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I thought we could do some of his best... here are just a few off the top of my head

Listen to what the man said/Lonley old people
Junk
My Brave Face
Maybe I'm Amazed
Take it away
Band on the Run
Blue Bird
Jet
Motor of Love

London Town
Footprints
Little Lamb Dragonfly
Old Siam Sir
Distractions
Rainclouds
Beware My Love

Back Seat of My Car
Long Haired Lady
Tomorrow
Little Lamb Dragonfly
Get on the Right Thing
Cafe on the Left bank
Getting Closer
Arrow through Me
Summer's Day Song
Lovers that Never Were
Beautiful Night
Take it Away
SOILY!


BEWARE MY LOVE IS THE SHIZNIT! YOU SEE THAT? THAT JUST HAPPENED!!!

Maybe i'm amazed
Another Day
Back Seat of my car
Dear boy
Get on the right thing
Hold me tight
Listen what the man said
Love in song
Coming up
Take it away
Here today
Ballroom dancing
Wanderlust
Keep undercover (Love this one!)
No more lonely nights
Press
Only love remains
Once upon a long ago
From a lover to a friend
This never happened before

I've always enjoyed "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey".

It's like a mini Beach Boys suite. It has a nautical theme, with "Cool Cool Water" sound effects (wind & thunder), Beach Boy harmonies over the line "We're so sorry, Uncle Albert, but we haven't done a tiny thing all day" (busy doin' nothin'?), that line "hands across the water - water" (water chant?), , and a nod to "I Get Around" with the line "live a little, get around, get around".

Paul rarely performs it live?

Is "never" rare?

 ;D

It's easier to rank LPs but his singles do tend to be better in some ways. I really like Oh Woman Oh Why and Down To The River for B sides. It's not True is good too. Well here goes.
I love
McCartney 1
Ram
Band
Venus
Egg
Press (like Egg some junk on here but the good stuff is great)
Pie

I really like A Love For You for booted stuff.

The Wingspan double cd was unbelievable.

Can we all pretty much agree that "Maybe I'm Amazed" is an incredible song?  Definately one of my favorites.

If we're going to throw in his Beatles material then I'd have to go with 'Here, There, and Everywhere" and "For No One" but those probably don't count, so solo I have to say "Maybe I'm Amazed", "My Love", and "Let Me Roll It".  I know that's rediculous, but his tone and the whole overjoyous almost screaming nature of that song I think is just so Paul that I love it.  I mean I can just sit around and listen to stuff like "Helen Wheels" all damn day, though, Paul makes some damn fine pop music. 

Calico Skies
Junk
Teddy Boy
Temporary Secretary
Winedark Open Sea
Bluebird
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

He needs to write a new song.  Such as "Stumpie's Locked Out Of The House".  :lol

Aw, come on, I know it's not nice.  So what?  She's trying to take Macca's ass.  That's a lot worse than little ol' me flapping my gums.

I heard somewhere that McCartney is protecting his home and valuables these days by surounding them with his solo albums.

Great thread!

All of Mccartney
All of Ram
All of Back To The Egg
All of McCartney II
All of Flaming Pie

honorable mentions...

Another Day
Oh Woman Oh Why
Ebony And Ivory
Call Me Back Again
My Love
Jet
Drink To Me (Picasso's Last Words)
Let Me Roll It
Juniors Farm
Sally G

Most of McCartney I and II and Band on the Run and the non album singles from the early 70's. All The Best is a good roundup of his better stuff, it's still in print as a budget release.

Our tastes are really close.

Most of Flaming Pie.  :)

Macca's best? Hmm....

- half of McCartney
- most of Ram
- all of Band On The Run except "Mrs. Vanderbilt" [gak!]
- most of Flaming Pie
- most of Run, Devil, Run
- most of Unplugged: The Official Bootleg
- "How Kind Of You"
- "English Tea"
- "Fine Line"
- "Jenny Wren"
- "Live And Let Die"
- "Mull Of Kintyre"

And of course, the incontrovertible all-time classic "Ode To A Koala Bear."

Ram is just awesome.

