The Man on the Flaming Pie

 

Paul on Oprah

 November 24, 1997

Remember when Paul McCartney was on the Oprah Winfrey Show?    It was a HUGE deal at the time.  So much so that they re-ran the episode just a few weeks after the original airing.    Paul was there promoting Flaming Pie.   Suddenly, Oprah claimed to have been the biggest Paul fan that ever walked the face of the earth, which made me laugh because I'd watched her show since the beginning in the 1980s and she never once had mentioned The Beatles or Paul before.   

Meeting Paul at HMV

 October 16, 1997 -  Fans came from around the world for a chance to meet Paul and get his autograph at a signing  he did at HMV.   Were you there?

Flaming Pie photo Shoot

Photos taken by Linda McCartney 

 

March 1997 - These promo photos were taken by Linda to support the Flaming Pie album.   They are some of my favorite Paul photos from this time period. 

Wish James a great birthday!

 

Standing on a Flaming Pie Stone

Flaming Pie - A 20th anniversary review

It has been 20 years since Paul McCartney released his album, Flaming Pie.    This has always been one of my favorite McCartney solo albums.    However I was not sure if it would still be a great album 20 years later.   Would it seem dated and little too 1990's for today?     I figured it was time to give this album another listen.


The first thing I did was re-read over the liner notes, which were written by Mark Lewishon.   I discovered that Ringo played on two songs, Linda sang back up on two songs,  son James played guitar on one, George Martin arranged a song and Jeff Lynne did some producing.    Hmmmm....that alone sounds like an outstanding album.


I was pleseantly pleased to hear Paul's clear and classic voice coming through my headphones.    The melodies of songs such as Calico Skies, Little Willow, and Heaven on a Sunday were enough to bring about emotions.      And that is overall the feel of this album --   one full of deep emotions.     Knowing what was going on in Paul's life between 1995-1997 (when the album would have been released), it makes sense.    Paul was dealing with the diagnoses of his wife, Linda having breast cancer, the very thing that took Paul's mother from him.     It had to have been very difficult for him and I think some of that emotion comes out on Flaming Pie.   

Paul also had just came off the tails of the Beatles Anthology and admits that he had the Beatles in his mind when he made this album.    It has a Beatles feel about it, and not just in the title song. 


The album at times seems 'unplugged' but in no way does it have a strong 1990's feel about it.   There aren't any grunge songs or anything that stands out that it is from the mid 1990's.   

The one song I didn't care for was his duet with Steve Miller called "I used to be bad."   This song obviously started out as two musicians jamming and maybe it should have stayed that way.    Not that it is a bad song, but it seems to go on a little long and just feels out of place on this album.

The song that surprised me was "Somedays."    I was surprised by how lovely the orchestration on this song was (it was done by George Martin which I dont' remember).    Everything about this song was just really nice and it was never one that stood out for me in the past.

My favorite song is still "Beautiful Night."    It is actually my all time favorite Paul solo song.  I know that some of the lyrics are goofy, but to me it is just the perfect Paul McCartney song.    Ringo drums on it and Linda sings background.      I picture Paul singing this song to Linda and it just seems (for a lack of a better word )  beautiful.   


Is Flaming Pie a Paul album that you enjoy?    Have you given it a good listen in the past 20 years?   If you have never given it a chance, I really recommend it.   I don't think you will disappointed.


The link below is the affiliate link to Amazon where you can purchase this CD..   I get a small percentage of anything purchased through this link.  Money made from the Amazon Afflication is used to pay the annual fee to keep this site online.  Thank you for your support.  Sara

https://amzn.to/3Tm0FxF

Advertising on Abbey Road wall

Do they still advertise upcoming releases on the walls of Abbey Road?   I think this is an interesting idea.

It was a scratch!

I can't help but laugh at this photo!   It reminds me of that Seignfield episode where they think Jerry is picking his nose and Jerry swears it wasn't a pick but a scratch.   Plus I want one of those Flaming Pie neon lights right now. 

Go ahead---have a vision....

Jody Denberg shared these photos that he took of Paul during the recording of a VH1 special for the amazing album Flaming Pie in 1997.  Thanks Jody!

I go back so far, I'm in front of me!

I do not always give Sir Paul McCartney the credit he deserves. Everyone knows that I am a big fan of John Lennon and I wish gush about his music for hours. Even stuff on the NYC album is listenable. However....I do enjoy listening to Paul McCartney. One of my all time favorite albums of Paul's 1997's Flaming Pie. My favorite Paul solo song, Beautiful Night (with Ringo on the drums) is on this album. This album came out while Linda was sick with cancer, but something about the beauty of the love songs really touch me.

Blog reader, Jody Denburg, sent me some of his photos of Paul during the time of the release of Flaming Pie. They were from the VH1 Town Hall Meeting in May of 1997. He is the guy with the beard in the photo will the group of people around Paul.

Thanks Jody!!!