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Post by Panther on Nov 5, 2008 15:40:00 GMT -5
OK, here's the thing: I'm 32 now, live in Canada, and first heard "Mull of Kintyre" (on cassette, no less) when I was about 14 in 1990 or so. Small chance of hearing it on the radio, since, as in the USA, the record basically flopped in Canada and no one here really knows it. Anyway, I loved the song, and have loved it ever since.
Of course, it's slightly sentimental, but in such a beery, sit-round-the-campfire kind of way, that it overcomes the sappy sentimentality that can grate in songs like "My Love". The melody is classic, first-rate McCartney; it sticks in your head instantly and you can sing along the first time you hear it. The lyrics are fantastic, in my opinion; there are no throwaway, cheesy lyrics for the sake of an easy rhyme; nor is there any pretentiously pseudo-literary stuff to scare away the pub-rock fans. The bagpipes sound extraordinary, and are obviously appropriate for such a track. His voice sounds brilliant, as ever.
Yet, I've never read one damn good thing about this song. Just this morning, I was eating breakfast while glancing through Read The Beatles (Ed. June Skinner Sawyers -- great book), which includes an excerpt from the 2004 Uncut interview with Paul. The interviewer (Jon Wilde) says to Paul, "A common criticism of your post-Beatle work is that much of it lacked real invention; that you'd lost the courage to gamble." Okay, fair enough, but then he says, "For many, 'Mull of Kintyre' was the final straw." Poor Paul then has to defend himself for this brilliant record, which outsold "She Loves You" to become the UK's biggest seller in history.
I suspect the hatred of "Mull of Kintyre" is purely a UK invention. Does anyone have any thoughts on this strange, perverse, phenomenon?
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Nov 5, 2008 15:41:50 GMT -5
It's always irritated me that Paul rarely plays it in the U.S. I love this song. I think it's one of my five favorite Paul songs. I've always fantasized (even though I can't sing a note) doing this song at a Beatlefest with bagpipes.
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Post by John S. Damm on Nov 5, 2008 16:53:09 GMT -5
I have always loved "Mull of Kintyre" having first heard it as the B-side to the U.S. single for "Girls School." I bought the picture sleeve 45 which had the coolest picture of Paul, Linda and Denny ever! As a 14 or 15 year old, I liked MOK better than GS and was terribly disappointed how that single did not do well in the U.S. I think it suffers in Britain from having been too big, too overplayed. If a song is oversaturated on the radio and media, there is a backlash and that may be the fate of MOK! In the U.S. that was the fate of the less honorable "You Light Up My Life" by the forgettable Debbie Boone. I thought the live version of MOK on the "All My Trials" import c.d. single was one of the coolest things I had ever heard, very rousing. "Mull Of Kintyre" was only performed once during the entire World Tour of 1989/1990 and this was in Scotland, at the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow on 23rd June 1990. I was kind of bummed to read that the "bagpipes" in the 1990 live version were courtesy of Wix on the keyboards as although there was a traditional Scottish marching band on stage, Paul wasn't going to take chances on them getting the sound right. Can anyone confirm that; that the bagpipes on the 1990 live version was really a keyboard?   |
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Post by ursamajor on Nov 5, 2008 17:19:51 GMT -5
Mull of Kintyre was also played on the 1979 Wings tour which was also a great version, it can be heard on Last Flight.
I don't think MOK gets bad press as a song, it gets Paul bad press because he made it to number one for what 9-10 weeks ? based on three simple chords. I believe the only people who would criticise Paul for this are the one's who couldn't do it themselves. Paul has 2 million reasons why he doesn't need to defend it.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Nov 5, 2008 17:42:51 GMT -5
I love the song too.
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Post by ChokingSmoker on Nov 5, 2008 17:52:07 GMT -5
It's always irritated me that Paul rarely plays it in the U.S. I love this song. I think it's one of my five favorite Paul songs. I've always fantasized (even though I can't sing a note) doing this song at a Beatlefest with bagpipes. Sorry to defer on this one. I've always despised this song particularly because of those blasted bagpipes that only Paul would have the nerve of putting on any song. Sober or drunk, this song has got to rank with one of his worst. Only a piece of chalk squeaking in tandem with fingernail filing on a song could outdo this stinker. |
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Post by OldFred on Nov 5, 2008 18:04:11 GMT -5
I really enjoy this song. It's nice seeing the live versions of it with the live bagpipes, would have loved to have seen Paul do this at more shows.