I bought that after hearing his McCartney on McCartney radio show in 1988. HE gave the impresion at that time that it was considered on of his lesser albums. But they played Uncle Albert And I was knocked out.

"Junior's Farm" always gets me goin'...love the driving rhythm.
Also think Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey is a masterpiece-that "Little little beaded Gypsy" part is genius.
I did'nt care too much for "Chaos" , but i probably did'nt give it much of a chance. Thing is with Macca, i expect his stuff to be great right upon first listen. Definitely unfair of me, i know.

Is that the lyric??
I though it was "Live a little, be a gypsy get around...."

i dunno if thats the lyric or not, but ya know what part it is eh?
Al least one lyric site I went to agrees with you, so thereyago

I was just listening to "Let Me Roll It" from Back In The U.S.A. Tremendous lead vocal; just as strong, if not stronger, as when he recorded it over 30 years ago.

Beackseat of My Car has often been compared to Brian's stuff. I think it was in a Beatle book something about it being a Brian Wilson wet dream!!

I think MCcartney, Ram and Wings Wild Life with its simple low fi sound is very similair to the stuff the Beach Boys were doing in the post Pet Sounds era of the late sixties especially Wild Honey and Friends.

Wild Life doesn't hold up for me the same way as those other albums but I do know what you mean concerning the production and all.

http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/10498


Go to "I Wasn't Made For The Backseat Of My Car"  ;D

Is that new? I liked it

Off The Ground song Golden Earth Girl  is the one that I adore.An underrated gem.

Here's my list in no particular order:

That Day is Done
Maybe I'm Amazed
That Would Be Something
With a Little Luck
The Back Seat of My Car
Too Many People
Band on the Run
My Love
Dear Friend
Friends to Go
Waterfalls
Coming Up
Mull of Kintyre
Arrow Through Me
Baby's Request
Treat Her Gently (Lonely Old People)
Love in Song
Monkberry Moon Delight
Fine Line
Promise to You Girl
Here Today
So Bad
Tug of War
Wanderlust
This One
Don't Be Careless Love
Eat At Home
Let Me Roll It
Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

Kudos on the inclusion of Arrow Through Me.

Arrow Through Me is a GREAT tune from a way too under-appreciated album.

Best album? Band On The Run
Best song? Junior's Farm.

Couldn't agree more.

No order...

Back Seat Of My Car (BW impression)
Mr Bellamy****** (LISTEN!!)
Waterfalls
Check My Machine
Sing The Changes
Ever Present Past
Maybe I'm Amazed
Long Haired Lady
Come on People


All amazing songs.

I think Paul McCartney will be remembered as Mozart is remembered, a hundred years from now or so.  Since he's had such a long and glorious career, it's easy for us to just poo-poo how talented he is, and ignore him.  I haven't bought any of his last several albums, although I'm fully aware that he's the Michael Jordan of pop music.  He'll be even more appreciated when he's gone, I believe. 

His strength, to me, has always been in writing simple music that sounds easy, but is brilliant in many ways.  "Yesterday" would be a great example of that.  We're all tired of the song, and it's soooo over rated, but just how was it that nobody thought to write it before him?  It's nothing incredibly complicated, but it's effortlessly great.  It's like he took a little part of life that everybody lives and experiences, and wrote it down on paper.  How did nobody else think of that before him? 

So my favorite Paul McCartney songs are not incredibly profound statements, or brilliantly composed and orchestrated music; they're plain pop songs.  I enjoy them.  They make me smile.  I can't think of any other music that's touched my life more than the songs that made me laugh, grin, tap my foot, and feel good. 

When I was a teenager and more stupidly optimistic than I am now as a full-grown, respectable idiot of an adult... I had a theory about people like Paul McCartney.  I was convinced he was an angel, but didn't know it.  So God would come to him in his songwriting, but Paul would misinterpret it.  So he would write "ObLaDi, ObLaDa" instead of whatever brilliant song God intended him to bring to us.  It's the only way I could explain to myself why something as silly as ObLaDi, ObLaDa affects me in such a positive, uplifting way.   It must be inspired, but how can it be if the lyrics are so stupid?


