Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics, 1965-1999
The hardcover publication of Blackbird Singing, the first collection of Paul McCartney's poems and lyrics, was an international cultural event—celebrated in concert halls, at literary festivals, and in newspapers and magazines throughout the world. "While McCartney is of a completely different cast than Bob Dylan, his appeal may be even greater than that of the latter great poet-songwriter," wrote Publishers Weekly; The Guardian hailed McCartney's words as "a remarkable feat of historical...
Search in google:
"McCartney writes as freely—and often as beautifully—as a blackbird sings....[He] is a genius with the common touch."—Stephen Logan, The Sunday Times [London]Peter Neil Nason[D]ecidedly strong....when McCartney's writings succeed—as many of them do in Blackbird Singing—they become nothing short of exhilarating.
Foreword13Introduction15In Liverpool23Mist the Mind25Figure of Eight26Toy Store27Heart of the Country28Mull of Kintyre29When I'm Sixty-Four30Here Today (Song for John)32Golden Earth Girl34Maybe I'm Amazed35Yellow Submarine39Dinner Tickets40Once Upon a Long Ago41She Came in through the Bathroom Window42"Junk"43Penny Lane44"Ivan"46The Long and Winding Road47The Fool on the Hill48This Is the Way50Carry That Weight51Hey Jude52Yesterday54Let 'Em In57The Poet of Dumbwoman's Lane58Day with George59Fly by Night60Jerk of All Jerks61The Note You Never Wrote63Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)6449th Fearless Sleep65Masseuse Masseur66Hot as That67Little Willow68Band on the Run73Spirit of Rock 'n' Roll75Back in the USSR76Backwards Traveller78Velvet Wave79Why Don't We Do It in the Road?80Helen Wheels81Monkberry Moon Delight83Black Vulcan85Venus and Mars86Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band87The Song We Were Singing88The World Tonight91Chasing the Cherry93Was It Really Twenty Years Ago?96Big Boys Bickering97City Park98Moon's Mandarin100Trouble Is101A Billion Bees in the Borage102Give the Man a Break103Looking for Changes104All Together Now106She's Leaving Home109Lady Madonna111'Soily112Maxwell's Silver Hammer113Paperback Writer115Not On116Rocky Raccoon118Lovely Rita120Tchaico121Junior's Farm122Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da124Wedding Invitation126Flaming Pie128Eleanor Rigby129Standing Stone133Flying to My Home145Full Moon's Eve146A Man with Children147The Blue Shines Through148Calico Skies149Waterfalls150Pictures in Song152No Rhyme153My Love154Anti-Alarm Call157Call It a Day158Blessed159Black Jacket160Her Spirit161Meditate162To Find the Joy164Irish Language165Steel166Rocking On!167Dawn Star169She Is ...170Lost171To Be Said172Nova173Acknowledgments175Index of Titles183
\ From Barnes & NoblePaul McCartney and editor Adrian Mitchell conduct readers down the long and winding road of McCartney's poetry and songs. These favorite lyrics and well-hidden poems offer us another sweet walk down Penny Lane.\ \ \ \ \ Michael Horovitz[M]editative lines that will speak volumes to anyone who's experienced the solitary confinement that follows the loss of a soulmate.\ \ \ Nancy PateIt's nice to have the lyrics of so many contemporary classics all together. ...Music of our years, music to our ears. —Orlando Sentinel\ \ \ \ \ Peter Neil Nason[D]ecidedly strong....when McCartney's writings succeed—as many of them do in Blackbird Singing—they become nothing short of exhilarating.\ \ \ \ \ Rachel Campbell-Johnston[C]ampaigning, elegiac, impressionistic poems....Could poetry even become the new rock 'n' roll?\ \ \ \ \ Rene A. Guzman[F]ans will appreciate Blackbird Singing because it's Paul being Paul: succinctly, playfully, and sentimentally. And what's wrong with that?\ \ \ \ \ Stephen LoganPaul McCartney is a genius with the common touch....McCartney writes as freely (and often as beautifully as a blackbird sings.\ \ \ \ \ Publishers WeeklySir Paul McCartney painter, composer and songwriter (even the Queen taps her feet to "Penny Lane") has been steadily writing poetry along with the lyrics memorized by much of the world. British political poet and satirist Adrian Mitchell (who is well-known over there, and best represented by Heart on the Left: Selected Poems 1953-1984 over here) worked as a Daily Mail pop critic in 1963 and published the first national interview with the Beatles, remaining friends with McCartney since. In consultation with Sir Paul, he has selected from among McCartney's works. There are the grand and expected songs, such as "Hey Jude," "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby"; ditties like "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da" and surreal oddities like "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window"; elegies for McCartney's wife, Linda Eastman McCartney, and for friend Ivan Vaughan; and a variety of verse, such as "To Find the Joy": "Seagulls spiral whirl/ Against the sullen oak/ No scientific thought informs/ Their madcap tribal swirl." As Mitchell writes: "Clean out your head. Wash out the name and the fame. Read these clear words and listen to them decide for yourself." (Apr. 23) Forecast: While McCartney is of a completely different cast than Bob Dylan, his appeal may be even greater than that of the latter great poet/songwriter. Expect strong and steady sales after a solid showing on bestseller lists. Mitchell's latest collection, All Shook Up: Poems 1997-2000, is due this month and includes "Gourmet Architecture, Troy, New York": "It might take a year or two/ But, with its cherry-red perfect bricks/ United by vanilla ice cement/ I could eat the Marine Midland Bank." (Bloodaxe [Dufour, dist.], $19.95 paper 128p ISBN 1-85224-513-1) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.\ \
