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More hints at new Macca ‘best of’

By Paul Sinclair

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88

maccatweet

Following the post earlier today about Paul McCartney‘s Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five white label, we speculated whether a remix album or perhaps some kind of retrospective/hits set was imminent. The latest tweet by McCartney seems to confirm the latter is what is most likely to happen…

The tweet itself is simply an animated gif which flashes through a list of McCartney singles along with a few choice album cuts. SDE counted 67 in total and to save you the hassle of trying to work it out from the tweet, check out the list below (album titles in brackets).

Is this the track listing for perhaps a four-CD box set? All the ‘proper’ solo and Wings studio albums are represented with the exception of 2001’s Driving Rain and 1989’s Flowers in the Dirt. The former wasn’t exactly a classic, but no My Brave Face or This One from the latter is bizarre. Yes, we are expecting a Flowers in the Dirt Archive Collection deluxe later this year, but so what?

There are a couple of what you might call ‘deep cuts’ here. Winedark Open Sea from Off The Ground and Don’t Let It Bring You Down from London Town being two of them. The latter is great, but not sure about the former! Sing The Changes from the 2008 Fireman album Electric Arguments, also features.

  1. Maybe I’m Amazed (McCartney)
  2. Heart of the Country (RAM)
  3. Jet (Band on the Run)
  4. Warm and Beautiful (Wings at the Speed of Sound)
  5. Silly Love Songs (Wings at the Speed of Sound)
  6. Listen to What The Man Said (Venus and Mars)
  7. Dear Boy (RAM)
  8. The Song We Were Singing (Flaming Pie)
  9. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (RAM)
  10. Early Days (New)
  11. Big Barn Red (Red Rose Speedway)
  12. Another Day (non-album single)
  13. Flaming Pie (Flaming Pie)
  14. Jenny Wren (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
  15. Too Many People (RAM)
  16. Let Me Roll It (Band on the Run)
  17. New (New)
  18. Live and Let Die (non-album single)
  19. English Tea (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
  20. Mull of Kintyre (non album single)
  21. Save Us (New)
  22. My Love (Red Rose Speedway)
  23. Bip Bop (Wild Life)
  24. Let ‘Em In (Wings at the Speed of Sound)
  25. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five (Band on the Run)
  26. Calico Skies (Flaming Pie)
  27. Hi Hi Hi (non-album single)
  28. Waterfalls (McCartney II)
  29. Band on the Run (Band on the Run)
  30. Appreciate (New)
  31. Sing The Changes (The Fireman – Electric Arguments)
  32. Arrow Through Me (Back To The Egg)
  33. Every Night (McCartney)
  34. Junior’s Farm (non-album single)
  35. Mrs Vandebilt (Band on the Run)
  36. Say Say Say (2015 remix) (Pipes of Peace)
  37. My Valentine (Kisses on the Bottom)
  38. Pipes of Peace (Pipes of Peace)
  39. The World Tonight (Flaming Pie)
  40. Dance Tonight (Memory Almost Full)
  41. Souvenir (Flaming Pie)
  42. Ebony and Ivory (Tug of War)
  43. Fine Line (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
  44. Here Today (Tug of War)
  45. Press (Press to Play)
  46. Wanderlust (Tug of War)
  47. Winedark Open Sea (Off The Ground)
  48. Beautiful Night (Flaming Pie)
  49. Girlfriend (London Town)
  50. Queenie Eye (New)
  51. We All Stand Together (non-album single)
  52. Coming Up (McCartney II)
  53. Too Much Rain (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard)
  54. Good Times Coming / Feel The Sun (Press to Play)
  55. Goodnight Tonight (non-album single)
  56. Baby’s Request (Back to the Egg or Kisses on the Bottom)
  57. With A Little Luck (London Town)
  58. Little Willow (Flaming Pie)
  59. Only Mama Knows (Memory Almost Full)
  60. Don’t Let It Bring You Down (London Town)
  61. The Back Seat of My Car (RAM)
  62. No More Lonely Nights (Give My Regards to Broad Street)
  63. Temporary Secretary (McCartney II)
  64. Great Day (Flaming Pie)
  65. Venus and Mars/Rock Show (Venus and Mars)
  66. Hope For The Future (non-album single)
  67. Junk (McCartney)

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88 Comments

88 thoughts on “More hints at new Macca ‘best of’”

  1. so, at least for the time being, i need to hang-on to the UK edition of All the Best! for “Once Upon A Long Ago” as well as Wingspan for “Daytime, Nightime Suffering,” right?

