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Author Topic: Wild Life  (Read 1787 times)

Mervap

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Wild Life
« on: April 06, 2013, 08:12:28 pm »

I used to point to this album as a sign of Paulie's total lack of direction at this time...Macca said that he had read that Dylan cut his records in three days or so...and decided to try that approach with this one. One critic at the time said, "What passed for Dylan as 'rough-hewn', translated as 'half-arsed' for "Wild Life". The anti-McCartney sentiment at the time was high and the man released this album. Bad timing, to be sure.

After all that, I have to admit that I never even owned this album until about three months ago....so who was I to point at this album as the end-all of lousiness? The general consensus was on my side, so I never need bother with the particulars of why "Wild Life" was putrid. As usual, my guitar bud D set me on the path to acceptance, asking me why I hated this album with such ferocity. I was ashamed that I could not give him a concrete answer, and decided I would find out why it was so.

"Mumbo"....title sounds so dumb, right? Yeah, but it rocks...so what if the lyrics might have been ad-libbed by someone at a karaoke bar? "Bip-Bop"....another idiotic title, but the tune sounds like something that, if it were not released on this collection, might have fitted snugly on "Mac II". "Love Is Strange" has an easy reggae charm, better than the original. Next is the bluesy title track, with Macca screaming along in a most unsettling way, but having fun along with me. "Some People Never Know" is a nice, if kinda insubstantial tune, as is "I Am Your Singer". A throwaway reprise of "Bip-Bop" is next, followed by two decent Paulie tunes, "Tomorrow" & "Dear Friend". The original record closed with another toss-off reprise, this time of "Mumbo".

What really set this CD off, for me, was the inclusion of 4 bonus tracks, 2 of which I had never heard, "Little Woman Love" & "Mama's Little Girl", both quite fetching pieces of music, especially the former.

In a discography as extensive as Macca's, figuring out what's 'best & 'worst' is entirely subjective...what I like probably won't be identical to your taste...this CD is not in my Macca Top 10, but has risen several spots out of the cellar, thanks primarily to the bonus dips.
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If love is blind, how will it ever find a way?

2 of 3

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Re: Wild Life
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2013, 10:42:18 am »

I played the heck out of this album.  It has a "sound" to it that I really like. Not a lot of great tunes on it..but it does have an atmosphere about it that I really like.  :)
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chris

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Re: Wild Life
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2013, 11:09:59 am »

2, I think you and I disagree about what i'm about to say next...but the finest moment on this record is love is strange. a cover tune. which says tons about paul's songwriting at the time.

it didn't start out as a cover song though. I recall reading that the song started as an instrumental...and he added the lyrics as an afterthought later.
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I want to tell her that I love her a lot, but I've got to get a belly full of wine...

kylenz

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Re: Wild Life
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2013, 08:03:47 am »

"Some People Never Know" is a nice, if kinda insubstantial tune

This is actually my favourite song on the album. I think of it as a big epic track that really heats up, paving the way for the likes of Little Lamb Dragonfly and Power Cut on Red Rose Speedway. The verse melody is amazing, and Linda's harmonies are really good.

And I wonder if Paul Simon deliberately 'borrowed' the opening guitar riff for his smash hit 'Take Me To The Mardi Gras', it's almost note for note the same.
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