Hi John! A one-man masterpiece, savaged in summer of 1980 by critics, this kid of 17 at the time loved every song except Temporary (which I now love). the dark horse on the album, if you will excuse the pun, is the brilliant slow blues burn "on the way" his vocals are magnificent, and his guitar is stinging! "Waterfalls" was not a good choice for a single in the USA (106) and I heard it once, just once, on radio that summer/fall. I gather most USA DJ's thought that song slowed down any set they were playing, a wonderful song, just did not go over well in the USA. Cheers!
Temporary Secretary is my favorite track. The song used to drive my parents crazy and considered sending me to a shrink. Obviously my parents didn't have fun when they were growing up as teenagers.
I've binge-watched many of your videos this past week and so far, I've disagreed with you only once. "Check My Machine" is actually a wonderful song. It's terribly playful and crudely hilarious. It's certainly not a "Hey Jude" or "Maybe I'm Amazed", but it is Paul at his most playful. It's the most fun since "Monkberry Moon Delight". My opinion, of course. I love your videos and enjoy your thoughts and insight on the albums and tracks. A class act.
After the unfair bashing that Wings seemed to receive, this album feels like a palette cleanser for Paul. It isn’t his most commercial album but is very much a grower with Coming Up, Temporary Secretary, One of These Days and Bogey Music being my favourites. I always felt like if the other Beatles had released this it would have been hailed as an experimental masterpiece!
Good review John. Personally I have mixed feelings about McCartney II. It contains some good songs for sure but the more experimental songs don't sit well with more traditional McCartney songs such as One of These Days and Waterfalls. But kudos for having the guts to release an experimental/partly electronic lbum.
I remember an interview at the time he said he was playing around with drum loops and early programming, and had the tracks in his car, mainly for his own pleasure, not even vaguely considering putting them out. But so many passengers in his car kept saying how much they liked the songs, that he decided to do just that. It's aged well I think as an album and can see how a fresh generation would take to it, as it was a bit of a harbinger of what musical styles were coming around the corner.
I must say I ve always liked the fact that Paul can play so many instruments...One Of These Days and Waterfalls are two of Paul s greatest ballads and I m really keen on those quiky electronic numbers ...Darkroom hasn t dated..still sounds great after all these years!i wish Paul would take the time to record McCartney 3....
Thanks Frederic. Yes I admire the quirkiness and sense of adventure here. McCartney 3 would indeed be welcome. Having said that I think he benefits from an ace guitarist and drummer, witness Maybe I'm Amazed live version from 1976 and a good chunk of Back To The Egg.
A masterpiece IMO. I am not a fan Album wise of anything past Tug Of War.. Some great songs on the following albums, maybe Memory or Flaming Pie comes close to a complete excellent album. Although I like Tug Of War it's not as ballsy as McCartney II. McCartney II is his last great album IMO because he played safe pretty much after this.
+Father Damien Karras I agree he played it safe after this. But I don't think I can call McCartney 2 a great album, though definitely brave and adventurous.
+John Heaton My feeling on him playing safe is Johns death. He had no competition and no rival for his songwriting. He could afford to play it safe. A safe McCartney is a winning McCartney though. Experimental or Safe McCartney is still a force to be reckoned with.
You’d be really jealous of my brother-in-law’s wall-mounted albums. He has “Help” and “Yellow Submarine”, both of them autographed by John, Paul, George, and Ringo. He wouldnt say how much he paid for them but it must have been a disgusting amount.
i laughed out loud when you said the chorus gets annoying pretty quickly! a proper laugh. Really enjoy your reviews i'm a beatles obsessive myself. Just wondering have you ever watched the "understanding Lennon-McCartney" videos on youtube? So intriguing and sort of weird the way its compiled
Hi John, still checking out these older videos of yours. I've never seen that picture sleeve 7 inch of Coming Up. I'm working on a McCartney album rankings video at the moment and just got to McCartney II today. Trying to rank each song out of 5 and am wondering what to do about One Of These Days. A while back I did a video on this album and I got raked for using the phrase 'avant-garde' to describe it. It got so unpleasant I ended up actually blocking the guy.
