Paul McCartney's Solo Debut

Paul McCartney's solo debut album, McCartney, is a remarkable piece of work for a couple of reasons. All songs on the album were written and produced by McCartney, and he played all the instruments on the album. I guess this might be one of the first albums where the artist did it all, paving the way for later musicians such as Todd Rundgren, Steve Winwood, and Prince, who were all later involved in one-man projects. The only other person making any musical contribution on this album is his wife, Linda, and she sang some background vocals. Noted photographer that she was, she also took all of the photographs on the album and its liner.

This album was released in 1970, in close proximity to the release of the Beatles' album Let It Be. Even though there were hard feelings between members of the band by this time, this is probably the first musical salvo fired by anyone, and it may well have provoked the Lennon-McCartney feud which became quite ugly before the two old friends patched up their differences shortly before John's untimely death.

As albums go, there are some real fine tunes here, but the record has the feel of a rushed project and some of the material is unquestionably "filler" material. All of the tunes have that patented McCartney charm, and the "filler" nature of some of the material doesn't detract from the great songwriting talent of this incredible musician.

A list of the songs on the album and my comments on each follows.

1. The Lovely Linda--An understated acoustic guitar and some light percussion provide the music basis of this song, which is obviously about his wife. The lyrics are simple, the song is very brief and the melody is beautiful.

2. That Would Be Something--An electric guitar lick starts this song, accompanied by a simple bass line. Lyrically, it's as simple as the preceding song, with a little hint of the blues.

3. Valentine Day--An instrumental tune featuring an acoustic guitar intro and some nice electric guitar fills. All of the drum lines on this album are fairly uncomplicated and the same holds true for this song. Just a short, laid-back instrumental jam.

4. Every Night--The best song on the album, by far. This is a gorgeous ballad that is very stunning in its simplicity. Acoustic guitars are featured on this one, along with a melodic bass line and a simple drum beat. Paul's voice is pretty and supple, and he shows us why he is widely considered to be one of the greatest vocalists of his time.

5. Hot As Sun---Another instrumental tune with an unforgettable electric guitar melody, complimented by an organ. Again, what makes this song work is its simplicity.

6. Glasses--I'm not really sure what to make of this one--it's a snippet of a tune introduced by a muddled organ, I think. The brief, enticing lyric has a beautiful melody. This song demonstrates how many pieces of musical ideas that Paul had lying around.

7. Junk--A nostalgic song with a beautiful acoustic guitar part. The melody is haunting and the song is about rummaging through the "junk" of our memories and lives. Paul's vocal style suits this song perfectly, and Linda manages some beautiful harmony overlays.

8. Man We was Lonely--A sweet electric guitar part opens this song, and the acoustic guitar, bass and drums enter to move the song along. This is a duet sung by the couple, and the bridge in a minor key is effective before returning the the verse in a major key. (This was a favorite Beatle songwriting trick and Paul uses it to advantage here)

9. Oo You--This another "throwaway" tune that is typical of several songs on this album. It's a slightly bluesy tune that opens with drums and a neat electric guitar lick. Paul explores the higher reaches of his range and turns in a fine vocal performance.

10. Momma Miss America--An extended drum lick opens this instrumental tune, which is in a minor key. Electric guitar and piano are the featured instruments, along with the repeated drum lick. Again simplicity is the key here, and the song closes on a uplifting note with a change to a major key. It doesn't end so much as it disintegrates.

11. Teddy Boy--"This is a story of a boy of a named Ted....", and it really is. A dry acoustic guitar accompanies Paul's subdued vocals, and the bass line, when it enters, is some of Paul's most melodic playing. Linda's background vocals spice up the tune.

12. Singalong Junk--This one could be called "Junk Reprised"--it's just an instrumental version of Junk, and demonstrates just how beautiful the acoustic guitar and the melody of this song are, in case you were distracted by the vocals in the previous offering.

13. Maybe I'm Amazed--This is the song that got a lot of air play on the album, and it's easy to see why--it's the most commercial song on the album. Paul's instrumental performances on this song are his best on the album--the piano part is beautiful, and the organ and bass part positively shimmer. His vocals take me back to his old rock n' roll days (Long Tall Sally, I'm Down, Oh! Darling), and he manages a couple of good electric guitar solos.

14. Kreen-Akrore--Some muted tom-toms begin this song, and when the guitars and organ enter the effect is somewhat drowsy. The drum solo reveals Paul for what he is--a bass guitarist playing drums. This song is pretty aimless and I wonder why he selected it to close his solo debut album with.

As a solo album, McCartney is not very strong, but it is a remarkable album because it was basically a one-man show. At that time, and even now, there are literally only a handful of musicians that are capable of recording an album by themselves. This album deserves to be listened to if only for that reason, and we can all be thankful that McCartney got better later in his solo career.