OK,I have to start off with a very lame joke....it's already out of date,but,I made it up a loooooong time ago,and seems to fit into this post...so here it goes:"Q:After Pope John Paul II dies what are they going name the next Pope?A:Pope John,Paul,George and Ringo.He'll pick up a crucifix guitar and sing ,'The Ballad Of John And Yoko'[Christ,you know it ain't easy.You know how hard it can be.The way things are going,they're gonna crucify me.] LoL...well I think it's pretty funny,anyway.
Well,anyway,while Robyn and the Trips have been gone on their mission trip to Mexico,I have picked up some music to help me make it through the night.I have been jamming to,My Morning Jacket:'Z';Bob Dylan:'No Direction Home'{Alternate and live versions of early Dylan stuff},Paul McCartney:'Memory Almost Full' and 'Instant Karma-The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur'.
All rock in their own way,but it is the Lennon/McCartney connection that has got me thinking.It is a winner by default victory for the Lennon based 'Instant Karma' compilation.But,come on,today's super stars singing John's best stuff:For Amnesty International (Honesty Disclaimer:I am a Amnesty International member)!?!It's great stuff(and I hear you can even buy more I.K. downloads off of I-Tunes).My favorite song version(amongst many many)is Jack Johnson's version of 'Imagine'.
How can Paul compete against that?Well,'Memory Almost Full' has gotten rave reviews(except from the two people that I actually know besides myself that have actually heard it.They both told me that it-in so many words- put them to sleep).It is being brilliantly promoted via 'The Star Bucks' label.And to my surprise,I do actually like most of it.Though I feel it is what I call'safe music'.Like Miller Lite,taste is not it's forte,but to be non offensive is it's strong suit.
Alas,the same can be said for the 'Instant Karma'.First off:Do not offend.I mean it has all the right people and all the right groups singing all the right songs...how could it go wrong?For that matter-after all-it is a fund raiser/conscious raising cd...it should appeal to the broadest audience possible...but not to have,"Woman Is The Nigger Of The World' on it is almost an insult to it's cause.
John vs.Paul.I think that together,there is/was no better writing/singing combo:EVER.But,John's reputation has definitely benefited from his early death.Sure he had Yoko and sit ins,etc,but most people would have to agree the Paul's early after Beatles stuff was every bit as good as Johns.Paul just had the bad luck of having to keep producing/making a new LP year after year.Paul has always been a song smith,and you can tell he somewhat misses John's input...but to put it bluntly,what is 'Imagine' but a reworked 'Yesterday'?
And by the way...don't you think it is just a tad too easy for a self made millionaire to sing about 'imagining there are no possessions?"
You maybe asking yourself,"What the hell is the point he is trying to make?"I don't know..maybe that living is harder then dying...or only the good die young..or perhaps Bob Dylan's outtakes kick ass over both of these cd's very easily...you decide.
3 comments:
I 'm not going to pull out record jackets and debate the best lyrics with you, but I have to say that I can not even believe that you think that Pauls stuff with the Wings was good stuff!! OMG! The only marginal song was the one James Bond theme that they did. The rest was all pop, bubblegum music. He was the heart man of the Beatles and wrote all the love stuff. For me, John had the political side. The edge that Paul never had as the "cute Beatle".
Yes, we have sold tons of those cd's at the coffee mega giant, but it has been mostly to old guys and very dowdy ladies. It pushes me to the edge where I would almost rather listen to country!! Both kinds even, country & western.
As for the rave reviews I am not sure where you have read all of these, but I either read it on USA Today or MSNBC and it was not good and called the cd a repeat of everything he has ever done.
By the way, how can you even say that that stupid song that he did with Michael Jackson was any good??!! That stuff is melodious crap. "say, Say, Say". Egads!!
The Lennon/McCartney team was the best, ever. By themselves, I prefer John's work over Paul's. I do like some of McCartney's later stuff, but he was not the deep thinker of lyrics like John was. (Say, say, say, what a horrible song!)
Just an aside: We call my oldest sister "Most Peculiar Mama" after John's song "Somebody Told Me There'd Be Days Like These." She is a most peculiar mama!
Mix
Like most good teams there has to be someone to even the other out. That is the sign of a really good team. They were very good together. I often wonder what directions the Beatles might have taken had they stayed together longer.
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