Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 08 Oct 18 - 03:05 PM

And over here in the land of McDonald's fast food,
which I think of as
The Temple of the Golden Arches,

not every store in the franchise has the same music or noises playing.

Some of the stores have a television screen, or three.
I feel more at home in the branches that have no television screen
but have speakers in the ceiling,
and are tuned to some sort of audio setup.

Which brings me to Egypt Station.
The Temple of the Golden Arches location which
is usually where I stop for a late breakfast, whilst away from home,
prefers satellite radio programming, "Sirius XM" some-thing--or-other.

Throught them I have now heard two "Egypt Station" tunes:
"Caesar Rock", play on words, actual chorus lyric "She's A Rock"
and
"Come On To Me."

They are both kind of over-produced, they either march or stomp,
and Himself doesn't sound a day older, not in these songs anyhow.
But then songs like these two are kind of safe places to hide, vocally.
The backing music is very noisy and rhythmic;
the phrases in the lyrics are comfortably short;
the melodies, if you can call them that,
sit in a comfortable range of the voice in question.

I can guess that McCartney
would be terribly exposed, in terms of his singing voice,
if he sang a quiet ballad or romance.
So I'd rather remember him as he was, in that format.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 21 Sep 18 - 03:41 PM

Hey Will :0).....At last we've got something we can agree about. Gerry was a consummate songwriter who continually searched for perfection. I think he also wanted to be recognised outside the usual pop circus. I play the CTC LP regularly, likewise Night Owl.
I have the double album First Chapter which features all Gerry's early stuff, most acoustic. Sleepwalking is perhaps my favourite as it contains the brilliant "The right moment" which Gerry thought was his best.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Sep 18 - 01:15 PM

I play all the tracks from Rafferty's "City to City" album regularly. My favourite - even better than "Baker Street", is "The Ark". Lovely stuff.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 21 Sep 18 - 12:59 PM

Wonderful post, CJ. And I got most of it :-)

Out of interest I was inspired to listen to my favourite Rafferty song, Don't give up on me from On a wing and a prayer and, yes, it certainly suffered in production. About a minute too long and far too much going on. But I still like it. Lose the outro, limit it to slide guitar and mandolin and it would go down well at any acoustic club. (Notice how I avoided the F word there)

:D

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,CJ
Date: 21 Sep 18 - 09:28 AM

Macca was only half the man of Gerry Rafferty. Gerry as a songwriter could have knocked Macca into a cocked hat.

The fact he didn't is obviously down to the fact that I am completely wrong.

Or it could be because Macca was in the Beatles

And Rafferty was in the Humblebums

Or Rafferty's production, which was rubbish, unlike Maccas... So who to blame there? Maybe one of them was good at choosing producers... And the other was never in the Beatles, so he never stood a chance. Like Bowie. Or Dylan. Or Adele. More names that have sunk to the bottom of the sea purely by them not being in The Beatles,

But Maaca was in the Beatles, so everyone laps up HIS songwriting even though it's rubbish

Unlike poor old Rafferty, who wrote two songs, one of which people quite like, one of which people swear at everytime they hear it being busked by some long-hair down the tube

I mean a good example of how the Beatles were discriminated in their favour would be that other hugely respected songwriter Ringo Starr. It's criminal everyone thinks he's a better songwriter than Gerry Rafferty and Neil Young and Texas Joe and Bob Dylan - just because Ringo was in the Beatles. And he wasn't even the best Bob Dylan in the Beatles! That's what Gerry Rafferty said.

I can't understand it.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Sep 18 - 09:15 AM

Macca was ok, but he should have stuck to just playing bass..
The Beatles would have been much better if they'd won the job as Billy Fury's backing band...

Billy and The Beatles..

Maybe, they could have been almost as good as Cliff and The Shadows...???

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Sep 18 - 06:47 AM

Off work with man flu today so took the opportunity to have another listen. I still like it but don't think I will add it to my personal collection. Who remembers Janice from "Juke Box Jury"? Her phrase sums it up.

I wouldn't buy it but I'll give it five.

Glad the thread turned out well despite efforts to embugger it :-) Thanks to all who made a positive contribution.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Sep 18 - 03:19 PM

Wikipedia says that Egypt Station has 16 tracks, which McCartney refers to as "stations." The album title and cover art come from a painting McCartney did in 1988.

