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01/18/2012 2:49:00 PM
Number 2 on this list truly qualifies as 'Number Two' . Luckily I managed to escape the torture of hearing even 1/16th of a note of that song's intro this past 'season' . When that keyboard starts going ape shit and out of control is when the song's full irritation factor is realised , and the search for a drill is on (in an attempt to relieve your brain and mind of the demons , just like in the movie "Pi").
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BENJAMIN 07/28/2011 6:02:00 PM
TEMPORAAAAAAAAARY... SECRETAAAAAAARY
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Topoftheorder 03/25/2011 9:25:00 PM
I like all of these songs just fine, and if I had to pick the one McCartney song that I absolutely HATE is the one with Michael Jackson-- "The girl is mine." The dog-gone girl is mine.... Worst song EVER made for BOTH of those artists.
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Lex Lewis 02/13/2011 2:11:00 AM
I love the Beatles, and John and Paul were wonderful composers and singers. However, the chemistry that made the Beatles so fabulous didn't carry over to their solo work. Yes, John and Paul wrotes some great post-Beatles stuff, but not of the calibre of their group work. George, who already wrote by himself, made some nice records as a soloist, though his smash stuff is also limited. The worst of Paul's stuff are the cornball songs like "Lovely Linda", "That would be somethin", "Hot as sun(glasses)" and most of his Wings crap.
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Joeblinn 09/07/2010 6:39:00 PM
Yeah Paul has written a couple of tunes that weren't up to his standards (but his standards are quite high and hard to reach all the time) but you know what - big deal the other 99.9 % makes up for the days Paul's a little off and I I might add one of his off days are another persons career highlights. The man is pushing 70 years old so let's enjoy the short time that we have with this miracle of a human being. He gave us so much, especially me, he changed my life and taught me what true love really is along with his three brothers. Thanks John, Paul, George and Ringo for coming along. I couldn't imagine a world without them. I pray that future generations get their message and teach it to their children and on and on. The world has now better hope ifthat is done. Best regards and love one another. Just LISTEN!
(((Joe Blinn)))
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Sine 08/23/2010 5:35:00 AM
I don't have anything against songs 4. to 1 but I can understand how they'd end up on this list, none of them are ones go out of my way to listen to but Too Many People is brilliant. I don't know how in the world that could end up as a "worst song". If anything that is probably THE song I'd play for someone I was trying to convince to get into McCartney. He even plays those fantastic guitar solos in it.
Too Many People's a totally rockin' song and as "disses" go, it was rather mild and had nothing in it could be directly identified John and/or Yoko, it could easily be applied to any number of people or to a type of person. John could take it as a diss because perhaps he was "that type of person" or he knew privately Paul considered him "that type of person" but it was well within the realm of acceptable artistic license. Artists are supposed to write about things and people who affect their own lives right? John was always preaching it and actually Paul probably wrote "meaner" songs about Jane Asher while they were dating("I'm Looking Through You", anyone?:). John's "answer" "How Do You Sleep" was so blatantly obviously about Paul and so nasty that it even made Ringo, who was at the recording session, uncomfortable. Now that was a "below the belt diss".
Heck, Too Many People was probably less of a "diss" than something like "You Can Go Your Own Way" written by Lindsay Buckingham in Fleetwood Mack towards Stevie Nicks in Fleetwood Mac and they were in the same band at the same time. :D
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Peter 07/15/2010 5:09:00 PM
I absolutely LOVE all those songs you mentioned! In fact, "Too Many People" would be in my TOP five for Paul McCartney songs of all time. My worst list would be: 1. Tug Of Peace 2. Loup (First Indian On The Moon) 3. Biker Like An Icon 4. Name And Address 5. Check My Machine
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HOJO 04/25/2010 3:38:00 AM
thats cuz they replaced pm after the revolver album and 66 tour, that voice from revolver, rubbersoul, and for sale, dissssapppears
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Lubiana 04/17/2010 2:57:00 PM
Well the only one I really disagree with is Too Many People. I just think it's a total rocker. But I'm terribly biased when it comes to Sir Paul. I just love him too much I think.
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Vicente 04/17/2010 1:16:00 AM
What? No "Say, Say, Say?" No "Goodnight Tonight?"
