten thowsand pownds for a cowbell?!! © Stuart Maconie

softjeans wrote: right on. This period for Paul (solo)was incredibly creative (art from of pain, etc.)Uncle Alber was/is stellar as is/was "Another Day" a haunting, beautifully melodic treatise on loneliness and despair.

God, I LOVE this version... Even better than the studio track. Just love it.....

squidish wrote: I'm with her.

hippiechick wrote:Not his fault though (is it?) Saw him just 2 years ago and he still totally _wailed_. Anyone who can hold up like that gets my vote.

bokey wrote: What are door.rats and why do you need to run them out? Are you a bouncer? I think I need more sleep.

jesus ... with all this talk of mccartney and lennon you would think that george was not even in the band

Another underrrated musician Denny Laine...guitarist for McCartney.

I love it when people in love share their joy so beautifully!

To me the worse love song ever written

Buy a Paul McCartney cd, get a free latte

Crap I love this song but have to run out the door. Rats.

Paul_in_Australia wrote: You sure have it in for Paul. Your attitude is inexplicable.

So Paul's < latest> wife has left him before he reached 64? A nation mourns. What a shame. Perhaps ALL Lennon and McCartney compositions should be renamed McCartney and Lennon songs to ease Paul's pain. Or then again, maybe not. EDIT My attitude is not really inexplicable. McCartney is a scumbag, and there are many examples of his legendary stinginess and preoccupation with himself. As a fellow scouser, the one that rankles with me most is that he donated two marbles and a pencil to the Liverpool School of Performing Arts, which he had agreed to sponsor, although he is a billionaire. The Council reacted to his "inexplicable" lack of generosity by naming the city's airport Liverpool John Lennon Airport and declining to name the 'fame school' after the city's least favourite moptop who turned his back upon his fellow scousers. How does he sleep, indeed?

Posted 18 years ago by Paul_in_Australia    [ Reply ]

Needs an orchestra of cow bells! More cow bell!!! I'm not changing my rating from a 4 till you do as I have asked Paul. I mean it.

ptooey wrote: I think that's on the studio version.

Maybe he's amazed that Apple Corps just lost their suit with Apple Computer in the UK.

Paul_in_Australia wrote: If you think like that, then you must put over half the Beatles songs on 3 or less. I doubt you have. They were different but complimentary. Why do some people have to love one and hate the other. Listen to the Beatles lyrics and you'll see that they didn't view each other in this way !!

a solid favorite.

One of my absolute favorite songs, but not the live version!

So can we expect Mull of Kintyre as well? What about Ebony and Ivory? Pipes of Peace? Silly Love Songs? Blech! The schmatltz-master shows why we loved John Lennon

Baby, I'm amazed at the way this song still sounds great!

Darbuka wrote: I second this thoughtful, well-measured endorsement. Another much-overlooked McCartney song, if you ask me, is the wildly imaginative "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," which is just about irresistible, and starts to take on interesting new resonances the more you listen to it. Sounds like it might have been written as a sort of message, to his old pal John, who tartly pointed out that Paul was actually the first to break away from the Beatles and make his own solo record. We're so sorry, Uncle Albert We're so sorry, if we caused you any pain... We're so sorry, Uncle Albert But we haven't done a bloody thing all day We're so sorry, Uncle Albert But the kettle's on the boil, and we're so easily called away...

And, if you play it backward you get to hear a recipe for a really ripping lentil soup.

I finally got to see a Beatle! Sir Paul visited Portland a couple months ago and held audience with me, my wife and our 11-year old daughter. And 24,000 others! I was 12 myself when I first heard this song on the "McCartney" album at my first party sometime toward the end of 8th grade. I was completely in love with the cute dimpled blonde girl dancing with a classmate who, unlike me, knew how to ask a girl to dance. That may have been the first time I felt my heart ache. Maybe I'm amazed a song can still dampen my eyes so many years later. You will be doing yourself a big favor if you pick up Paul's latest, "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard."

songs like this make me realize as mentioned in "I Am Sam" that this is why people cried when the Beatles broke up in 1970, you gotta have the Ying with the Yang (ie Lennon to McCartney) to really create the sublime.

Great song! I met this song when it was already aging. I am the younger of two and my sis is 13 yo older, so she loved Paul, the Wings and so forth whereas I was more like an 80's teen, not to feel pitty though. Anyway, I always thought of this song as part of my life soundtrack. Even when I haven't fell in love until this song was 'old' I consider it a good love song. Much appreciated, I feel refreshed today.

A frickin' awesome Paul song. Rock on Paulie...

fab4fan wrote: Generally considered to be ...(whatever)... does not change someone's taste. ICk for me too. I just don't like it.

Alafia wrote: :verymad: <-X I can't believe you would say this,this is generally considered to be one of Paul's best solo songs and his studio version from his first solo album,McCartney where he played every instrument by himself is great too!

ICK. that is all.

Darbuka wrote: Well,maybe if you heard some of his more obscure stuff from the early to mid 1970's which is pretty good and if you knew the musically impressive things about Paul that I do,you would be more of a Paul fan! Rollingstone.com says Paul's first two solo albums,McCartney and Ram are excellent and underrated and they call his 1973 and 1982 albums Band On The run and Tug Of war masterpieces! <-X Maybe I'm Amazed is a very good song live,and the studio version where he played every instrument from his first solo album,McCartney.

Zep wrote: Couldn't agree with you more.