I got to a few Metro stations in Cairo. They were nothing fancy, but serviceable. I didn't know about Cairo Station. Wikipedia has some magnificent photos of the station. The trains in Egypt were pretty Spartan. There are tracks along the Nile at least to Luxor and Aswan - there's not much of anything south of Aswan. My brother-in-law had a 1-year Fulbright appointment to teach at the University of Alexandria. He sometimes took the train on the three-hour trip from Alexandria to Cairo, but hired a car and driver when he had to be sure to be in Cairo on time.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Raedwulf
Date: 18 Sep 18 - 02:28 PM

Steve - I thought you might enjoy that. :) Mind you, I nearly "bwahaed" at It isn't like me at all to say stuff like what follows... Really, you old curmudgeon? :p

On other matters, I can only say that someone (none of the regulars, obviously) needs to look up "meander" in the dikker… (And how I would look up the posting history of someone labelled Guest...)

Eqypt's main railway station is apparently Ramses Station in Cairo. Also known as Misr Station. There, I'm back on topic (if tenuously). That should satisfy everyone! :D

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Sep 18 - 02:13 PM

I took a listen to Egypt Station. It was pleasant, Paul-McCartney-sounding music, but it didn't really grab me. I'll give it another chance and listen once more, but that will probably be enough. Paul McCartney is usually pleasant, but rarely profound.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: gillymor
Date: 17 Sep 18 - 11:11 AM

I haven't paid much attention to Paul's music since his very first solo album which I liked at the time but I heard him singing a song called something like "Done Wrong" on a news program this morning, which I can't find on Spotify, and I kind of liked it and his singing on it which had a bit more grit to it than I remember.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Sep 18 - 09:23 AM

I not a fan of McCartney, but I'm more interested in us talking about him
than about some obsessive pillock with a grudge against other mudcatters...


..bugger... i fell into the trap of talking about the pillOckserver...

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Sep 18 - 07:50 AM

"As for meanderings? I generally stick to the point of the thread, or relevant points made in the thread."

Said without irony... :-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,Observer
Date: 17 Sep 18 - 04:32 AM

Well Raedwulf what can one say, the last contribution - Steve Shaw Date: 16 Sep 18 - 05:23 PM - provides more than ample reason for anyone not to join.

Your version of what constitutes a discussion would appear to be a flat statement followed solely by slavish agreement. Looking at the nastier posts that have recently entered the territory above the line, I find that their authors are the ones that succeeded in destroying discussion below the line to such an extent that it is nothing more than an "Echo Chamber". Mind you glancing at massively long threads about nothing or even worse threads "discussing" with declarations of great certainty things that have not yet even come to pass can be very amusing particularly when the likes of Iains and Nigel Parsons contribute.

My routine when opening this site is to select the 1 day option which gives me less crap to look at, I come here out of an interest in folk music, I am not in the least bit interested in what appear to be generally uninformed opinions presented as fact with regard to:

Blues
Jazz
Pop
Politics
Weeds
Wine
Football

If I ever wanted views on any of the above there are far, far better sources to glean actual information from than Mudcat. As for meanderings? I generally stick to the point of the thread, or relevant points made in the thread. Looking at posting history Raedwulf it would appear that I have been here longer than you have.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 05:23 PM

"As a West Ham fan..."

Bwahahahahaha!

Do you know summat, observerwankerguest, some of us around here are trying to restore the thread to the lightness and banter it fully deserves. It isn't like me at all to say stuff like what follows, but here goes.

Ahem.

Why don't you just piss off and take a bloody long walk on a short pier, you distempered twat?

Sorry, mods. I'll go back in me 'ole...

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 03:26 PM

"I suppose the Mc names are so common in Scotland that it makes no sense to nickname people because of them"

Well they're no' as common as they usetae be Allan, over 10% of our population are of English heritage...an hauf o thum live oan Skye!!!

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Raedwulf
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 03:01 PM

Unlike you, Guest (with a consistent identifier, I'll grant you), for better or worse, I'm a member of the community. I'm known. I have a bit of credit. Ake is too. Admittedly, there's plenty that don't like the daft sod much. But he's known. You aren't. And pretty much all you've done from your first post is carp & moan & cavil & nitpick.

Mudcat threads often meander. Sometimes drunkenly. And Dave is as guilty as anyone (whether under the influence, only he can say!). But the meanderment ought to be entertaining or illuminating. You do neither.

I'm pretty sure Dave won't mind me saying hello to an old friend in public. He knows I'm not trying to hijack things, for a start. I'm also pretty sure he won't mind me talking back to you either. Because he knows I'm trying to achieve something he favours too.