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Rose 04/12/2010 12:09:00 PM
I'd say Paul is one of the most underrated songwriters of all time. Because he was such an iconic figure, people tend to exaggerate the failures of his solo career and underestimate his successes. It is ridiculous to judge a 68-year-old singer/songwriter by whether he has had a hit song in the last 20 years. How many other senior citizens do you see on the Billboard top 10 chart for hit songs? How many 50 year olds, for that matter? Pop hit songs are for the kiddies and it's a young person's game. But so what? What does that have to do with the fact that Paul is still writing beautiful songs. His 2008 Electric Arguments album under the Fireman name is wonderful, and go great reviews. Who cares whether there was a "hit song" on it. That wasn't the point. And it would be silly for him, as his age, to even try to create a "hit song."
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Joshua 04/09/2010 10:32:00 PM
I always kind of liked Wonderful Chirstmastime, it sort of represents the apex of late 1970s musical bad taste. I would substitute Good Night, Tonight.
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GabeMc 04/09/2010 7:10:00 PM
Not counting his Beatles stuff, McCartney is the most OVERRATTED songwriter OF ALL TIME.
As far as not doing anything for 40 years, it's actually been about 27 years since Paul had a hit song, his 1983 collaboration with MJ, "Say Say Say".
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Rachel 03/31/2010 5:52:00 AM
No one can challenge songs 1-4, but it surprised me to see that 'Too Many People' made the list. Personal taste aside, there's really only a couple of digs at John in the song. Yet, you say it's "more responsible than any single song for keeping the two alienated legends from performing on the same stage again"??!!? Have you HEARD Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?" Google the lyrics and redact your statement! The entire song is one big, fat, nasty, obvious, TRULY below-the-belt dis toward Paul! "Too Many People" only has two tiny digs at John ('Piss off, cake' and "you took your lucky break and broke it in two"), who responded with the ultra-bitter song "How Do You Sleep?"
Plus, "Waterfalls" is a waaaaay worse song. Or "She's My Baby."
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Jay Brentlinger 03/30/2010 10:32:00 PM
I took my 15 year old son to see Paul Mc Cartney Sunday night in Gleandale, AZ. Devon is a huge fan of classic rock from the 60's,70's and today. The show was great and Paul did many old Wings and Beatles songs he had never preformed in the US ever!
Songs, like Paperback Writer, Helter Shelter, A Day in the Life aand many more favorites. Super Show and many more young people than the show in 2002.
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Keith Wakeling 03/30/2010 5:09:00 AM
Paul like any other songwriter would have his share of hit and miss songs.In Pauls case he has obviosly had more hits than misses.I'm a fan of the Beatles and enjoy my favourite Beatle songs.But that doesn't mean I enjoy them all or enjoy them all simply because the're Beatle songs.The Beatles are my favourite rock n roll band but I'm a fan of Elvis Too. Best wishes Keith (from Australia)
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Ernie 03/29/2010 2:53:00 AM
I'LL Go One Better Give You His 5 worst Albums!1.London Town 1 good track I've Had Enough,& Then you had to buy the single to get the Best track that he left off the Album Girls School! 2.WILDLIFE 3.PRESS TO PLAY 4.PIPES OF PEACE 5.McCartney 2,1.Good track Coming Up, Don't Get Me WRONG,I LOVE PAUL BUT THESE ALBUMS SUCK!
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Pat 03/27/2010 5:43:00 AM
Putting "Too Many People" on this list makes the list totally bogus. That is a very good piece of songwriting. Good melody. Great chords. Not even close to being the worst of McCartney.
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Frank 03/26/2010 11:02:00 PM
I don't Agree with these picks being a Beatles Expert I would say his Worst songs were on Ram remove too many people Another day and uncle Albert and there they are. As far as the Post about Paul not doing anything Substantial in 40 years is insane, I guess he never heard My Love Maybe I'm amazed Live and let Die The World tonight or a sleeper from Choas and Creation Why so Blue and recently from Electic Arguments Sing the changes, Which if Promoted properly could of topped the Charts and many more to numerous to mention. Paul has Had a solo career that others would kill for, and along the way he has created music that equaled his Beatle output. Why many don't see that I don;t know. Keep them coming Paul even the Bad ones are Better than what makes the charts today.
