Paul McCartney: ‘McCartney’ (1970)
The breakup of The Beatles freed John Lennon, but it was much more difficult for Paul McCartney to accept it. Having tried valiantly since 1967 to keep the band together, he now found himself taking the biggest steps to disband the most popular band of the sixties. Legal battles with his ex-Beatles and his shocked reaction to the final lousy mix of ‘Let It Be’ (ignored by Lennon), McCartney settled in Scotland with the only person who could be said to have a greater influence on his life than Lennon . : his wife Linda.
Standing by her side after the breakup of the Beatles (her determination was necessary at a time when alcohol played an unusually important role in her husband’s life), she would honor each of McCartney’s records until her death in 1998. , his aide-democrat. camp during the colossal flight of Wings in the mid-1970s. The only other musician to appear on the record (though his contribution would be relegated primarily to that of a showgirl), Linda’s strange eye for photography gave the record its cherry-laden cover art. McCartney would pay tribute to his partner at the premiere of ‘The Lovely Linda’ and in the magnificent ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’.
Although Lennon turned to Phil Spector to produce his bleak 1970 release ‘Plastic Ono Band’, McCartney decided to take over the production and recording duties, mostly recorded on his Scottish farm (although he would record several overdubs on Abbey Road, under the pseudonym Billy Martin). Although ‘Ono Band’ is the more celebrated of the two releases, ‘McCartney’ is the more intriguing record, a compilation of ideas, some brilliant, some not so brilliant, some hilariously unfinished, but significantly cruder and more honest than many of the albums that Paul McCartney would release in the seventies and eighties. With ‘Let It Be’ clouded by strings and choral singers, ‘McCartney’ may become the closest thing to the original ‘Be’ concept conceived as a raw song for and for the listener. Complete with giggles, coughs and murmurs, ‘McCartney’ had the intimacy of a live concert, one that puzzled contemporary critics with its unfinished feel.
Beatle’s leftovers ‘Junk’ and ‘Teddy Boy’ showed the range of record quality, the former a song of lyrical beauty, one fitting very well with ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and ‘For No One’, the other a puzzling discard, devoid of concept or rhyme. The blues ‘Valentine Day’ showed McCartney’s penchant for electric guitar, but little else, while ‘Every Night’ turned out to be one of the best pop songs of the year. Both inspired and unsure of himself, the album is a strong insight into the fractured and fragile mind of its author.
Although Lennon has long been credited as the most experimental Beatle, it was McCartney who proved to be the most avant-garde (he was the man who suggested the tape loops for ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ and the chaotic orchestration of Masterpiece A from the band. Day In The Life ‘),’ Hot As Sun / Glasses’ the prototype of The Fireman records that collaborated with Youth in the nineties, a nice diagram for future Cage-like compositions and esoteric melodies. ‘Ooh You’ and ‘Momma Miss America’ also played to the left of the musical field, ‘Man We Was Lonely’ their two thumbs up to twenties blues singers, though the oddly titled ‘Kreen-Akore’ proved to be an unnecessary indulgence to follow the best track on the album.
‘McCartney’s indelible strength would be remembered for a four-minute composition, McCartney’s best, second only to’ Yesterday ‘, the incredible’ Maybe I’m in awe. ‘ A low-key piano ballad brought to life by McCartney’s tender voice, the song would be a favorite among rock and soul singers Rod Stewart, Dave Grohl and Norah Jones, just three of the many who have put their stamp on McCartney’s love letter. Backed up by a picture of McCartney with firstborn Mary tucked under her coat, ‘McCartney’ was a family affair in everyone, Paul and Linda against the world.
Lovingly flawed, but brutally imaginative and straightforward in his delivery, McCartney proved he could deliver without his Liverpool friends. As if to further explain his intentions, ‘McCartney’ was expanded with a question and answer session declaring the end of The Beatles, much to Lennon’s fury. Such a decision may have been regrettable, giving critics license to tear McCartney and all that he stood for. Lennon called the album poor, McCartney would eventually come to agree with him. They were all wrong!