Instead of being a Guest, sign in. Instead of bitching & whining, show us a positive side of you. Any regular here can tell you I can be vicious. But I don't do it often & I don't do it except in retaliation against someone who... (And I'm not doing it now). Joe may say otherwise, but yes there is one law & another law. That's human nature for you. Folk we know something of, we allow a certain of latitude. Random pixels like you... Get a lot less latitude. I can talk back to Dave a bit because we've talked to & across each other before. You are just a random bunch of argumentative pixels. Capisce?

With, of course, apologies to Dave! Something you've not so far offered, I think...

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Allan Conn
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 02:59 PM

I suppose the Mc names are so common in Scotland that it makes no sense to nickname people because of them

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,AKENATON
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 02:44 PM

Yes Guest Observer "Macca" seems more common in England especially the Liverpool area: I have never heard it used in Scotland to address anyone.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,Observer
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 02:35 PM

Tsk, Tsk Raedwulf - ride to instruction

This thread is about the new album by Paul McCartney
It is not about folk music
It is not about pop music in general

Unless the post is about either Macca or the album, it is irrelevant.

This post may well be deleted, as the other one was, pointing out how there appeared to be "One law for the Goose and another for the Gander" - "Do what I say not as I do" - Personal attacks, increasingly more vicious, are only condoned against certain members to such an extent they appear to be encouraged. Such has always been the bias which is becoming more and more prevalent on this forum.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 01:59 PM

Hey Raedwulf....haud yer wheesht!! a dinnae want it tae get aboot thit ah gied life tae an Englishman!!.....are ye shair it wis two bob?? :0(

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Raedwulf
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 01:38 PM

As a West Ham fan (the sins of my past lives are obviously many & grievous), may I just point out that we stuffed the Toffees (no, I'm not trying to make some pun or joke here, I'm just pleased we won!)?

I thought the pleb thing was referred to as plebgate, Steve? And, of course, I have to again point out the incongruity of Manky Steve, supporting Scouse Gits (of whichever colour)! ;-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,Observer
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 01:15 PM

"Macca":

A common nickname in some English speaking countries of Anglo-Saxon heritage (less commonly in Canada and the United States, where "Mac" is used) for somebody whose surname begins with the Gaelic prefix Mac or Mc (meaning "son of").

People frequently referred to as Macca include:

Sir Paul McCartney, English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer
Chris McCormack (triathlete), Australian professional triathlete, two time ironman world champion
Amy Macdonald, Scottish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist
Andrew McLeod, former Australian rules footballer and two-time Norm Smith Medallist
Steve McManaman, former English footballer sometimes also called 'El Macca'
Stephen McPhail, Irish footballer
Gary McAllister, former Scottish footballer and manager
Gary McSheffrey, English footballer
Michael "Macca" MacKenzie, fictional recurring character on the Australian soap opera Home and Away
Steve McMahon, former English footballer
Bruce McAvaney, Australian Sports Media Broadcaster
Neil McKenzie, South African Cricketer
Paul McNamee, former Australian Tennis Player, now Sports Administrator
Steve McNamara, British rugby league coach and former player
Ian McNamara, Australian radio presenter, who hosts the ABC Local Radio program "Australia All Over"
Macca, guitar player of the rock band Be Quiet. Shout Loud!

Must admit if memory serves me correctly it only seemed to be commonly applied to Sir Paul McCartney post-Beatles.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 12:35 PM

Hmmmmm, as a Leeds Utd. fan since my teens, it really does hurt me to say this, Steve, but.....you're right! :-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 12:25 PM

We do it a lot here, SRS. So Jeremy Corbyn is Jezza, the notorious footballer Paul Gascoigne is Gazza and Wayne Rooney is Wazza. If your name is Barry you're very likely to be referred to as "Baz," and Sharon as "Shaz" or "Shazza." A slightly anomalous example is that of the Scottish wide boy in The Archers radio soap opera who the Beeb officially refers to as "Jazzer," not "Jazza" as might be expected. His first name is Jack. Apparently, John Lennon called Paul "Macca," so it goes back a long way. Slightly off topic, I find it amusing when any scandal has the suffix "-gate" added to it, ever since Watergate. One of the best was when a Tory MP swore at a policeman and called him a "pleb" when the officer wouldn't allow him through the Downing Street gate with his bike. The incident was referred to as "Gategate."