  6. If it is just the long time fans who are going to buy the 4 CD set, I would presume that they have all the albums. Why not make your own compilation – you have the track listing above.

  7. I am with the others that commented about the omission of “Take It Away”, of which I have stated on this site before that it is my all-time favorite Paul McCartney song. It peaked at #10 (US) and #15 (UK), so hardly a footnote in Macca’s history (especially in the 1980’s). Also, I would have to hope for the full album version of “With A Little Luck” because I have been waiting far too long for the deluxe treatment of my favorite Wings album “London Town” (yeah, I have weird taste!).

  8. Has anyone heard anything reliable about Macca making a new effort to wrestle back ownership of the Beatles’ catalog from SONY-ATV, or whoever owns it all?

  10. Apparantly what is listed on this page is what is being released, and thats it. No Flowers In The Dirt songs and no unreleased tracks. No Once Upon A Long Ago :-( I am happy there’s gonna be a new compilation on the market, All The Best is how I got into him and even the Beatles. But 4 cd sets are for us long time fans, make us want to really buy it, not just to complete a collection.

  11. The people who want “Greatest Hits” packages don’t buy 4-CD sets. The people who do buy 4-CD sets expect some rarities, which this set doesn’t have. After this 4-CD “Greatest Hits” fails commercially, maybe McCartney will resume the archive series….or maybe not.

      1. Could this be an April fool as suggested and maybe the lack of FITD tracks means its actually going to be the FITD SDE that is announced or am I being naive and glass half fullish?

        1. Seems a lot of effort to go to for a gag. Also these are listed on amazon in the US now. Unlikely you’d submit product details to a retailer as part of the ‘joke’.

  12. There isn’t a post 1987 compilation on the market (until now) because the vast majority of what Macca put out is utter crap. I understand he was revolutionary when in the Beatles but most of his post Beatles stuff is just really bad except for Band On The Run (my personal opinion). The fascination with Macca as a modern times musical artist is lost on me. His collaboration with Michael Jackson was good but the 12″ of Say Say Say is not even on the 3 disc reissue of Pipes of Peace. What a disappointment. I would have bought it just for the 12″ of Say Say Say. The reality is that Macca was brilliant together with John Lennon. As a solo artist, however much I like the guy on a personal level, his stuff is mostly forgettable.

    If there were some original remixes on this compilation I would buy it but it seems it’s all straight forward stuff.

    1. Actually, Flowers in the Dirt, Flaming Pie, Chaos & Creation are great albums. Memory almost Full and New have some great moments. I suspect a lot of people don’t buy his recent albums but believe the myth that he has done little since the Beatles apart from a certain album in 1973.
      He’s had his ups and downs as most artists would, over a 40+ year solo career, but there is much to explore and admire.

  13. http://wogew.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/pure-mccartney.html
    More info on link

    I’d always thought Paul should do a set of seperate compilations like Bowie’s 1969-1974, 1974-1979,1980-1987. Maccas output through the decades varies quite a bit and I’ve found previous compilations quite jarring especially hearing an 80’s trak after an early sevties track.
    I’m guessing that the songs have been chosen personally by Paul but it still seems a very uneven selection and really doesn’t showcase his songwriting ability.

    and for crying out loud Paul …. RELEASE WATERSPOUT!!!!!!