AW- MY WEDDING SONG!!!! MY HEART HAS BEEN LIFTED!!

Ahh, my favorite Beatle. One of his best songs and great to see him do live. Most of his early songs were written for Linda. What a great love story that is. He still writes about her. I have met Heather and she is a very nice person, moreso than what gets written about her.

At least it's not "Silly Love Songs" ....

Absolutely love this song, such a classic!

My least favourite Beatle but probably one of the best bassists in rock'n'roll history (at least amoung the big names). Even though I'm not a huge McCartney fan, this song deserves to be played much more then it is.

Ugh. Where is the thumbs down smiley? Does this freaking song ever stop? danger danger

Is this "Paul McCartney" per se or is this in fact "Wings"? Sure has a "Wings" sound to it.

For sure I'm amazed: about how good this is! This rocks

Sonus wrote: Not RAM, but McCARTNEY, his first solo album.

great song! wasn't this from the album titled McCartney? 1971 or so? Anyway... very good.

His best song, I think!

Personally, my favorite Beatle.

funkaholic wrote: The studio version was first. The album: RAM date: 1971.

Pyro wrote: AMEN!

ChardRemains wrote: He was so obviously IN LOVE with Linda when he wrote this. We should all be so lucky as to have someone love us enough to pen a song for us!

rulebritannia wrote: i think it's a decent go, and a nice gesture. btw, your world only SEEMS round. you could see all the way to nova scotia, if the skies ever cleared enough in pembroke, or aghleam ... (i'm the one in the yellow mac and the high-heeled sneakers)

trekhead wrote: A surprise pick for RP play time time. It seems rather....harmless. That's not necessarily good for a rock 'n roll song.

"Mmmmmm.............Wings!..............Aurghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Note to singer/songwriters: This is a love song.

Wings over America version is OK. The original "studio" version is on Paul's first solo album, "McCartney" which was recorded in the living room of his farmhouse in Scotland, before, if I recall, the Beatles officially split up. He plays all the instruments. Cover photos by Linda. And his voice still sounds young.

yannow, it doesn't really matter to me how good McCartney is. I think this song is fantastically boring.

out-frickin-standing!!

Dangy wrote: SUGGESTION: Get your turntable out of storage! Vinyl is happening again - lots of new releases, and -get this- they blow away CDs for sound! They actually sound like music. Half of my listening is on vinyl now - the other half would be, but some albums are not available.

ahh paul. how do i love thee? this song reminds me of a good friend of mine. he's a beautiful person who does AMAZE me in who he is. it never ceases. this song always reminds me of him...

PAUL=Mr Melody

BLADERUNNER wrote: It was the apparent lack of solo material that kept me away from the last tour....that and the fact that ticket prices had gone up 700% since the last tour....but I would have paid for the "cheap seats" at 125 if I'd seen more Wings material. I love the Beatles, and I'd have enjoyed the entire show either way, but I wanted something completley different from the 92 tour...and early sets just didn't seem different enough given the price :/ That said, I saw the special about the show in Russia, and it did look like blast.

A good Wings song!

jayladdin wrote: It's not....and he doesn't. This version was originally found on 1976's triple live album Wings Over America.

Great version, if this is from the recent live release, I'm surprised - I didn't realize he still sounded this good!

One of the most important musicians period, Great Song!

While some people think that Paul McCartney was just a member if the Beatles, i happen to think of him as a brilliant musician, composer, and lyricist. his post-Beatle body of work stands on its own in the history of popular music. i was in High School when this came out, and it quickly became a favourite at the school dances. having gone to a Catholic school, we all relished the chance for a "slow" dance, if only to drive the Brothers mad trying to keep us away from the girls.

Saw Sir Paul in London a few months ago as part of his Back in the World tour. It was a great show, he wa on for more than 3 hours and played loads of Beatles songs and great solo stuff like this one. I know John is revered for his genius and rightly so, but Paul deserves so much praise as one of pop\'s greatest ever songsmiths.

Paul sang many of the Beatles' rockingest songs. Try "Long Tall Sally", for example. I think that Paul and John's differing personalities led to this stereotype, but if you listen to the music, it just isn't true. They both sang and wrote both kinds of songs.

Maybe I\'m amazed...at how talented McCartney is. This is one of my favorites from his post-Beatles career.

For sure! People often think when Paul McCartney is concerned 'bout his smooth happy-go-lucky songs and singing in (btw great) songs like Lady Madonna, Michelle, Elonar Rigbey and of course Yesterday, whereas John Lennon was the "real rocker". But listen to him shouting and screaming, especially at the end of this song! Many heavy rock singers don't have that power, agression and vocal reach. Soily and Hi Hi Hi, on the same album, Wings Over America, proof that even more (just like he did with a song like Helter Skelter in the Beatles). On that album he also covers Paul Simon's Richard Cory, in which he changes the text by singing; 'sometimes, I wish I could be.....John Denver'. Well he wouldn't repeat that nowadays, I think. I'm almost sure it's from Wings Over America, which I bought in the year of its release (I'm gettin' old you know) but I haven't heard it in ages, 'cause I don't have a recordplayer anymore. I can almost dream those early bought albums though, so it would surprise me if this isn't the Wings Over America version.

A Great version of this song. What Album did it appear on? It is played on commercial radio more than the studio version. I have a live version on the LP \"Wings Over America\". Not sure if it is the same one. Turntable has been in storage for 13 years. Tried getting the CD ... only available on Import. Any Suggestion??