A$# 003 Paul McCartney | Flaming Pie

Flaming Pie is one of Paul McCartney’s best albums. Originally released in 1997, it garnered many good reviews, debuted at a respectable position in the charts (perhaps because it followed relatively soon after the Beatles Anthology series) and was nominated for the Grammy for album of the year. These days, though, it seems to be a forgotten high point in Macca’s up-and-down post-Beatles career. (I would argue that’s it’s been much more up than down, but that is not the common wisdom.)

One ingredient that FP serves up in significant quantities is a feeling that often seems to be vague in many McCartney recordings – personal candour. He’s never been a writer of confessional songs in the same way John was, but on many songs here he seems to be very frank and honest while reflecting on his life. Take tracks like The Songs We Were Singing, Great Day, Somedays and even Little Willow; we get a glimpse of Paul growing older, reflecting on his musical accomplishments with his former comrades (TSWWS) and the fragility of human life (Somedays and LW). His wife Linda was battling cancer at the time, and one gets the feeling he knew just how vulnerable we humans are at times like that.

From Somedays:

Don't ask me where I found that picture on the wall
How much it cost or what it's worth
Sometimes I laugh
Laugh to think how young we were

We don't need anybody else
To tell us what is real
Inside each one of us is love
And we know how it feels

Somedays I cry,
I cry for those who live in fear
Somedays I don't
I don't remember why I'm here

The liner notes also outline another facet of McCartney’s genius. He tells us that he wrote Somedays in about two hours. For anyone who thinks Paul lost his talent after the Fabs split, this is just one song of many that refutes such silly thoughts.

The album serves up lots of other musical treats too, such as the fruits of collaborations with Ringo, George Martin, Steve Miller and – a special treat for me – Jeff Lynne. The songs range from fast-paced cookers to gentle acoustic numbers. The standouts for me are Beautiful Night and the wonderful, folkie Calico Skies. It’s one of my top-five Macca underrated gems.

Track listing:
1. The Songs We Were Singing
2. The World Tonight
3. If You Wanna
4. Somedays
5. Young Boy
6. Calico Skies
7. Flaming Pie
8. Heaven On A Sunday
9. Used To Be Bad
10. Souvenir
11. Little Willow
12. Really Love You
13. Beautiful Night
14. Great Day