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CraigO 03/26/2010 5:15:00 PM
Let me explain the Too Many People thing a little better... admittedly, there are more disastrous songs in the McCartney warchest. Less catchy, more obnoxious, etc. I guess I wanted one song on there that I felt was bad for less conventional reasons ... in this case, that it didn't age well for me personally (entirely subjective, but, well, that's unavoidable) and that it helped ferry the Paul/John relationship into East Coast/West Coast rapper oneupsmanship territory. Which was entirely beneath them. On the John/Paul issue: Isn't it interesting how each of them sought post-Beatles refuge by collaborating musically with their wives? I mean, they technically didn't need each other to write songs, but clearly their partnership programmed them to be musically co-dependent on some level. John lacked Paul's engineering skills and industriousness. Paul lacked John's poetic integrity. And neither of them ever found a true surrogate.
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JohnLennon 03/26/2010 3:40:00 PM
Wonderful Christmas Time? Are you Crazy?
I LOVE that song. Favorite holiday song EVER.
Ebony and Ivory = a classic. Most people I know really like it.
Paul is the greatest.
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sebastian 03/26/2010 5:15:00 AM
¿are Your crazy? too many people is one of his best songs , it has great lyrics ( i dont mind that he sent some bad messages to lennon, after all, john talked a lot of shit about paul on the press), an amazing arrangement and paul's screaming signature voice
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GabeMc 03/26/2010 3:07:00 AM
Actually, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" might well be THE WORST song EVER recorded by a band that didn't suck really, really bad.
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GabeMc 03/26/2010 1:03:00 AM
"Too Many People" could have been saved had Paul hired someone who could ACTUALLY play lead electric guitar. The solo on that track is among the worst I have ever heard.
@Houston, right on, I should have known you meant "Dear Boy" by your text. I think "Dear Boy" is pretty good myself BTW.
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whatsittooya 03/25/2010 10:12:00 PM
dude the christmas song is NOT bad at all
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Dean 03/25/2010 9:50:00 PM
It is INSANE to have Too Many People on this list. It's great rocker 10 times better than Eat At Home on the same LP. I can't think of anything more boring and monotonous than Who's That Knocking on the Door?
Also, that dee-di-dee-di-do thing on Fireman is just crap. d:)
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Jamie 03/25/2010 7:17:00 PM
Craig, you're an IDIOT! Too Many People is an excellent song on one his best albums! He's has way more crappier songs than what's on this list. I guess that's what happens when a non-fan writes a pointless column like this. Does the song Biker Like An Icon ring a bell? Horrible song. Horrible article. Do some more research next time.
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Harry Balzac 03/25/2010 6:24:00 PM
List is WAY too short. The man hasn't put out anything of substance in some 40 years.
Like Dennis Miller trying to understand computer terms: "RAM to me is McCartney's last good album." (paraphrase)
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Frank 03/25/2010 6:12:00 PM
So I thought you actually had a point until I saw "Too Many People" in your list. C'mon! It's probably one of his best songs and a very clever way to send a message to Lennon (not as clear as the latter did on "How do you sleep" but still). Then you include "spies like us" but hey... from what perspective are you writing your article... IMO, McCartney purports to represent the music trend of the 70's, then the 80's and ultimately the last two decades... You may be annoyed by his use of synthesizers in "Temporary Secretary" but hey... the guy is some sort of avant-garde musician whose experiments may fail or excel... (If you hate McCartney's own Temporary Secretary rendition, I recommend that you hear a group called "The Andersons" playing a cover of that song... you end up liking it whether you used to hate it or not)... His latest "Fireman" album shows the man is willing to contribute more to music even though his age and the amazing "Dance Till We Are High" should make us all thankful for having him with us yet...
Hope he comes to Mexico this year...
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Dave 03/25/2010 5:43:00 PM
Support the view that Too Many People should in no way, shape or form be in a bottom 5 list of naff maccasongs. It has a classic vocal and a strong sense of urgency about it.
Spies Like Us is probably one of his worst songs. I can somehow forgive his experiemental, stoned musical doodles like Bip Bop because they carry no pretentiousness. The real corkers are when McCartney thinks he is being deep and political, and ends up sounding trite - However Absurd and Freedom are two of the worst examples of this.
However, considering his prodigious output over the last 50 years, a handful of substandard songs is forgivable. The really bad ones thankfully haven't been officially released, but you can track them down on bootlegs!
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Illumina Records 03/25/2010 5:16:00 PM
PAUL MCCARTNEY FANS, Illumina Records All Area Access recently featured Paul McCartney on their cover page. Visit http://www.illuminaallareaaccess.com/ for celebrity more news, album releases, show dates, and much more!
