"1-2-3-4-5, let's go for a drive" is probably McCartney's worst couplet, but when Manfred Mann reverse the numbers in the song "5-4-3-2-1" it somehow works, it was even a hit for them!

What's your take on the Beatles' "1 2 3 4 5 6 7, All good children go to heaven" from "You Never Give Me Your Money"?

Or getting back to Manfred Mann:

"63,62,61,60,59,58 Good angels at my gate"????

"1, 2, 3, 4, can I have a little more ... 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, I love you" all together now ...

On a related topic, that Feist song makes me wretch.

All this is giving me an idea for a Friday List topic.

goog,

oh i don't know about that, paul mccartney is the king of simple grade school lyrics. "1-2-3-4-5 let's go for a drive" is right up there, but are lots, lots more. the man recorded "mary had a little lamb" for goodness sakes.

how many times does he say "fine line" in that piece of drivel?

very good at a melody, but very bad at lyrics, that's mccartney.

as kevin gilbert said, and i have often quoted, " lennon never has to sing another paul mccartney song"

renny

Right.Instead, Lennon would go on to compose and sing many lyrically brilliant songs such as :
"How"-..."You know life can be long, and you've got to be so strong,
And the world is so tough, sometimes I feel I've had enough"

"Oh Yoko"-..."In the middle of a bath, in the middle of a bath I call your name
Oh Yoko. Oh Yoko,my love will turn you on"

"Love"-"Love is real, real is love,Love is feeling, feeling love.Love is wanting, to be love, Love is touch, touch is love".

And, my own personal favorite:
"Angela"-..."They gave you coffee, they gave you tea,they gave you everything but equality"

Yes sir, I can see why he wouldn't want to sing any more of Paul's dumb songs.

I see "1-2-3-4-5" and I immediately think, "Senses working overtime/ Tryin' to tell the difference 'tween the lemons and the lime"...

That one works better, perhaps because it's in a suite of songs that is some of McCartney's best work.

anthony,

i just have a really hard time with mccartney, ever since 'band on the run". (except "flaming pie" which i thought was excellent). he seems to be just going throught the motions, putting one, two or maybe three wonderful songs on each album and then 7 - 10 songs of just junk.

paul needs to take his time, (like he did with flaming pie" only his second album of new material in 8 years) and record only the best of what he's got. a really strong album might of come out of the combining of the last three, but instead we get three mediocre albums.

i also believe he should hook up with a lyricist (bernie taupin?) and really write that blockbuster i know he has in him.

will this happen, i doubt it, he owes his ex $50,000,000 and he will be getting his fans to bear the brunt of most of that, as seen by the latest fiasco with that quick "deluxe" reissue of "memory almost full' that many of us paid extra for and now other get for free.

i hope this explains why i feel as i do, i have the same feelings for pete townshend, the 3 doors and anyone else who was given a wonderful gift for writing music and is squandering it away.

renny

Absolutely. Take the three best songs from each of the last three albums, and you've got a killer nine-tracker.

renny,
As Paul is my favorite musical performer of all time, I absolutely understand how many people get frustrated, and often angry, with the stuff he releases, as I often feel the same way.I initially liked "Memory ...", but find that the last few times I've listened I've enjoyed it less.
I've always felt that Paul, for the most part, has been about making good records, and good (sometimes even great) records, as I'm sure you and all know,do not necessarily have wonderful lyrics.
My point, I suppose, is that even good lyricists write simple, or even bad ,lyrics sometimes.
For the record,I've always hated "Mary Had a Little Lamb".

point well taken, and i must agree the goog on this one, take the best 3, or even 4, songs from each of the last three mccartney solo albums and you have one killer CD!

renny

p.s. wouldn't you love to see mccartney work with a lyricist, just a little bit

Like...say...Elvis Costello?

And THAT'S why I liked FITD so much.

Slightly off-topic, but in a similar vein ...

I hate to say it, but sometimes Steve Miller gives Sir Paul a run for his money in the simplistic lyrics department. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the Steve Miller Band, and own most of his recordings through the late seventies, but some of the rhymes in his songs just make me cringe (e.g. "Abracadabra ... I want to reach out and grab ya"). Memorable hooks, great guitar playing, joined with lyrics that sound like they were composed in less than five minutes.

Also, many critics have raked Bernard Sumner (of New Order) over the coals for his "Moon/June" rhymes.

these are really bad steve miller lyrics, really bad:

This is a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue
Two young lovers with nothin' better to do
Than sit around the house, get high, and watch the tube
And here is what happened when they decided to cut loose

They headed down to, ooh, old El Paso
That's where they ran into a great big hassle
Billy Joe shot a man while robbing his castle
Bobbie Sue took the money and run

Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run

Billy Mack is a detective down in Texas
You know he knows just exactly what the facts is
He ain't gonna let those two escape justice
[these lyrics are found on http://www.songlyrics.com]
He makes his livin' off of the people's taxes

Bobbie Sue, whoa, whoa, she slipped away
Billy Joe caught up to her the very next day
They got the money, hey
You know they got away
They headed down south and they're still running today
Singin' go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run

Soooo...
What's the concensus of what 9 songs it would be?
Title of the Cd? Memory of Backyard Rain?