It was 1980! A new decade had begun, and it was still early enough for radio singles to be largely unhindered by specific styles or formats on mainstream radio. Maybe he felt the same as he’d done in 1970, with the release of his first solo record, made under similar circumstances and after the end of his tenure with a hit-making band.Įven if the McCartney II album is looked at as something of a patchy beast these many years later by many fans, you can kind of see why he chose to record an experimental pop record using a lot of synthesizers, and without the band that tied him to the previous decade. It seemed he was ready for a new decade in putting it out as a true solo single. “Coming Up” is actually his only #1 record released solely under the ‘Paul McCartney’ name to date – no ‘Linda McCartney’, and no ‘Wings’ appeared on the label, unlike the hits of the past. It even has horns! Well, kazoos on the studio version. Listen to the drums as they interlock with the stomp of the bass. In fact, beneath the tongue-in-cheek arrangement lies a pretty funky, gritty little tune.
But at heart it’s a step away from his twee-pop reputation, too – it’s no Silly Love Song. Sure, there’s all kinds of late ’70s and early ’80s stylistic fingerprints on it. In some ways, this song was something of a return to his early R&B rock roots, which may be another reason why Lennon was so struck by it. Paul had seen the same footage of himself that we had, apparently. Some of the “musicians” portrayed are Hank Marvin of the Shadows on guitar, Ron Mael of Sparks on keyboards, and most amusingly, a head-waggling Beatle Paul playing a trademark Hofner bass. The members of the band are portrayed by McCartney with the help of his wife Linda.
Maybe that alone caught John’s attention.
The video for the song features comedy versions of an all-star band, “The Plastic Macs” which is a name that is possibly a cross between the Plastic Ono Band and the Dirty Mac. Maybe this reinforces the generalization that European audiences favour pop artifice, and North American ones prefer rock-oriented true grit. Either way, the song also garnered a positive response from a certain distinguished individual listening to the radio by 1980 – John Lennon. The live version of “Coming Up”, which featured McCartney’s rock growl of a voice and backed by Wings, garnered attention mostly in North America even though it was technically the b-side. The studio version on the A-side, which features his voice that’s been treated by varying tape speed effects along with a more synthesized texture, won him listeners in the UK.
PAUL MCCARTNEY COMING UP FULL
The song was a hit in at least two forms one being the synthesized studio version, and the other a December 1979 live version recorded in Glasgow with a full band. It’s his Wings-less #1 hit single from April, 1980, “Coming Up” as featured on his second recorded-entirely-solo album which is appropriately titled McCartney II, released that same year. Here’s a clip of the Cute Beatle, who’s celebrating a birthday today (he’s 70!), Paul McCartney. Paul McCartney I’m pretty sure that’s not a kitten he’s just thrown at us.
0 kommentar(er)