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KCF 03/25/2010 4:28:00 PM
Paul McCartney is the greatest. However, he's got some major duds that he's written.
Amusing list. Don't forget that Spirits of Ancient Egypt was sung by Wings bandmate Denny Laine.
1.) Bip Bop - 1972 from Wild Life - single worst song he's ever written. Look it up on youtube.
2.) Bogey Music - 1980 from McCartney II - weird, experimental song that goes nowhere.
3.) Gratitude - 2007 - from Memory Almost Full - retched.
4.) Waterfalls - 1980 from McCartney II - more experimentation, featuring only Paul and sythesizer.
5.) Loup (the First Indian On the Moon) - Red Rose Speedway 1973 - song featuring bizarre chanting by Wings, great bass work by McCartney. Pretty much anything after Get On the Right Thing on the Speedway album is bad, due to terrible lyrics and Linda McCartney's dreadful harmonies.
6.) The Man - 1983 from Pipes of Peace - this duet with Michael Jackson is ridiculous.
Honorary Mention - Biker Like an Icon (1993 - Off the Ground), Tug of Peace (1983 Pipes of Peace), Pretty Little Head (1986 Press to Play), and However Absurd (1986 Press to Play
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Suzie Q 03/25/2010 3:52:00 PM
5. Okay no one's calling Linda a singing virtuoso, but the song is pretty and has nice lyric. And a great melody. Also, I hate to say it, but it was good of Paul to drag some of that stuff in the mud- John got all the credit for being the snarky one
4. Album. filler. It's not THAT annoying and it has an okay eerie background.
3. This song gets way too muck flack- Mesuspects it was just overplayed upon release.
2. Not going to disagree there.
1. Fine, but I don't think it was career-kill worthy...
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RJ Wagner 03/25/2010 3:21:00 PM
If you'd replace Too Many People (a great song despite the lyrics) with the droning boredom of Mull Of Kintyre then I'm right there with you.
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EdSullivan 03/25/2010 2:13:00 PM
Godzilla-high. I like it. It's a new level of stonemanship, as in; "I didn't just get high, I got GODZILLA-high!"
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Mick 03/25/2010 12:41:00 PM
Denny Laine did NOT write 'Go Now'. It was Bessie Banks.
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cass 03/25/2010 12:24:00 PM
Say what you want about "Too Many People" and "How Do You Sleep?" but anyone can read the lyrics of those 2 songs and realize that "How Do You Sleep" is the hateful one. Who would know that "Too Many People" was about John and Yoko, much less a diss of them, if we hadn't been told? On the other hand, everybody knew who John was talking about, and his lyrics (added to by Yoko and Allen Klein) are plain nasty. "So Sgt Pepper took you by surprise?" Sgt Pepper was Paul's baby; everyone knows that now. John was a genius but he was also a jerk.
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JEFF GORDON 03/25/2010 11:53:00 AM
Paul Mccartney's worst songs are still better than anyone else's best songs (except for John Lennon and George Harrison)
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JEFF GORDON 03/25/2010 11:52:00 AM
Paul Mccartney's worst songs are still better than anyone else's best songs (except for John Lennon and George Harrison)
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nadjadee 03/25/2010 10:27:00 AM
I'm going to have to chime in with populuar ("this list") opinion and say that I too like "Too Many People." There are far worse McCartney solo tracks out there. "Ebony And Ivory" does get to me after a while. His other song with Stevie Wonder (What's That You're Doing?) isn't very good either. He had a more successful collaboration with Michael Jackson. "Spies Like Us" is not his best track but far from his worst. Do I not like "Wonderful Christmastime" or have I just heard it way too much? At least it helps to break from the store mall monotony/drone of holiday music. Personally, I like Back To The Egg AND Pipes of Peace. Back to the Egg gave us Arrow Through Me (Amazing song especially when you find out no guitars were used) and Pipes Of Peace has "So Bad" and "Through Our Love", both really lovely songs. Denny Lane sang lead on Spirits of Ancient Egypt, but Paul wrote it. What about the annoying Nod Your Head (from Memory Almost Full) or Paul's attempt at an anthem in Paul's "Freedom". Even tries to have the same double drum beat as Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance" without the same staying power. I doubt we'll be chanting "Freedom" 40 years later.