Hey thanks I l really like your reviews. When you said Avant Garde it reminded me John Lennon said avent got a clue. The album is a good album but I agree, one of these days is a great track.
I was at the McCartney concert at the O2, and thought, of all the forgotten material in his cannon, he picks Temporary Secretary. Probably one of the few Paul songs I can't stand, from the early days to McCartney 2.
I disagree , I love every track !! Temporary secretary is a classic now.. .. I always listen the whole album and make me happy all the time. .. and awful review..
Another weak album... It has two great tracks, the title track and "Waterfalls" but the rest are fillers. It`s not as bad as "Wild life" But it`s a very forgettable. Thank god he got his act together and delivered a great album two years later.
Yellyman Gonzales One of these days too...a tale of three ditties (Tim rice said two and he came up with the phrase!)...but again it has its charms if one is in the right mood...another 'outside' album!
Yes, it`s what it is. I like the album for "Coming up" and "Waterfalls" I really like his voice in this period. He sounds vocally fantastic from 1978 up to "Tug of war" His live version of "Coming up" is amazing. Pauls voice was always amazing, but i think he reached his peak vocally in the late 70`s and early 80`s..
Waterfalls was and still is my favourite track from McCartney 2
Mine too
Hi John! A one-man masterpiece, savaged in summer of 1980 by critics, this kid of 17 at the time loved every song except Temporary (which I now love). the dark horse on the album, if you will excuse the pun, is the brilliant slow blues burn "on the way" his vocals are magnificent, and his guitar is stinging! "Waterfalls" was not a good choice for a single in the USA (106) and I heard it once, just once, on radio that summer/fall. I gather most USA DJ's thought that song slowed down any set they were playing, a wonderful song, just did not go over well in the USA. Cheers!
Temporary Secretary is my favorite track. The song used to drive my parents crazy and considered sending me to a shrink. Obviously my parents didn't have fun when they were growing up as teenagers.
It´s my favourite Paul´s album.
I've binge-watched many of your videos this past week and so far, I've disagreed with you only once. "Check My Machine" is actually a wonderful song. It's terribly playful and crudely hilarious. It's certainly not a "Hey Jude" or "Maybe I'm Amazed", but it is Paul at his most playful. It's the most fun since "Monkberry Moon Delight". My opinion, of course.
I love your videos and enjoy your thoughts and insight on the albums and tracks. A class act.
JT Michaelson thanks a lot for your kind comments
I like check my machine also one of my favorite b-sides of Paul's.
This was the last of Paul’s solo, Wings, albums that I can listen to all the way thru and thoroughly enjoy.
After the unfair bashing that Wings seemed to receive, this album feels like a palette cleanser for Paul. It isn’t his most commercial album but is very much a grower with Coming Up, Temporary Secretary, One of These Days and Bogey Music being my favourites. I always felt like if the other Beatles had released this it would have been hailed as an experimental masterpiece!
Great album! I just discovered it. I'm late to the party.
I think its a great album...it has a certain charm i like...Coming Up and Waterfalls are some of Paul's best work ever IMO
Waterfalls was, indeed, a single in the U.S.
I like how no one mention "Secret friend". But I must say "Blue sway" is my favorite.
Good review John. Personally I have mixed feelings about McCartney II. It contains some good songs for sure but the more experimental songs don't sit well with more traditional McCartney songs such as One of These Days and Waterfalls. But kudos for having the guts to release an experimental/partly electronic lbum.
I remember an interview at the time he said he was playing around with drum loops and early programming, and had the tracks in his car, mainly for his own pleasure, not even vaguely considering putting them out. But so many passengers in his car kept saying how much they liked the songs, that he decided to do just that. It's aged well I think as an album and can see how a fresh generation would take to it, as it was a bit of a harbinger of what musical styles were coming around the corner.
I prefer the live version of Coming Up.
I must say I ve always liked the fact that Paul can play so many instruments...One Of These Days and Waterfalls are two of Paul s greatest ballads and I m really keen on those quiky electronic numbers ...Darkroom hasn t dated..still sounds great after all these years!i wish Paul would take the time to record McCartney 3....
