Paul's, "Coming Up" as John's inspiration
I remember when this was all over the radio. I even remember the video..it was hilarious! Paul poking fun at himself as a Beatle, if I remember correctly.
I find these quotes rather interesting.....
While much of McCartney II was experimental and improvised, Coming Up bore the hallmarks of McCartney's classic songwriting skills. It was originally recorded as a piece lasting more than five minutes, but was edited and remixed to make it more commercially viable.
Just days before his death, John Lennon spoke favourably of the song. He had heard it in the summer of 1980 while on holiday in Bermuda.
Somebody asked me what I thought of Paul's last album and I made some remark like I thought he was depressed and sad. But then I realised I hadn't listened to the whole damn thing. I heard one track - the hit, Coming Up, which I thought was a good piece of work. Then I heard something else that sounded like he was depressed.
John Lennon, 1980
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
McCartney later claimed that Coming Up helped spur Lennon into recording once again, following his five-year absence from the public eye.
I heard a story from a guy who recorded with John in New York, and he said that John would sometimes get lazy. But then he'd hear a song of mine where he thought, 'Oh, shit, Paul's putting it in, Paul's working!' Apparently Coming Up was the one song that got John recording again. I think John just thought, 'Uh oh, I had better get working, too.' I thought that was a nice story.
Paul McCartney
Well..a number of things stand out for me regarding this. One, John obviously listened to Paul's work and was ever-cognizant of what his boy was doing. Two, John not only acknowledges that Paul sounded "off" in one of his songs, but seemed rather concerned at the idea that Paul may have been depressed..enough to mention it..and lastly, the notion that Paul created something that provided motivation for John to get back to recording. I don't know how true that last part is, but I find it rather sweet if it's true. It's that friendly competitiveness they've always had in The Beatles rearing its inspiring head..plus, no doubt, John's deep insecurities propelling him not to be left behind..but what was it about that song, in particular, that would provide him such inspiration?
John had said once that as long as Paul was creating what he called rubbish (I'm paraphrasing) that he was inclined to sit back and do nothing..and on the surface, that seems a horrible remark..but what it screams is, "God, I'm scared. I haven't recorded in so long and Paul's out there doing his thing..and as long as I don't like his songs, I can justify sitting home with the kid and baking bread". Yep. I've always felt that that's exactly what his take on it was... He could continue to pretend to himself that Paul's work was shit so he could hide behind his fear of getting back out there..till he couldn't pretend, anymore. Till a song actually hit him square in the face and made him think he best do something for a change.
But was "Coming Up" really what he considered Paul's best work in some time that he felt compelled to start creating, again?
From what I understand, he thought when Paul sang, "Silly Love Songs", that the line, 'I Love You' was directed at him. Could he truly feel the song was shit and say such a thing?
Honestly, I think not. So why didn't he record back in '76 when that song was released? Why wasn't he inspired to do it, then? Is it that Paul just likes to believe that his song, "Coming Up" is what prompted John to record, again, just months before he was killed?....or is it mere coincidence that John was recording, anyway? I think I"m inclined to think it was coincidence, and Paul just figured John was inspired by his song..but you never know. Since John always seemed to have an ear out for what Paul was doing, I have to wonder what it was about the song that "hit" him in such a way that he felt he needed to get back to work when prior to that he seemed (or appeared to), highly disinterested. Was it all a "game"?..an attitude manufactured for the press? 'Look, man..I'm happy being a househusband! Hurray for me!'..yet, inside he was miserable??? Didn't Linda say as much in that interview??
..and his "knocking" Paul's work, at times? Why not be indifferent, if anything? For every time he may have said something to judge Paul's work, I hear in his words a scared little boy who cares about Paul and what he's doing..so much so that he feels the need to discount it, sometimes...out of fear.
We all know how complex John could be..and contradictory. We know that he could say one thing and the next day say something completely different. We know that as deeply honest as John was, he could say things that he didn't always necessarily feel or even mean...especially when it came to hurting Paul. It was really a reflection of his own deep insecurities. He'd discount Paul's work to feel better about himself...and yet in spite of that..these words...his actions spoke of someone who cared about Paul and everything he did..even as that bitch on his arm worked hard to ensure that he didn't.
I hope Paul realizes this. I hope he understands the psychology of it all. It warms my heart when Paul appears to know, without having to blatantly say it, what John was really feeling and thinking......about him.
I think about all this and I sometimes wonder how John would have reacted had Paul been the one killed..and I am always left with the very same feeling: devastation. It would have brought him to his knees like not many things did. He loved his boy. Still does...and whenever I hear Paul sing, "Here Today" I know he knows it, too...because the kind of love Paul displays for his John can never be one-sided. To believe in their bond is to know that what Paul expresses in "Here Today" is what John is feeling, too.
