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Post by joeyself on Oct 10, 2010 13:06:01 GMT -5
BACK TO THE EGG, Side 1 vs. SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, Side 2
BACK TO THE EGG, Side 1
1. "Reception" 1:08
2. "Getting Closer" 3:22
3. "We're Open Tonight" 1:28
4. "Spin It On" 2:12
5. "Again and Again and Again" 3:34
6. "Old Siam, Sir" 4:11
7. "Arrow Through Me" 3:37
SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY
1."Blue, Turning Grey Over You" (Andy Razaf, Fats Waller) – 3:19
2."Love Is a Many Splendoured Thing" (Sammy Fain, Paul Francis Webster) – 3:05
3."Dream" (Johnny Mercer) – 2:42
4."You Always Hurt the One You Love" (Allan Roberts, Doris Fisher) – 2:20
5."Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" (Scott Wiseman) – 2:44
6."Let the Rest of the World Go By" (Ernest Ball, Karen Brennan) – 2:55
Ringo and Paul square off for the first time in this tournament.
JcS
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Post by mikev on Oct 10, 2010 13:29:11 GMT -5
Wow-not even going to try to score this one.
Maybe Beaucoup of Blues, but Sentimental Journey is really a "different" kind of solo album.
BTE hands cdown.
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Post by vectisfabber on Oct 10, 2010 13:42:06 GMT -5
I have always liked BTTE a lot.
I like the songs on Sentimental Journey, just not sung by Ringo.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Oct 10, 2010 13:42:52 GMT -5
BACK TO THE EGG - of course.
Besides, the only two songs I like off SJ are on Side 1 anyway ("Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Sentimental Journey").
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Joseph McCabe
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A rebel to his last breath ...
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Post by Joseph McCabe on Oct 10, 2010 15:00:55 GMT -5
My vote goes, naturally, to BTTE.
However ... however ... that in no way implies that BTTE is a good record, side 1 or 2 ... it's just not as bad as SJ (side 1 or 2).
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Post by joeyself on Oct 10, 2010 15:27:51 GMT -5
BTTE is in my top 5 Macca post-Beatles release. SJ isn't in my top five Ringo efforts. In fact, I may have only played it from start to finish a couple of times in my life, and have no burning desire to hear it again.
I do find it interesting that three of the four Fabs did a lot of solo work that was not going to be considered in competition with their Beatles output; Lennon/Ono's work, Harrison's two releases, and the first couple by Starr were all experimental in different ways. None of them returned to the styles represented in their first efforts (well, OK, Lennon and Ono did three of them in short order, I recognize) after their solo careers were clearly established.
JcS
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Post by anyoneanyhow on Oct 10, 2010 15:45:40 GMT -5
BTTE is in my top 5 Macca post-Beatles release. SJ isn't in my top five Ringo efforts. In fact, I may have only played it from start to finish a couple of times in my life, and have no burning desire to hear it again. JcS What he said. Score another for BTTE, maybe Paul's most underestimated work. |
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Post by ursamajor on Oct 10, 2010 15:54:09 GMT -5
BTTE .. hahhaahaaa ...
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Post by coachbk on Oct 10, 2010 20:22:19 GMT -5
BACK TO THE EGG wins easily. Two pleasant singles ("Getting Closer" and "Arrow Through Me") and one of Paul's more "bluesy" sounding songs ("Old Siam Sir") are better than any of Ringo's renditions of standards.
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Post by joeyself on Oct 10, 2010 21:18:40 GMT -5
Someone took the Ringo side without claiming it--again.
JcS
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Post by John S. Damm on Oct 10, 2010 22:46:35 GMT -5
BACK TO THE EGG, Side 1I am not so loving of BTTE-1 nor so scornful of SJ-2 as many here. I did play SJ within the last five years and was pleasantly surprised. BTTE is the album that thinks it rocks(it doesn't), thinks it is punk but is not. Another post BOTR bloated album from Paul. See The JSD Postulate. 1. "Reception": Rubbish, Paul using his funny voice reading a poorly written script. 2. "Getting Closer": Does not rock because it uses the word salamander. 3. "We're Open Tonight": Not bad at all, I like it but it is not Rock. 4. "Spin It On": As much Rock as The Archies.  5. "Again and Again and Again": I kind of like this from Denny. 6. "Old Siam, Sir": This Rocks but what the hell is Paul screaming about? 7. "Arrow Through Me": Catchy Pop that subtly got more airplay than most Macca songs. Not rock and I had to defend this to my hardened 16 year old friends in "Da Region." Good thing I was bigger and stronger than most of them or I would have gotten my ass kicked over this song. People took their music serious in 1979!
