History YMMV / PaulMcCartney

* FairForItsDay: [=McCartney=] and Music/MichaelJackson are seen in {{blackface}} for a portion of the video for "Say, Say, Say". Even though it was appropriate for the context of the video (he and Jackson were depicted as performing a minstrel show late in the video, and the video as a whole is a subtle satire of race relations in America), even with that it probably wouldn't fly today.
** [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aLEhh_XpJ-0/hqdefault.jpg The makeup]] worn by [=McCartney=] and Jackson in the video more resembles a [[https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/58c15c6e035ecea2_4-4760/home-design.jpg "sad hobo clown" painting]] than it does blackface. Fair to say it's an allusion to blackface but to say it '''is''' is debatable.

** His general avoidance of overtly political protest music also kept his work from being dated. It's a rare [=McCartney=] song that has the modern listener scratching their head, wondering what it all means or why past audiences thought it was worthwhile. Lennon's music, in contrast, is so steeped in the counterculture of the Vietnam War era that it can be difficult for a modern listener to understand its appeal without having been there. Derided at the time as being lightweight for its lack of political edge, it now finds an audience in successive generations for the same reason.

** This applies to Paul as a whole after Music/TheBeatles broke up. Back in the day he was less popular than Music/JohnLennon and Music/GeorgeHarrison critically, [[CriticalDissonance yet his albums kept selling]]. Partly a case of ItsPopularNowItSucks Also a case of TrueArtIsAngsty, as Paul was unapologetically writing SillyLoveSongs while John and George were dealing with (allegedly) weightier subjects. In later years, this began to wear off, and not only have Paul's musical contributions been revalued upwards-- he was the most cosmopolitan Beatle, and the one who first investigated avant-garde art and music-- his solo work has been reevaluated too.
** His avoidance of overtly political protest music also kept his work from being dated. It's a rare [=McCartney=] song that has the modern listener scratching their head, wondering what it all means or why past audiences thought it was worthwhile. Lennon's music, in contrast, is so steeped in the counterculture of the Vietnam War era that it can be difficult for a modern listener to understand its appeal without having been there. Derided at the time as being lightweight for its lack of political edge, it now finds an audience in successive generations for the same reason.

** He got accused of this when he released the disco-infused "Goodnight Tonight" in 1979.

* AudienceAlienatingEra: [=McCartney's=] output during the 1980's is this for a lot of fans and critics. ''[=McCartney II=]'' got VindicatedByHistory 30+ years later and ''Tug of War'' was widely praised from the outset (though "Ebony and Ivory" is still infamous for how {{glurg|e}}y it is), but the next few albums after that are among [=McCartney's=] least popular, owing to a perceived lack of direction and the fact that [=McCartney=] spent much of it [[WereStillRelevantDammit playing catch-up with the popular zeitgeist]]-- a far cry from his culture-rewriting days with Music/TheBeatles-- which came to a head with the gratuitously synth-heavy ''Press to Play''. This bad streak was ultimately broken in 1989 with ''Flowers in the Dirt'', which was widely considered a major improvement over his recent albums and a more than welcome return to form for [=McCartney=].

* AudienceAlienatingEra: [=McCartney's=] output during the 1980's is widely considered this by fans and critics. ''[=McCartney II=]'' got VindicatedByHistory 30+ years later and ''Tug of War'' was widely praised from the outset (though "Ebony and Ivory" is still infamous for how {{glurg|e}}y it is), but the next few albums after that are widely considered [=McCartney's=] worst, owing to a perceived lack of direction and the fact that [=McCartney=] spent much of it [[WereStillRelevantDammit playing catch-up with the popular zeitgeist]]-- a far cry from his culture-rewriting days with Music/TheBeatles-- which came to a head with the gratuitously synth-heavy ''Press to Play''. This bad streak was ultimately broken in 1989 with ''Flowers in the Dirt'', which was widely considered a major improvement over his recent albums and a more than welcome return to form for [=McCartney=].