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Post by Panther on Nov 5, 2008 18:48:22 GMT -5
Sorry to defer on this one. I've always despised this song particularly because of those blasted bagpipes that only Paul would have the nerve of putting on any song. See, this is what I don't get --- "it has bagpipes so it SUCKS!" How does that make sense? |
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Post by ursamajor on Nov 5, 2008 19:59:56 GMT -5
Maybe CS wanted a harpsichord or a kazoo instead.
;D
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Post by jimc on Nov 5, 2008 20:41:08 GMT -5
Great song, and I love the bagpipes.
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Post by tammytingles on Nov 5, 2008 21:26:23 GMT -5
I've been lucky enough to see Mull performed live twice, and both times i cried like a baby, the emotion was just overwhelming .. it was a beautiful open air misty night both times and the sound of the pipes starting up as they walked on stage was fantastic, the crowd went beresk ..
This is here in Aussie of course where Mull was just as big a hit as it was in the UK, so many memories attached to that song, it also helps to have a little Scotch blood in you as many of us Aussies do, but Mull was huge down under and Paul had to perform it live.
Greg xoxo
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Post by John S. Damm on Nov 5, 2008 22:05:54 GMT -5
Here is a "home demo" of "Mull Of Kintyre:"
I have always thought that this song would be an incredible rallying cry if performed by Paul after, God forbid, a national tragedy in Britain like an attack the magnitude of Sept. 11 or the Blitz. Brits have a stiff upper lip and after such an attack I could see Paul do this at a benefit concert with a real Scottish Military Band and the crowd going nuts with flags waving and a people re-energized.
The song is about going home to an idyllic, beautiful place, a very powerful stimulant in a national crisis and I think during such a crisis it would be incredibly stirring live, no matter what abuse it has taken since it was a hit.
Of course, the moment could be quickly lost if Paul does the, "You were great, and you were great, and you were great!", at the end!
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Post by ursamajor on Nov 5, 2008 22:21:59 GMT -5
We are all forgetting one thing though, shouldn't Denny Laine be getting some credit here ?
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Post by John S. Damm on Nov 5, 2008 23:06:26 GMT -5
We are all forgetting one thing though, shouldn't Denny Laine be getting some credit here ? Yes. Perhaps more than just some. That whole Denny thing may have put some bad karma on MOK. |
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Post by revolver66 on Nov 6, 2008 0:35:47 GMT -5
Well when MOK was issued wasn't Punk all the rage(at least in the UK)? Many though performers such as Macca were dinosaurs and this only added to their fury when MOK went to Number One in the UK. Actually releasing a Track like this was quite daring at that time in Music History. I must say that I much prefered Girl's School which got very Mild Airplay in Pittburgh when issued. I'm not much of a fan of MOK but can see it's charm(and I have no problems with Bagipes. The song just doesn't do much for me).  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2008 0:53:22 GMT -5
Even though Denny Laine is Mull of Kintyres co- writer,for reasons known only to himself ,he sold his rights to Paul....
I don't believe Laines situation has anything to do with how the song is received,i think the problem is the song itself,is it the fact it's in 3/4 time,is it the subject matter or is it the tempo and feel of the song that irks some people.....i don't really know....
I think the bagpipes were put to enhance the Scottish feel of the song....
Incidently,i bought the sheet music to Mull of Kintyre when it was
first released and it says ....
Mull of Kintyre
words and music by McCartney-Laine
You won't see that nowadays.....
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Post by superhans on Nov 6, 2008 3:33:08 GMT -5
Mull of Kintyre -- I find it a plodding dirge.......which is probably why it sold so well. The public love a plodding dirge. Consider - George Harrison. Most famous track - 'My sweet Lord'....dirge. John Lennon - ditto - 'Imagine'....dirge They're very good dirges, but dirges nonetheless. I'm not sure if Ringo has an equivalent, but you see my point.  |
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Post by vectisfabber on Nov 6, 2008 4:22:50 GMT -5
Saw him do it in 79.
The first time I heard it on the radio shortly after it was released I thought it was a song I'd always known - the melody and pipes arrangement is that powerfully familiar to an Englishman of my age, where one of the things we were brought up on in school was English Country Dancing, and TV regularly used to have Scots folk dancing as peak time Sunday night TV viewing. That. I'm sure, is one of the main reasons why it appealed so strongly to me and also to those older than me (my parents loved it, bought it, and with nauseating tweeness, have referred to it as "Mullikins" ever after). It tapped into some sensibility which ran at a deeper, race-memory kind of level. Clever, clever songwriting - or perhaps it simply came from the same place in McCartney and Laine.