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Post by theman on Oct 10, 2010 23:22:17 GMT -5
Back to the Egg.....
Much better than the critics gave it credit, but again, another album abandoned by Macca.
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nine
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Post by nine on Oct 11, 2010 3:50:20 GMT -5
BACK TO THE EGG, Side 1I am not so loving of BTTE-1 nor so scornful of SJ-2 as many here. I did play SJ within the last five years and was pleasantly surprised. BTTE is the album that thinks it rocks(it doesn't), thinks it is punk but is not. Another post BOTR bloated album from Paul. See The JSD Postulate. 1. "Reception": Rubbish, Paul using his funny voice reading a poorly written script. 2. "Getting Closer": Does not rock because it uses the word salamander. 3. "We're Open Tonight": Not bad at all, I like it but it is not Rock. 4. "Spin It On": As much Rock as The Archies. 5. "Again and Again and Again": I kind of like this from Denny. 6. "Old Siam, Sir": This Rocks but what the hell is Paul screaming about? 7. "Arrow Through Me": Catchy Pop that subtly got more airplay than most Macca songs. Not rock and I had to defend this to my hardened 16 year old friends in "Da Region." Good thing I was bigger and stronger than most of them or I would have gotten my ass kicked over this song. People took their music serious in 1979! Blasphemy! Egg is a great album. IMO it is far superior to Chaos or Pie and the like... |
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Oct 11, 2010 5:51:44 GMT -5
[2. "Getting Closer": Does not rock because it uses the word salamander. Sorry, JSD, but that's not a reason for it not to rock. The song rocks.  Great album, IMO. |
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JCV
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Post by JCV on Oct 11, 2010 12:10:04 GMT -5
BACK TO THE EGG, Side 1JCV 
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Post by ursamajor on Oct 11, 2010 15:31:46 GMT -5
The only problem I have with BTTE is that is has little to no solo's on the rock songs and the songs that do contain solos pretty much suck.
Getting Closer - no solo
Spin It On - lame solo
Old Siam Sir - no solo
Again x3 - average solo
Rockestra - no solo
To You - very lame solo
So Glad To See You Here - no solo
Not sure what Lawrence Juber was doing but one thing is for sure he is no Jimmy McCullogh who was sadly missed on this Wings album.
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Post by joeyself on Oct 11, 2010 16:10:23 GMT -5
Something that just popped into my mind: A few years ago, a friend of mine was set to interview Ringo. I know it's not cool for a journalist to request an autograph, but I started thinking about what I'd want signed for framing. My copy of SJ is in pretty good shape, and would be enough of a curio that I'd think it would be good for display.
But I didn't put my friend on the spot by asking that he seek it for me.
JcS
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Post by mikev on Oct 11, 2010 16:44:02 GMT -5
The only problem I have with BTTE is that is has little to no solo's on the rock songs and the songs that do contain solos pretty much suck. Getting Closer - no solo Spin It On - lame solo Old Siam Sir - no solo Again x3 - average solo Rockestra - no solo To You - very lame solo So Glad To See You Here - no solo Not sure what Lawrence Juber was doing but one thing is for sure he is no Jimmy McCullogh who was sadly missed on this Wings album. I guess with the two Rockestra songs-who do you ask to play the solo? ;D |
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on Oct 11, 2010 17:22:55 GMT -5
John, I know The JSD Postulate, but it doesn't say all but Paul's first few albums are crap!!! This is a good solid album and side one is as good as side two.
I chose BTTE over SJ. Joe K. is right, the best songs on SJ are on the other side.
