The Lovely Linda
| "The Lovely Linda" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Paul McCartney | |
| from the album McCartney | |
| Published | Northern Songs (UK)/Maclen Music (US) |
| Released | 17 April 1970 |
| Recorded | December 1969 |
| Studio | McCartney's home, London |
| Genre | Folk rock |
| Length | 0:42 |
| Label | Apple |
| Songwriter(s) | Paul McCartney |
| Producer(s) | Paul McCartney |
| McCartney track listing | |
13 tracks
| |
"The Lovely Linda" is a song by English musician Paul McCartney, released as the opening track of his debut solo album, McCartney, in April 1970. McCartney wrote the song to his first wife, Linda McCartney.[1]
History[edit]
Paul McCartney wrote "The Lovely Linda" in Scotland during 1969,[2] when he and wife Linda McCartney were living at their farm, High Park, in Campbeltown.[3] The song is dedicated to McCartney's first wife[2] and was a reply-of-sorts to Beatles bandmate John Lennon's public declarations of love for his wife, Yoko Ono.[4] "The Lovely Linda" was released as the opening track on McCartney's eponymous debut solo album, and was the first song taped for the album.[5] McCartney recorded the composition shortly before Christmas in December 1969, in order to test his then-new 4-track recorder, which he had installed in his home studio in London.[6]
At 42 seconds,[7] it is the shortest song in McCartney's solo catalogue. The recording features him on all instruments, including what authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter term "percussive handslaps on a book",[8] and ends with the sound of laughter.[2] On release in April 1970, McCartney stated that "The Lovely Linda" was a "trailer to the full song which will be recorded in the future",[8] but he has yet to release a more complete version.[2] The song appeared on the 2001 compilation Wingspan: Hits and History.
Reception[edit]
In a review for the McCartney album, Langdon Winner of Rolling Stone described "The Lovely Linda", along with "That Would Be Something", as having "virtually no verbal or melodic content whatsoever."[9]
George Harrison disregarded the song during an interview in 1970, stating: "'That Would Be Something' and 'Maybe I'm Amazed' I think are great and everything else I think is fair, you know. It's quite good, but a little disappointing, but maybe I shouldn't be disappointed, it's best not to expect anything, then everything's a bonus. I think those two tracks are very good and the others just don't do anything for me."[10]
Personnel[edit]
Personnel per The Beatles Bible.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "The Lovely Linda". The Beatles Bible. 7 November 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d Spizer, p. 117.
- ^ Sounes, pp 262–64.
- ^ Blake, p. 89.
- ^ Spizer, pp 115, 117.
- ^ Madinger & Easter, pp 154, 155.
- ^ Castleman & Podrazik, p. 88.
- ^ a b Madinger & Easter, p. 155.
- ^ "McCartney". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ "That Would Be Something". The Beatles Bible. 7 November 2010.
Sources[edit]
- Blake, John (1981). All You Needed Was Love: The Beatles After the Beatles. Middlesex: Hamlyn Paperbacks. ISBN 0-600-20466-9.
- Castleman, Harry; Podrazik, Walter J. (1976). All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-25680-8.
- Madinger, Chip; Easter, Mark (2000). Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium. Chesterfield, MO: 44.1 Productions. ISBN 0-615-11724-4.
- Sounes, Howard (2010). Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-00-723705-0.
- Spizer, Bruce (2005). The Beatles Solo on Apple Records. New Orleans, LA: 498 Productions. ISBN 0-9662649-5-9.
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