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Post by johnpaulharstar on Nov 6, 2008 8:02:22 GMT -5
Mull of Kintyre -- I find it a plodding dirge.......which is probably why it sold so well. The public love a plodding dirge. Consider - George Harrison. Most famous track - 'My sweet Lord'....dirge. John Lennon - ditto - 'Imagine'....dirge They're very good dirges, but dirges nonetheless. I'm not sure if Ringo has an equivalent, but you see my point. (quote) Actually I don't see your point. Those are two fantastic songs. i can't understand why anyone would say anything remotely negative about "Imagine"? Getting back to "Mull Of Kintyre". I love the song. It was literally never played on the radio where I lived (Maine and at college in Massachusetts). My brother bought a copy of the "Girls School" single (which got quite a bit of airplay) and I thought it was good, but I didn't really start thinking "Mull Of Kintyre" was great and one of Paul's best until I bought the WINGS GREATEST album a couple years later. I love the bagpipes. They give it a great Scottish feel. I heard it on the radio recently and thought it was a shame it wasn't the A side in the US. I think it stands up well nearly 30 years later. |
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Post by richforman on Nov 6, 2008 15:59:04 GMT -5
I don't know, I don't think Americans really liked the song much, I don't mind it as much now but to be really honest the sound of the bagpipes is pretty grating at least to American ears, and the melody I think came off as a little "harsh" again to Americans, probably in a way that was intentional and correct, it sounds authentically Scottish, but I just don't think we in the US could relate to and enjoy the sound and vibe as much as Paul's audience in the UK. Now it sounds pretty dramatic and stately to me, quite nice (just heard it while watching my newly acquired McCartney Years dvd), and the lyrics are good, but I still wouldn't want to hear it too often!
richforman
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Post by ursamajor on Nov 6, 2008 18:44:05 GMT -5
Maybe there's more Irish people then Scotts in the US, which is why it didn't do so well.
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Post by alltouttt on Nov 6, 2008 20:31:50 GMT -5
Maybe??
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Post by Joseph McCabe on Nov 7, 2008 0:31:14 GMT -5
I've been thinking about this song all day today (off and on). Very interesting thread. Here are my thoughts.
The song is OK, all right? Weeeelllllll, it's not a clunker. I thought it quite nice when it came out - for about a week.
The trouble is several-fold, I feel:
The lyrics are a bit of cliche (the heather, the mist 'rolling' in, flickering embers etc).
The bagpipes themselves are a HUGE cliche: Mull of Kintyre, Scotland, must have the bagpipes, eh? I can tell you (knowing a bit about the pipes m'self) that what they play is nothing special. The pipes can tug at the heartstrings, definitely, but not here. Maybe they were only worth the tenner (or whatever it was) that Paul paid them.
The tune (imo, like so many of Maccas) is simple and straightforward, with no subltley. Maybe that's his gift (everyone catches on quick, and hums it for the rest of the day), maybe not. But simple it still is. And so simple I always reckon I've heard Mull's tune before. Try this: sing the tune with dah and dees and dums. See, you have heard it before!
But for all that, the song IS a well-crafted pop ditty. Nothing deep, but then not everything has to be deep. Sometimes it's all right to drink beer, and not single malt whisky!!
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Post by Sir Frankie Crisp on Nov 7, 2008 20:54:35 GMT -5
I've been lucky enough to see Mull performed live twice, and both times i cried like a baby, the emotion was just overwhelming .. it was a beautiful open air misty night both times and the sound of the pipes starting up as they walked on stage was fantastic, the crowd went beresk .. I was fortunate enough to experience the same thing you're describing Greg...maybe it's a Commonwealth thing? I saw McCartney perform "Mull of Kintyre" in Toronto in '93 and as Greg said, it was quite stirring. The song provides an emotional wallop when you hear it in concert as opposed to on the car radio or in your home. It was cool knowing that Kintyre was only performed on rare occasion but I think the real treat for me was looking at the faces of the regional police band that performed with McCartney. This must have been one of those “I can’t believe this is happening to me” moments for the band members because the expression of joy on their faces was truly heart-warming. I especially remember one portly gentleman who was playing a large bass drum, marching in tune to the song with the bagpipes wailing and his face displayed a boundless joy that lit up the stadium. To be honest with you, I don't particularly like the bagpipes but within the context of this song, it works. And in concert it can make the hairs on your neck stand on end. |
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Post by Riff Raff on Nov 7, 2008 23:55:17 GMT -5
Sir Frankie, I agree with you. I saw McCartney perform Mull of Kintrye in Winnipeg on the same tour, in '93. He also used a local pipe band to play in the song. They filed onto the outdoor stage and played and I couldn't help but think what an incredible feeling for the pipers, to be up on stage playing with Paul. The performance was unforgettable. I like the song, always have. I don't mind a little bit of pipes here and there. After all, if you can use cow bells, why not bagpipes? Also, Rod Stewart had his turn with the pipes too, with Rhythm of My Heart - aye, where the ocean meets the sky. |