....and the bromance continues... ♥
I find these quotes rather interesting.....
While much of McCartney II was experimental and improvised, Coming Up bore the hallmarks of McCartney's classic songwriting skills. It was originally recorded as a piece lasting more than five minutes, but was edited and remixed to make it more commercially viable.
Just days before his death, John Lennon spoke favourably of the song. He had heard it in the summer of 1980 while on holiday in Bermuda.
Somebody asked me what I thought of Paul's last album and I made some remark like I thought he was depressed and sad. But then I realised I hadn't listened to the whole damn thing. I heard one track - the hit, Coming Up, which I thought was a good piece of work. Then I heard something else that sounded like he was depressed.
John Lennon, 1980
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
McCartney later claimed that Coming Up helped spur Lennon into recording once again, following his five-year absence from the public eye.
I heard a story from a guy who recorded with John in New York, and he said that John would sometimes get lazy. But then he'd hear a song of mine where he thought, 'Oh, shit, Paul's putting it in, Paul's working!' Apparently Coming Up was the one song that got John recording again. I think John just thought, 'Uh oh, I had better get working, too.' I thought that was a nice story.
Paul McCartney
Well..a number of things stand out for me regarding this. One, John obviously listened to Paul's work and was ever-cognizant of what his boy was doing. Two, John not only acknowledges that Paul sounded "off" in one of his songs, but seemed rather concerned at the idea that Paul may have been depressed..enough to mention it..and lastly, the notion that Paul created something that provided motivation for John to get back to recording. I don't know how true that last part is, but I find it rather sweet if it's true. It's that friendly competitiveness they've always had in The Beatles rearing its inspiring head..plus, no doubt, John's deep insecurities propelling him not to be left behind..but what was it about that song, in particular, that would provide him such inspiration?
John had said once that as long as Paul was creating what he called rubbish (I'm paraphrasing) that he was inclined to sit back and do nothing..and on the surface, that seems a horrible remark..but what it screams is, "God, I'm scared. I haven't recorded in so long and Paul's out there doing his thing..and as long as I don't like his songs, I can justify sitting home with the kid and baking bread". Yep. I've always felt that that's exactly what his take on it was... He could continue to pretend to himself that Paul's work was shit so he could hide behind his fear of getting back out there..till he couldn't pretend, anymore. Till a song actually hit him square in the face and made him think he best do something for a change.
But was "Coming Up" really what he considered Paul's best work in some time that he felt compelled to start creating, again?
From what I understand, he thought when Paul sang, "Silly Love Songs", that the line, 'I Love You' was directed at him. Could he truly feel the song was shit and say such a thing?
Honestly, I think not. So why didn't he record back in '76 when that song was released? Why wasn't he inspired to do it, then? Is it that Paul just likes to believe that his song, "Coming Up" is what prompted John to record, again, just months before he was killed?....or is it mere coincidence that John was recording, anyway? I think I"m inclined to think it was coincidence, and Paul just figured John was inspired by his song..but you never know. Since John always seemed to have an ear out for what Paul was doing, I have to wonder what it was about the song that "hit" him in such a way that he felt he needed to get back to work when prior to that he seemed (or appeared to), highly disinterested. Was it all a "game"?..an attitude manufactured for the press? 'Look, man..I'm happy being a househusband! Hurray for me!'..yet, inside he was miserable??? Didn't Linda say as much in that interview??
..and his "knocking" Paul's work, at times? Why not be indifferent, if anything? For every time he may have said something to judge Paul's work, I hear in his words a scared little boy who cares about Paul and what he's doing..so much so that he feels the need to discount it, sometimes...out of fear.
We all know how complex John could be..and contradictory. We know that he could say one thing and the next day say something completely different. We know that as deeply honest as John was, he could say things that he didn't always necessarily feel or even mean...especially when it came to hurting Paul. It was really a reflection of his own deep insecurities. He'd discount Paul's work to feel better about himself...and yet in spite of that..these words...his actions spoke of someone who cared about Paul and everything he did..even as that bitch on his arm worked hard to ensure that he didn't.
I hope Paul realizes this. I hope he understands the psychology of it all. It warms my heart when Paul appears to know, without having to blatantly say it, what John was really feeling and thinking......about him.
I think about all this and I sometimes wonder how John would have reacted had Paul been the one killed..and I am always left with the very same feeling: devastation. It would have brought him to his knees like not many things did. He loved his boy. Still does...and whenever I hear Paul sing, "Here Today" I know he knows it, too...because the kind of love Paul displays for his John can never be one-sided. To believe in their bond is to know that what Paul expresses in "Here Today" is what John is feeling, too.
....and the bromance continues... ♥