I'll just post some that others have mentioned.  No order.


"Junk" - the melody of this song is great.  It sticks in my head for months at a time.... there's probably been 3 periods of my life, where I walk around humming this song, daily... for weeks at a time!  I dont' even know all the lyrics, but it's just so unforgettable.  I don't know why. 

"Maybe I'm Amazed". - there was a time in my teenage years that I was amazed by this song.  I thought it was so brilliant to phrase it like that.  It's the answer to any question, maybe you do that becuase you're amazed... by your woman, by life, by the experiences around you.  By this song.  Again it's not meant to be incredibly profound, but at times in my life, it has struck me as profound.  I know some abhor it, but I absolutely love songs like this where Paul just goes wild and wails out of key.  Not every song should be like that, but this song should be like that.

"Band on the Run" - The sweetness of Paul's voice in the acoustic part just hits whatever the Beatles had going for them "Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash!" it's such a sweet spot, I don't know how anybody can hear that and not smile.  So beautiful, happy, fun sounding.  He's a flower child!  It doesn't even get into all the other great things about this song, that's just what always stuck out for me. 

"Blue Bird" - I agree, great song.  This song maybe more than anything but "My Love" makes me think of Linda.  I'm a hopeless romantic, one of my favorite role models in that regard is the disgusting love they had for each other.  This song is something 15 year olds would sing to each other in baby talk walking home after school.  I love it.

"Jet" - Gotta agree with this one too.  It just kicks ass. 

"Let Me Roll It" - Of course it has the silly drug euphanism, but the way he just makes it so powerful, that's how I feel!  "MAH HEARRRTT IS LIKE A WHEEL!  Let me ROLLL ITTTT..... Let Me ROLL ITTT TOOO YAAAA"  This song is sleazy, sleazy love songs, done right, are always the best love songs.  If you can write a love song, then make it a little sleazy, you're o.k. in my book

"Another Day" - when I was in college, I had a class taught by an old german professor called "Adjustment Psychology".  The first day of class, we're all sitting there, there's a tape recorder plugged in at the front of the room.  5 minutes late, the old professor hobbles into the class.  In his heavy accent, he said "What is the psychology of adjustment?"  and pressed play.  If the Beatles, and Paul McCartney's influence on society is ever brought into question, I'll recount this story.

"Temporary Secretary" - in high school, I had a friend who was into the weirdest damn music he could possibly find.  I was into the most beautiful music I could possibly find, and his sister.  This was one song all three of us agreed upon.

"With a Little Luck" - this is his wilting, p*ssy, flower child best.  It's hard to be a macho macho man like I am, and at the same time absoltely love wimpy songs like this.  I suppose I love it because there's nothing wrong with it.  It's so beautiful, just thinking of it right now is making me smile.  We live in a wonderful world when we have musicians capable of this kind of warmth living among us.

"Goodnight Tonight" - probably one of my top 5 Paul Macca songs of all time.  I don't know why.  It has everything, a kind of strange song with a bit of a disco vibe... so hell you're not supposed to like that.  It has the variation on a theme thing going for it.  Paul's always great vocal.  Paul's always mushy romantic lyrics.  I just love it, great song, most people consider it a throwaway but I think it's absolutely one of his best.


"And there are also many other things which Macca did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen"

Great picks throughout the thread, covering the well-known and the obscure.  And even then, there's far more to include.

I'd like to submit the bonus disc from "Memory Almost Full", which, while only three songs ("In Private", "Why So Blue", and "222"), features some of the best work of his solo career.  Highly experimental (though not forced), yet very deep and beautiful, in every way.  He just really nails the mood.  Totally came out of left field when I first heard it, and, while I'm a big fan of the actual album, the bonus disc blows away most of the songs.  It will likely won't happen, but I would love to see Macca do an album like that.  Songs like those are way too good to be regulated to bonus disc/B side territory.

But, of course, the last track on the bonus disc, "Audio Commentary: Paul Talks About The Music Of Memory Almost Full" blows them all away.  It is, unquestionably, the greatest thing he's ever done.