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Post by John S. Damm on Nov 8, 2008 2:18:06 GMT -5
After all, if you can use cow bells, why not bagpipes? The cowbell, an idiophone hand percussion instrument used in various styles of music, is among the oldest musical instruments known to man, easily older than bagpipes. As a cowbell player myself, I take much pride in this instrument's great legacy. As cool as the bagpipes are in "Mull Of Kintyre," just imagine if Paul had used the cowbell prominently in this great folk-pop song! The song would not have gotten dissed like it sadly has. [/quote] |
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Post by superhans on Nov 8, 2008 4:30:19 GMT -5
As cool as the bagpipes are in "Mull Of Kintyre," just imagine if Paul had used the cowbell prominently in this great folk-pop song! The song would not have gotten dissed like it sadly has. ...or instead of the massed Scottish pipers, a man with a straw hat and a ukulele walks on the stage and plucks out the tune.  I think I could guarantee chart success with just that one small alteration. |
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Post by John S. Damm on Nov 8, 2008 11:24:24 GMT -5
...or instead of the massed Scottish pipers, a man with a straw hat and a ukulele walks on the stage and plucks out the tune. I think I could guarantee chart success with just that one small alteration. Actually, that is an amazing suggestion. If Paul had used a ukulele then maybe George Harrison could have been enticed to record with Paul for the first time since early 1970. With news reaching John Lennon in New York that Paul and George were reuniting to work on a song about a famous landmark in Scotland, John's memory is re-fired about his mystical summer trips as a child/young teen to Mater's(Aunt Elizabeth) home in the North Scottish Highlands at Durness in Sutherland where he fished, walked through ancient ruins and experienced mystical phenomena. John would gloriously return to England, Denny Laine politely told to park the cars and carry the luggage, and a Beatles' reunion occurs as completed when Ringo interrupts important recording sessions for Bad Boy to join in, playing traditional Scottish percussion. The Beatles are No. 1 all over the world again with the curious exception of the U.S. where The Cowsills make an unexpected comeback with their equally sentimental "Chesapeake Bay," holding the reunited Fabs at bay in the former Colonies. All because of the uke! |
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Post by superhans on Nov 8, 2008 12:04:00 GMT -5
...or instead of the massed Scottish pipers, a man with a straw hat and a ukulele walks on the stage and plucks out the tune. I think I could guarantee chart success with just that one small alteration.
With news reaching John Lennon in New York that Paul and George were reuniting to work on a song about a famous landmark in Scotland, John's memory is re-fired about his mystical summer trips as a child/young teen to Mater's(Aunt Elizabeth) home in the North Scottish Highlands at Durness in Sutherland where he fished, walked through ancient ruins and experienced mystical phenomena.
John would gloriously return to England, Denny Laine politely told to park the cars and carry the luggage, and a Beatles' reunion occurs as completed when Ringo interrupts important recording sessions for Bad Boy to join in, playing traditional Scottish percussion.
The Beatles are No. 1 all over the world again with the curious exception of the U.S. where The Cowsills make an unexpected comeback with their equally sentimental "Chesapeake Bay," holding the reunited Fabs at bay in the former Colonies.What about the man with the straw hat? What happens to him? Maybe he could team up with Denny Laine and form a Wings splinter group? |
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Post by John S. Damm on Nov 8, 2008 12:18:34 GMT -5
Actually, that is an amazing suggestion. If Paul had used a ukulele then maybe George Harrison could have been enticed to record with Paul for the first time since early 1970.
With news reaching John Lennon in New York that Paul and George were reuniting to work on a song about a famous landmark in Scotland, John's memory is re-fired about his mystical summer trips as a child/young teen to Mater's(Aunt Elizabeth) home in the North Scottish Highlands at Durness in Sutherland where he fished, walked through ancient ruins and experienced mystical phenomena.
John would gloriously return to England, Denny Laine politely told to park the cars and carry the luggage, and a Beatles' reunion occurs as completed when Ringo interrupts important recording sessions for Bad Boy to join in, playing traditional Scottish percussion.
The Beatles are No. 1 all over the world again with the curious exception of the U.S. where The Cowsills make an unexpected comeback with their equally sentimental "Chesapeake Bay," holding the reunited Fabs at bay in the former Colonies. What about the man with the straw hat? What happens to him? Maybe he team up with Denny Laine and form a Wings splinter group? I was willing for Hari to wear the straw hat as he strummed his ukulele! |
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