    2. Cheers for the heads up! I hope it IS the correct one! I found one for sale on Amazon which was allegedly the extended version but after extensive conversation with the seller found out it was only the long version. I have ordered this anyway so fingers crossed! Really appreciate the link!

  16. Been thinking about this all morning (cos I’m a Beatles/Macca fanatic) and this compilation reminds me of the 25 Years set Sting released several years ago – selections from all his albums, 2 cd and 4 cd versions, no real unreleased tracks (except a few remixes, live versions and a dvd) but the tracklisting was similar in the sense that quite random album tracks were picked but certain top 20 hits were not inlcuded.

    Hopefully this has Macca’s personal thoughts and notes on tracks selected and the albums they are from, and perhaps it is like the nice book style package the Good Evening New York set was.

  17. Is it possible that the 67 tracks cover three of the four discs with the fourth comprising as yet unconfirmed bonus stuff of the previously unreleased or live variety? Or am I just suffering from post-coffee optimism? It’s going to be option two isn’t it…

    1. That’s what I’m thinking… 3CDs on the deluxe with a bonus disc of ‘rarities’. I think this will be announced today, so probably not long to wait.

      1. “3CDs on the deluxe with a bonus disc of ‘rarities’.”

        Or 3CDs on the deluxe with a bonus disc of remixes by Kanye West…

  18. I’d have liked to see some live selections on there. Something from ‘Unplugged’, maybe the John ‘tribute’ medly from 1990, the stunning ‘Long Tall Sally’ from the Princes Trust gig, something from ‘Kampuchea’ etc.

    1. Yeah it’s weird how it’s been skipped over. Especially as it was planned as a double and therefore has the most potential for a revisit.

  21. No Spies Like Us but includes We All Stand Together? No Take It Away? No Once Upon A Long Ago? Bloody hell. and leaving My Brave Face off is criminal.

  22. I’d be adding the following and taking a few out the list.

    Oh Woman, Oh Why
    Oo You
    Take It Away
    Spies Like Us
    Name And Address
    Call Me Back Again
    Put It There
    Cage
    Magneto and Titanium Man
    Eat At Home
    The Mess
    Famous Groupies
    Spin It On
    Souvenir
    That Days Is Done
    Get On The Right Thing
    Aligator
    One Of These Days
    Loveliest Thing
    Old Siam Sir
    Monkberry Mood Delight
    Only Love Remains
    Like · Reply · 4 hrs

    1. And the longer extended version. Been trying to find the 12″ and can’t get it anywhere. I LOVE that song and wish I could here the longer version. Believe it’s quite a bit longer.

      1. Yes, I have that 12-inch. It’s six minutes something… God knows why they only included the ‘Long’ version on the ’93 Paul McCartney collection and only put the standard 45 version on the CD single.

  24. And must say.. If the above is the confirmed tracklist, where the heck are:

    Hope Of Deliverence
    Spies Like Us
    Take It Away
    Once Upon A Long Ago
    Young Boy
    Helen Wheels
    This One
    My Brave Face
    Only Love Remains

    ?

    1. Can’t believe there won’t be anything from Flowers in the Dirt. “Once Upon A Long Ago” is the only track from All The Best (EU) missing here, “Hope of Deliverance” and “Young Boy” were successful enough to deserve some space on this new comp. Also, where is “Pretty Little Head”?

    3. Yep! nothing from Flowers in the dirt really makes no sense. Unless of course this compilation album is coming out at the exact same time as the reissue of Flowers in the Dirt.

      Any new compilation needs to include “Cage”

      I completely agree that Take It Away needs to be on this list

      1. Still doesn’t make sense. A year down the line when FITD deluxe has come and gone, someone will be looking to buy Pure McCartney and wonder what the hell is going on.

  25. Its a new compilation. “Pure McCartney”

    2xCD and 4xCD sets, probably picked by McCartney himself (his favourites).

    Release dates and confirmed tracklist to follow, this set is probably to satisfy the catalog gap out there (like Van Morrisons’) and will help support the up and coming tour One On One.