One thing very easy to understand about Liverpudlians, John, is that most of them support the greatest team in the world, and it ain't the Toffees!

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 12:12 PM

'Mac' is a standard nickname in the UK for anyone whose surname begins Mc or Mac. 'Macca' was the nickname bestowed on him by his friends, including the other Beatles, and has been the standard term of affection for him in his own country pretty much since the Beatles became famous.

And Paul McCartney is a native of Liverpool, where they have their own words for all sorts of things, even fellow Brits are sometimes at a loss to understand Liverpudlians.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Raedwulf
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 11:58 AM

I saw it, da' (you still haven't lent me that two boo, ya auld skinflint!) and I answered, but I think we got, er, over-enthusiastically pruned by a mod aiming for "on-topic" rather than allowing a certain amount of latitude. Maybe Joe knows, but I thought it was too trivial to bother him with...

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 11:49 AM

It's funny - even though I was only about 5 at the start of beatlemania,
I was aware of popular snide criticism of Sir Macca's weak flat voice...

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Felipa
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 11:11 AM

I read a review of Egypt Station in the Guardian newspaper. I haven't heard any of the album yet, but the review made me wish to hear or see the lyrics of some songs which I might like to sing in a more "folky" way./ and there was a comment in the article about Paul's weakening voice which I see referred to in this discussion

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 09:40 AM

Over here in the US it is unknown. Apparently.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 09:39 AM

Why and how does one abbreviate a name? Macca is the time honoured and accepted usage in the UK as an abbreviation/term of endearment. No need to question that.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 09:34 AM

So from the context I'm getting that Macca is a shortened version of McCartney. Why? Seems you could just say "Paul" or even "Sir Paul" (same number of syllables) and be just as well understood. :-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,akenaton.
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 04:32 AM

Sorry Raedwulf, I did reply to your post, but my reply seems to have been "disappeared"......miss your sense of humour, don't see enough of you on these pages....Ake.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 04:04 AM

I had another listen to it yesterday and it is growing in me. May even download it :-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 02:59 AM

So, what about that new Paul McCartney album?

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 05:22 PM

Arrived at Steeleye Span's Tan Lin. No need to go any further :-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 03:40 PM

I must document our YouTube wanderings some day. We are now at Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit...

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 02:55 PM

I love YouTube wanderings. We have just gone through the hole in the elephant's bottom. Only figuratively of course. By Mike Harding :-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Will Fly
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 10:52 AM

Oo-er! Doesn't help the song, does it? Not my taste at all. I blame Mrs. PFR (sorry).

However, there were some videos strung down the YouTube page which led me, indirectly, to a great promo video of Elvis Costello performing "Oliver's Army".

Now there's a great song, from 1979!

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Sep 18 - 10:19 AM

Too much to be bothered reading....

Anyway, This CD is currently free to listen to on Amazon Prime music...

How do I know...

Because the mrs has been playing one track off it on repeat all bloody afternoon...!!!

"Happy With You"... no I'm effin not...!!!!!


Here's a too happy looking pillock doing a folkie acoustic cover of it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IweKyRZKKq4




..bastard...

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 10:36 AM

Irrelevant then.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 10:27 AM

In his dreams!

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 08:57 AM

Did Paul McCartney write it?

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,Ake
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 08:53 AM

"Dead Man" was of course always referring to things which should be self evident to the viewers/readers.

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 08:50 AM

As "Dead Man" used to say in "The Lazy Acre"

"Ah well.....there y' are!!

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 08:48 AM

Tsk, tsk, Steve. That is folk music and therefore irrelevant to the thread. Try something like Jalapeno Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band or Peas Please me or even Lucy in the soup with croutons...

:D

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 08:42 AM

All around my hat
I will drink the Nero d'Avola
All around my hat
I will scoff a big pork pie

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 08:31 AM

You can but unless it is what Macca had for lunch, it is irrelevant. It is, however, far more pleasant than the tripe and vinegar served up by some others :-)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 08:11 AM

Can't we talk about wine or food then?..:0)

Subject: RE: Review: Egypt Station (Paul McCartney)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 07:56 AM

Just ignore the trolls, Steve. They nearly killed the thread before but careful pruning and keeping to the topic brought it back to life. If I may reiterate for those who still do not understand

This thread is about the new album by Paul McCartney
It is not about folk music
It is not about pop music in general

Unless the post is about either Macca or the album, it is irrelevant.