Other songs that should have made the list:
Loup (1st Indian on the moon) from Red Rose Speedway
I Lie Around from Red Rose Speedway
The Note You Never Wrote from Wings At The Speed Of Sound
Cuff Link from London Town
The Pound Is Sinking from Tug of War
What's That You're Doing w/Stevie Wonder from Tug Of War
However Absurd from Press To Play
Nod Your Head from Memory Almost Full
Ou Est Le Soleil from Flowers In The Dirt
Temporary Secretary from McCartney II
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Rob 03/25/2010 7:57:00 AM
Too Many People is a fantastic song; great lyrics, great tune, great performance. You can't judge the song by the circumstance or it's effect. I agree about Spies Like Us and W. But what about Temporary Secretary; or Waterfalls?
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GabeMc 03/25/2010 5:32:00 AM
"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is the worst Beatles song ever.
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GabeMc 03/25/2010 5:27:00 AM
You forgot "Girlfriend".
@Houston: In 1984 Paul admitted "Too Many People" was about John and Yoko during his Playboy interview, thus beginning the musical fued Lennon ended with "How do You Sleep."
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Bob 03/25/2010 4:37:00 AM
Denny Laine sang the lead vocal on "Spirits..." Unfortunately, Paul did indeed write the song.
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Houston 03/25/2010 4:30:00 AM
I don't particularly agree with your choices ("Famous Groupies", for instance, should be on any worst list, along with the medleys on Back to The Egg or basically anything on the Pipes of Peace album), but I really take exception to your comments on "Too Many People." Firstly, it's a great song. Also, according to Paul, it wasn't written about John but about Linda's first husband (the lyrics make much more sense when you know that.) And as for that song being "more responsible than any single song" for keeping the two apart? Well, that's just clearly insane. Lennon's "How Do You Sleep" is one of the most vicious personal attacks ever put to music. I will agree, however, that "Spirits Of Ancient Egypt" is complete garbage.
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kym 03/25/2010 4:29:00 AM
Hey, I'm about ninety five per cent certain he DID NOT WRITE SPIRITS OF ANCIENT EGYPT. I believe his bandmate Denny Laine wrote that. Laine also wrote "Go Now" a classic and another song on the live album that's great. However, granted, spirits of ancient egypt is not good--paul didn't write it.
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john 03/25/2010 3:45:00 AM
Spies Like Us? Are you kidding me? It was the only good thing about that movie! A lot of Pauls music sounds unfinished as if hurried but make no mistake he can write great tunes when he wants to. The man is a musical genious! Rock on Paul.
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Steve 03/25/2010 3:42:00 AM
Three words: SILLY LOVE SONGS!!!!!
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toomanypeopleisagreatrocker! 03/25/2010 3:20:00 AM
Too Many People is a great rocker,and quite a few people have said that Paul plays the great stinging lead guitar,his vocals are also great as usual and even though I don't usually care about lyrics and Paul has always been more of a *music genuis* than a lyric genuis,(although he can and has written very good lyrics,but even when he has it's always his music that is so great about his songs)but his lyrics are great here too! You should have substituted the totally dreadful sounding Temporary Secretary on his not so good McCartney 2 album(although he played every instrument again by himself as he did on his first good solo album MCCartney 10 years before and both times played so many instruments great!)it thankfully doesn't even sound like Paul or it would at least have been somewhat good.
And Uncle Albert is a great brilliant multi part song!
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Maryann 03/25/2010 12:00:00 AM
How could you not mention Uncle Albert?
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Rose 03/24/2010 9:54:00 PM
I agree with you on No. 1-4. But you are TOTALLY wrong about Too Many People. It's a great song, and Ram is a beautiful unappreciated gem of an album. I agree with the critic on Allmusic.com who called Ram " a more unique, exquisite pleasure with each passing year," and a record that "looks like nothing so much as the first indie pop album." The LA blogger Aquarium Drunkard also praised Ram, and came out with a Ram tribute CD last year. The old guard rock critics who worshipped all things Lennon may disagree but Ram is getting more respect these days from young indie types who appreciate its beauty. I love Linda's vocals on the record, and the fact that McCartney took a mild potshot at Lennon doesn't bother me either. Lennon certainly never held back. And critics often accused McCartney of holding back his personal feelings too much in his songs. You can't then turn around and criticize him then for getting personal in this song.