Thanks Frederic. Yes I admire the quirkiness and sense of adventure here. McCartney 3 would indeed be welcome. Having said that I think he benefits from an ace guitarist and drummer, witness Maybe I'm Amazed live version from 1976 and a good chunk of Back To The Egg.
Except for Bass he doesn't play any well.
Love, love this album, that’s all.
"McCartney 2" is by far my favorite McCartney album - mainly due to its quirky nature!
Just heard on the news that a "McCartney 3" album is on the way.
A masterpiece IMO. I am not a fan Album wise of anything past Tug Of War.. Some great songs on the following albums, maybe Memory or Flaming Pie comes close to a complete excellent album. Although I like Tug Of War it's not as ballsy as McCartney II. McCartney II is his last great album IMO because he played safe pretty much after this.
+Father Damien Karras I agree he played it safe after this. But I don't think I can call McCartney 2 a great album, though definitely brave and adventurous.
+John Heaton My feeling on him playing safe is Johns death. He had no competition and no rival for his songwriting. He could afford to play it safe. A safe McCartney is a winning McCartney though. Experimental or Safe McCartney is still a force to be reckoned with.
Hi John, Ram was a solo album too which was made after McCartney 1.
You’d be really jealous of my brother-in-law’s wall-mounted albums. He has “Help” and “Yellow Submarine”, both of them autographed by John, Paul, George, and Ringo. He wouldnt say how much he paid for them but it must have been a disgusting amount.
Love this album
A very good album.
i laughed out loud when you said the chorus gets annoying pretty quickly! a proper laugh. Really enjoy your reviews i'm a beatles obsessive myself. Just wondering have you ever watched the "understanding Lennon-McCartney" videos on youtube? So intriguing and sort of weird the way its compiled
Hi John, still checking out these older videos of yours. I've never seen that picture sleeve 7 inch of Coming Up. I'm working on a McCartney album rankings video at the moment and just got to McCartney II today. Trying to rank each song out of 5 and am wondering what to do about One Of These Days. A while back I did a video on this album and I got raked for using the phrase 'avant-garde' to describe it. It got so unpleasant I ended up actually blocking the guy.
Hey thanks I l really like your reviews. When you said Avant Garde it reminded me John Lennon said avent got a clue. The album is a good album but I agree, one of these days is a great track.
I was at the McCartney concert at the O2, and thought, of all the forgotten material in his cannon, he picks Temporary Secretary. Probably one of the few Paul songs I can't stand, from the early days to McCartney 2.
The best thing about this album is the cover of it.
I bet you like it. Let me tell ya I met all the other musicians on the l.p.
Good video man! Keep going 👏🏽👏🏽
+Gabriel Ramirez Thanks Gabriel, will do!
I disagree , I love every track !! Temporary secretary is a classic now.. .. I always listen the whole album and make me happy all the time. .. and awful review..
And soon it will b, McCartney 3.
A decent slice of his 80s output. Certainly tops the piece of rubbish "Press to Play" was...
A good review John. Certainly Paul’s top 5 post Beatles stuff. Think you’re wrong about secret friend and check my machine though.
Yeah I kind of like them but I think they are B sides at the end of the day. Interesting but not fantastic.
I looove Secret Friend, one of my favourite from Paul
Another weak album... It has two great tracks, the title track and "Waterfalls" but the rest are fillers. It`s not as bad as "Wild life" But it`s a very forgettable. Thank god he got his act together and delivered a great album two years later.
Yellyman Gonzales One of these days too...a tale of three ditties (Tim rice said two and he came up with the phrase!)...but again it has its charms if one is in the right mood...another 'outside' album!
Yes, it`s what it is. I like the album for "Coming up" and "Waterfalls" I really like his voice in this period. He sounds vocally fantastic from 1978 up to "Tug of war" His live version of "Coming up" is amazing. Pauls voice was always amazing, but i think he reached his peak vocally in the late 70`s and early 80`s..
What title track? I have never heard the whole album, but I am not aware of a song named “McCartney 2”.
@@amandahuginkiss4063 LOL