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Post by John S. Damm on Oct 11, 2010 21:40:32 GMT -5
John, I know The JSD Postulate, but it doesn't say all but Paul's first few albums are crap!!! This is a good solid album and side one is as good as side two. I chose BTTE over SJ. Joe K. is right, the best songs on SJ are on the other side. I said BTTE was "bloated" not crap. In 1979, I played the hell out of BTTE but I was left curiously unsatisfied. Paul didn't know where to turn in 1979 so he sat on the fence and tried to pander to both the Led Zeppelin crowd and the punk crowd and he struck out with both. The Zeppelin crowd thought "Rockestra's Theme" and the other so-called rockers were lame despite Bonham's appearance on the former and punks spit on the whole thing. The only really good song on the whole album is "Arrow Through Me" which made Barry Manilow and Neil Sedaka proud. It is a fine Pop song, totally 1972 but a fine pop song. "Salamander" is a horrible word to use in a rock song, well perhaps writers like Lennon, Dylan or Springsteen could use that word in a cool context but Paul McCartney...nah. It's lame as he used it on "Getting Closer." BTTE is not crap but it was Paul's big 70's flop. |
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Post by joeyself on Oct 11, 2010 22:04:32 GMT -5
BTTE is not crap but it was Paul's big 70's flop. By what standard? It charted higher than WILD LIFE in both the US and the UK; WL hit 10 in the States and 11 in the UK, while BTTE was 8 and 6, respectively. BTTE was a platinum album, while WL just made it gold status. Critically, both took drubbings, but who cares what critics think unless they agree with me? JcS |
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Post by ursamajor on Oct 12, 2010 1:09:18 GMT -5
BTTE is not crap but it was Paul's big 70's flop. BTTE was a platinum album JcS Shipped platinum, returned gold  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2010 4:05:18 GMT -5
BACK TO THE EGG, Side 1......
but....
i wouldn't rate either of these albums very highly.........and
goo goo ga Juber....
he didn't really shine on this album....with the "New Wings"
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Post by ursamajor on Oct 12, 2010 5:06:06 GMT -5
The only problem I have with BTTE is that is has little to no solo's on the rock songs and the songs that do contain solos pretty much suck. Getting Closer - no solo Spin It On - lame solo Old Siam Sir - no solo Again x3 - average solo Rockestra - no solo To You - very lame solo So Glad To See You Here - no solo Not sure what Lawrence Juber was doing but one thing is for sure he is no Jimmy McCullogh who was sadly missed on this Wings album. I guess with the two Rockestra songs-who do you ask to play the solo? ;D It's like the one used by Jimmy Page !! What a perfect opportunity, Paul probably didn't want to be out-starred on his own album. |
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Post by ursamajor on Oct 12, 2010 5:27:08 GMT -5
John, I know The JSD Postulate, but it doesn't say all but Paul's first few albums are crap!!! This is a good solid album and side one is as good as side two. I chose BTTE over SJ. Joe K. is right, the best songs on SJ are on the other side. "Salamander" is a horrible word to use in a rock song, well perhaps writers like Lennon, Dylan or Springsteen could use that word in a cool context but Paul McCartney...nah. It's lame as he used it on "Getting Closer." I always thought it was strange, the use of the word salamander. What's stranger is that it's being used as a term of endearment to a chic that he's into and is driving to. Hey babe what's doing tonight ? Hey salamander what's doing tonight ? Message to Paul: The chic ain't into you because you called her a salamander 3 times in 3 minutes. Write the song again and stop calling her a salamander. Perhaps RTP can shed some light on these lyrics as he understands Paul's deep and veiled meanings.  |
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Post by John S. Damm on Oct 12, 2010 8:28:39 GMT -5
BTTE is not crap but it was Paul's big 70's flop. By what standard? It charted higher than WILD LIFE in both the US and the UK; WL hit 10 in the States and 11 in the UK, while BTTE was 8 and 6, respectively. BTTE was a platinum album, while WL just made it gold status. Critically, both took drubbings, but who cares what critics think unless they agree with me? JcS "Getting Closer" bombed in the singles chart, and in the interview record I have of Paul, he was speaking to maybe Musician Magazine, he laments the poor showing of BTTE both as to sales and lack of fire it had with fans(and certainly critics as you've noted). Paul falls back on the old, "Well bad sales for us(meaning Wings) is great sales for most bands." That is true but the point was Paul was on top of the Pop/Rock world up to then and there is no doubt, and BTTE revisionists can't change this, that Paul and Wings took a huge tumble with BTTE. It didn't automatically go to No. 1 and that was a huge deal for Paul in 1979, new Columbia recording contract and all. You were a red-blooded record buyer back then, radio stations, magazines, Rock Press were all buzzing about the lack of buzz created by BTTE. I was a little RTP back then defending this album to my little circle of friends until I was blue in the face. "Yawn" was the reaction to BTTE by the kids back then. "Arrow Through Me" was a surprise hit with with the adult contemporary crowd in 1979 but I don't recall