    Will be great to have an available Macca compilation, and one with remastered sound and new pictures.

  26. There isn’t a Macca collection on he market with anything post-1987, it’s always the early solo stuff and Wings. All The Best! was 29 years ago. I’ve long since made my own McCartney anthologies (6CD mega set, 2CD highlights with just the hits), so anything which does come out will need to include rarer stuff like the Pretty Little Head 7″ remix.

    1. Mr Wiz, thanks for the link.
      I am disapointed with the cover. Looks so generic, like one of those “best of” series that polluted cd bins for years: “Best of Bread”, “Best of Cat Stevens”, etc…..
      And the title “Pure McCartney” ?!?!? Like a bar of soap, or a vegetable oil…. I’m sorry to say that I expect nothing great from this collection, and only expect the tracks we really want, and know are in the vault, after Macca smells the cash.

  28. No tracks from either covers album as well.

    Personally, I think that if it IS a box set, then there’s likely ten or more tracks missing: Paul usually gets 18-19 songs per compilation CD — and the order will be different as well.

    But I’m excited about the prospect. At this point, he’s been on the road for 14 out of the last 15 years and focused a lot more attention on all points of his solo career… so having a box set that’s buyable after the shows and not cherry picking songs missed from the 15+ year old compilation is a good start for noting the strength of his catalogue.

  29. Hmmmm.

    Would be very interested in this but do feel that Paul overcharges for his deluxe sets and would imagine this would be close to being out of “justifiable price range”. Also slightly disappointed that no sign of rare stuff like extended versions :(

  30. Let’s see: How many discs would fit those songs that I suppose Sir Paul selected? My guess is 3 discs. But there has yet to be an official announcement, which is what I’m waiting on.

  31. Now Concord Music & Paul McCartney have an excuse to keep jerking the fans around and not issue the “Flowers in The dirt” boxed set this year…maybe not next year either. Paul McCartney and/or his manager are totally out of touch with the fans.
    As for the “Flowers in The Dirt” boxed set, I’m afraid it has now achieved “urban myth” status…..just like The Who’s 50th Anniversary boxed set or Free’s 19-CD set(I.E. it is not to be).

    1. It’s been one release date a year for the McCartney Archive Collections. I’m fully expecting ‘Flowers’ to come out in the autumn, a year on from Pipes and Tug of War. Pulling a ‘best of’ forward to the summer, rather than the more lucrative Christmas market suggests even more that Flowers will happen later this year.

      1. Well, there’s been one a year when he’s released a new album, but two a year when he hasn’t (last year was Tug of War and Pipes of Peace for example). It would be entirely consistent for this to be classed as a “new” album and therefore be only one archive this year.

        As for Flowers in the dirt I’m not sure how fans have been jerked around? It’s been confirmed for release this year via a card in the aforementioned Tug / Pipes releases.

  32. Yes, agree with several posts, Flowers in the Dirt should be represented, We Got Married would be my choice as it is soooooooooo amaaaaaaaazzzzing. Fan of Driving Rain and Winedark Open Sea too, thats the beauty of McCartney, much to choose from!

  33. Why do people give him such a hard time about a compilation. He has had three hits collections in 40 years. The Who and the Beach Boys usually managed that in a year.

  34. It’s been the best part of 30 years since Paul has put out a compilation with anything remotely contemporary on it – 2001’s Wingspan was strictly oldies only – so this is long overdue. I reckon there may well be a mass market 2CD edition, while this bumper tracklisting will be for some sort of box set. Very strange Flowers In The Dirt won’t be represented though… easily Macca’s best post-Wings album!

  35. Depends on what it is marketed as, yet another greatest hits, doubt it, would had prefered an updated Cold Cuts collection. All fans have at least one of his hits collections. So what I would really like is a new album, supposed to be in the making coupled with a Cold Cuts bonus album. If they did three separate no bonus albums and you didn’t know which you were getting…….what a wind up that would be.