Agreed. The  three MAF bonus tracks are indeed excellent. Imo some of Paul's best tracks over the last 15 years have not been included on his albums, but on CD singles and non-album tracks etc. Most of the Chaos and Creation exclusive to CD single tracks are as good as anything on the album itself, especially Growing Up Falling Down, I Want You to Fly and She Is So Beautiful.

Also a track called India, a passionate, vaguely experiemental rock track Paul and his live band recorded during a soundcheck in the early 2000s is another hidden gem imo. Think it came out as a download but not sure, but it is 'out there'.

For me McCartney is at heart quite an eccentric musician who happens to have a great ear for a tune and tracks like these and many others clearly show this.

McCartney has a seemingly endless catalogue of music out there. I still discover new stuff all the time, which makes it fun to be a fan. The man is a musical monster. Combining his versatile vocals along with his incredible range of songwriting styles, its hard to think of a catalogue that beats his.

Hard to pin point favorites, but here's a few:

1) Ever Present Past

2) Tomorrow

3) See Your Sunshine

4) Dear Boy

5) Getting Closer

6) Good Times Coming

7) Press

8) Heart Of The Country

9) I Lie Around

10) Venus And Mars

11) Mr. Bellamy

12) My Brace Face

13) Only Mama Knows

14) Once Upon A Long Ago

15) Rockestra Theme

16) Stranglehold

17) Temporary Secretary

18) Too Many People

19) Twice In A Lifetime

20) f*ck it.. Wonderful Christmastime

21) Waterfalls


Unreleased:

1) Same Time Next Year

2) Waterspout

3) India

4) Lindiana

5) Return To Pepperland

6) Did We Meet Somewhere Before

7) Tragedy (though a cover)

"My Brave Face" is a pretty cool song. I think it comes really close to captuing the spirit and enthusiasm of those early Beatles records, which is an element that all of the solo records lack.

Great list! I love all those songs... but what about "Check my Machine" or Secret Friend? GO B SIDES!!

Never looked at it that way. But now that you mention it, I can definitely hear that. Possibly the last "single spark" from McCartney, although, I can't even say that because he has some single worthy stuff on every album. (new album early next year?)

I got to see him perform My Brave Face live at MSG in 1989 as a very young kid, not that I remember it. All I remember is a massive sea of people, and a tiny mulleted McCartney on stage. Apparently I fell asleep a few songs in, slept for a while, woke up and told my Dad I wanted to go home about halfway through, lol. The last time I saw him was last year at Yankee Stadium, again with my Dad, although this time I was the one standing the whole time. So good. That tone remains. He played "The Night Before" for the first time that day.


Well, I don't think McCartney's ever laid down a bad track. But ehh, not my faves. I'd rather listen to Pretty Little Head or India for the experimental stuff. I'll admit, the sampling he was doing on Check My Machine was ahead of its time, for sure.

well this is a song that everybody in my family loves my Mac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mt_HTeERRg

That's a great story.

A little unrelated, but not too far off, so it's good: There's a certain feeling I get when listening to certain kinds of music, and the ultimate high is putting on something like With The Beatles. There is so much emotion and unbridled joy, a unity that is so apparent. This is why I'll always feel more amazed after listening to "Please Mr Postman" over a "classic" like A Day In The Life of Strawberry Fields, anytime. And that quality is what I want to find in a lot of McCartney records, but I usually don't - so hearing My Brave Face for the first time not too long ago was like woah.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Time to Hide from Speed of Sound, or Medicine Jar from Venus and Mars.

Probably because they aren't McCartney songs as such. I love them both, though, particularly Time To Hide.

I'd just like to mention three words:


Beware My Love.

I'd have to go with either Band on the Rut, White Dopes on Punk, or Dark Side of the Sun.

Im digging Venus and mars right now!

My favorite album of  his is Red Rose Speedway, probably because it's the first album of his that I ever heard. That Hold Me Tight/ Lazy Dynamite medley is phenomenal. Also surprised I don't think anyone's mentioned Take It Away as a favorite- I think it's great.

"Summer's Day Song", stood out to me when I brought 'McCartney II' and still stand out, wish he had done more like this.