the high school kids at my school liking it at all(except me!). Columbia Records was freaking out too and later, when handed McCartney II knew they'd laid an egg with that huge deal with Macca. I think Tug Of War made them happier because that was still on Columbia in the U.S. when first released. ;D I stand by my assertion that by Paul's toppermost of the poppermost mid to late 1970's standards when Paul was the "Prince of Pop," BTTE was a flop. Comparing it to Wings Wild Life is taking it out of historical context but I'd still argue until I'm dead as to which album is better regardless of sales, which album(WWL) is real, organic and enduring and which is bloated, trend-seeking and running on empty(BTTE). All I know is that Paul basically junked Wings after BTTE(although keeping some of them around up to the material for TOW and POP). I don't hate BTTE at all but I am alarmed by efforts to rewrite its history as we all know it was considered a let down back then to the kids and critics. It is not a Ram that was unfairly attacked by the Rock Press for reasons that had nothing to do with the music but rather the break-up of The Beatles. I may change my vote to SJ-2! ;D I have hit a nerve on BTTE as 1979 was probably a lot of our "salad years" where we were young, strong, vital and made it with the ladies so this album was a sentimental favorite. I was a year or so from that and I was rewarded with Macca II and the murder of John Lennon in my "salad years."  |
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Post by vectisfabber on Oct 12, 2010 13:34:47 GMT -5
BTTE was a personal favourite and I still like it a great deal (as opposed to Wild Life - you do keep dragging it in, John!  ). But there's no denying it was not a conspicuous success. It quickly tanked in the UK, ending up in remainder bins very soon after release. And, as the centrepiece of the 1979 gigs, it never caught fire. And neither did the gigs. A shame, because I thought it deserved better. And I would love the short "video album" to be released. |
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Post by stavros on Oct 12, 2010 14:03:10 GMT -5
Well the whole point of this tournament was to give a listen and appraisal. Although this does not need a Guinness to make the decision.
There is a time and place for Ringo's Sentimental Journey and it is probably somewhere in an old musical theatre between the wars. Although in fairness the production is very good the songs are from another era and Ringo does not really have the voice to breathe new life into them.
Back to the Egg is really Paul's last attempt at experimenting with a full blown commercial release. More ignored than hated it really is to me a lost gem of an album.
"Reception" gives us a slow sweep across the radio bands reminding us of the type of thing done on a previous band's records. "Getting Closer" chugs along and is the younger sibling of songs like Get Back and Junior's Farm. Although perhaps not up to scratch with those two it's not far behind. "We're Open Tonight" is a link rather than a full on song but brings the mood down a little before "Spin It On". This doesn't quite work for me. It' sort of faux new wave/punk and has corny lyrics as well. "Again and Again and Again" is actually a decent pop/rock song from Denny and totally worthy of a place on this album. "Old Siam, Sir" is another good rock song and then surprisingly "Arrow Through Me" ends the side. A lost gem. It feels like the time signature is all over the place with this one but is still one of Paul's best funk style songs.
So "Back to the Egg" wins easily. I think Paul struggled to have a huge hit with this album because he was up against one of the centuries most productive years in popular music. The major hits of 1979 will be remembered long after the year of their release.
Perhaps had we seen "Goodnight Tonight" and the excellent "Daytime Nightime Suffering" added to this album it would have done rather better. But it was the last flap for Paul's Wings.
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Post by John S. Damm on Oct 12, 2010 20:21:21 GMT -5
stavros, your review of BTTE-1 almost makes me glad I voted for it! Good job!
Many on this Board have also opined that Paul should have added "Goodnight Tonight" and "Daytime Nightime Suffering" to BTTE. Question: For those who think BTTE is such a hard rocking album, wouldn't the inclusion of a disco song have ruined that image?
The infamous Chicago DJ Steve Dahl who had "Disco Demolition Night" at the old White Sox Park(where The Beatles played in 1965) would scratch disco records mid-song on the air and he was sad to have to scratch Paul's "Goodnight Tonight" but what could he do? Paul went disco. ;D
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Post by ursamajor on Oct 12, 2010 23:55:34 GMT -5
I think Paul struggled to have a huge hit with this album because he was up against one of the centuries most productive years in popular music. The major hits of 1979 will be remembered long after the year of their release. Which is to say that there was just better music going around at the time. I think BTTE just falls short, there is nothing on there that is mind-boggling good and there's lots of unrealised potential there. This could have been alot better. You only have to look at the lead playing on this, it's quite bad and yet Paul used to give George Harrison such a hard time. There were no whips cracking on this one. |
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