  37. Winedark Open Sea is a great, underrated track. It would have been my pick from Off The Ground. The omission of My Brave Face is very odd, though especially when oddities like Bip Bop have made the grade. He does need a career-spanning best of, though – the lack of any compilation covering the post-All The Best years has long been a gap in need of filling.

    1. My pick would have been Golden Earth Girl, but given that that is basically a remake of Warm and Beautiful, I can see why he didn’t pick that!

  38. Yeah, if they are really planning a box set with selected cuts from Paul, then the news are very disappointing indeed. I want more archive sets and live concerts from the past, all of them remastered, remixed and restored by Giles Martin or Paul Hicks. I don’t want to buy the same songs that I already have with some new packaging. My fear is that MPL\Concord are planning to do this just to wrap the archives project with a pointless repackaging of some songs. Maybe they will release ”Flowers” and finish all up with a box of selected cuts by Paul so that they don’t have to do an archive of Press to Play. I want to see everything being rereleased. :(

  39. I wondered if this might be a live retrospective collection, of recording from his concerts but then there are songs like ‘Press’ which he’s sadly never done live. Another theory is that he intends to perform these songs on his up coming tour dates.

  40. Driving Rain is worth a revisit, apart from ironically the track Driving Rain. The rest of the album is one of my most played Maccas believe it or not.

    1. Could imagine this being a Grrr style five(?) panel packaged compilation across four CDs but it should be chronological if so. An SDE is maybe on the cards as well. Just shows how much superb stuff he has made when you look at most of that listing.

  42. And I guess another thought about this compilation is a question. Why would we want to re-purchase these songs when most of us have all of them already? Unless they’ve been tweaked or remastered a rejiggered in someway, it seems like there is really no incentive to pick this up. Maybe they are planning on fantastic packaging, or liner notes, or some as of yet unreleased songs. Who knows? Just my two cents, again.

    1. He probably thinks ‘Archive Collection’ for the diehards, and something like this for non-hardcore fans. Although admittedly the casual buyer doesn’t want 67 tracks.

      1. true. I’m that casual buyer. always meant to check out his albums, just never got around to it. if this was all his singles in order I’d definitely get it. just a shame it features so many non-album singles then mixed in with album tracks. I was actually thinking of getting it but when you realise so many singles are missing, Spies like us – and like you said My Brave Face/This One, I kinda don’t want a ‘nearly perfect compilation. that said it does contain my fave PM song, no more lonely nights.

        1. “if this was all his singles in order I’d definitely get it.”

          Yes! It’s about time for a decent singles collection, including Girls School, Old Siam Sir etc

  43. I don’t get this. An “odds and ends” collection would be welcome. A post-Wings collection would be useful. What nobody needs is another collection with “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Band On The Run,” etc.

    Unless these are all re-worked somehow, along the lines of what we heard of “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five.” Then, okay, cool.

      1. Oh, I know! I just popped it in a couple of weeks ago. Maybe the 1+ bluray triggered something. We all know he’d hate for Beatle Paul to one up Solo Paul.

  45. Hi Paul, you state there is no Jet, however track number three in your list is Jet. Am I missing something here? I must say that none of the recent McCartney releases really excited me. However I am a diehard fan having first seen him in 1976 in Denver, so I will probably pick us up if it comes to pass. It would be great if there were some alternate versions or extended versions, but I don’t know if any even exist. Thanks for keeping us all updated.

      1. Glad someone else likes that track. “Old Siam Sir” . I’ve always loved the “Back to the egg” songs and can’t wait for a deluxe version .. it’s an oft overlooked LP but some great tunes and only the second time McCartney has put that voice on (other being “Monkberry moon delight .. unless someone else knows more ??).

        So the only reason to buy the comp is to get the non-LP singles and as others have pointed out not all of them are included .. guess I’ll have to wait a bit longer (ouch) for the reissue of “BTTE” ..

        Thanks though for the info Paul .. keep up the good work ..

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