** "Temporary Secretary" has become one among not only Macca fans, but the music community as a whole, due to the fact that it's widely considered one of Paul's absolute ''worst'' songs. While the rest of ''[=McCartney II=]'' has been thoroughly VindicatedByHistory, "Temporary Secretary" is a common subject of jokes for how hectically disjointed it sounds, to the point where it's a minor RunningGag among the remix group Music/SiIvaGunner (alongside jokes intentionally misnaming the song "Jerry Temporary" after a [=YouTube=] comment).

* DorkAge: [=McCartney's=] output during the 1980's is widely considered this by fans and critics. ''[=McCartney II=]'' got VindicatedByHistory 30+ years later and ''Tug of War'' was widely praised from the outset (though "Ebony and Ivory" is still infamous for how {{glurg|e}}y it is), but the next few albums after that are widely considered [=McCartney's=] worst, owing to a perceived lack of direction and the fact that [=McCartney=] spent much of it [[WereStillRelevantDammit playing catch-up with the popular zeitgeist]]-- a far cry from his culture-rewriting days with Music/TheBeatles-- which came to a head with the gratuitously synth-heavy ''Press to Play''. This bad streak was ultimately broken in 1989 with ''Flowers in the Dirt'', which was widely considered a major improvement over his recent albums and a more than welcome return to form for [=McCartney=].

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: ''Flowers in the Dirt'' is considered this by critics, who felt that the majority of the 80's encompassed a DorkAge for [=McCartney=] (especially in light of ''Press to Play'', which saw heavy accusations of WereStillRelevantDammit) and found ''Flowers'' to be an unexpected-- but very much welcome-- return to form.

* AmericansHateTingle: "Mull of Kintyre" was one of [=McCartney=]'s biggest solo hits, a smash all over the world, except for the U.S.A., where it was ignored [[note]]other than a tiny bit of airplay on Adult Contemporary stations[[/note]]. His US label Creator/CapitolRecords, figuring that your average American would have no idea what the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mull_of_Kintyre Mull of Kintyre]] was and thus wouldn't care about the song, promoted the single's B-Side ("Girls' School") instead.

* FairForItsDay: [=McCartney=] and Music/MichaelJackson are seen in {{blackface}} for portions of the video for "Say, Say, Say". Even though it was appropriate for the context of the video (he and Jackson were depicted as performing a minstrel show late in the video, and the video as a whole is a subtle satire of race relations in America), even with that it probably wouldn't fly today.

** ''Press To Play'' is also accused of this, containing gratuitous [[TheEighties '80's]] production (courtesy of Hugh Padgham) and an overabundance of synths and drum machines.

** His avoidance of overtly political protest music also kept his work from being dated. It's a rare [=McCartney=] song that has the modern listener scratching their head, wondering what it all means or why past audiences thought it was worthwhile. Lennon's music, in contrast, is so steeped in the counterculture of the Vietnam War era that it can be difficult for a modern listener to understand its appeal without having been there.

** Putting aside the obvious conundrums about Music/MichaelJackson, the video to "Say Say Say" is kind of harsh to watch because of the infectious chemistry he and Paul had in both the song and the video, considering a few years later they would have a bitter falling out over Jackson buying the Beatles catalog. In turn, the playful banter between the two on Jackson's own [[Music/{{Thriller}} "This Girl is Mine"]] can also become difficult to listen to given that their dispute over a fictional girlfriend can just as easily be read by post-feud listeners as a tug-of-war over the Beatles' back-catalog.

* CultClassic: ''[=McCartney=] II'' is this for a lot of fans. He knocked it off by himself in a month, partly as a way to test his new synthesisers, while Music/{{Wings}} was preparing what would be its final tour, and it was released to what had become predictably negative reviews. In the early 2010s was when it began to be hailed as a precursor to a lot of modern indie pop, and it now sounds like one of his freshest, quirkiest and most interesting albums. That said, everyone agrees that there's no hope of saving the memetically-disliked "Temporary Secretary".

* SoBadItsGood: While "Temporary Secretary" is near-unanimously considered one of [=McCartney's=] worst songs-- if not his absolute worst-- many describe it as weirdly entertaining as a result of its poor quality. It's perhaps because of this that the song became a subject of MemeticMutation decades down the road.

*** Of particular note amongst these bootlegs are ''Wings' Last Flight'' - fanmade recordings of Wings' last ever concerts in Glasgow, December 1979, and ''Cold Cuts'' - an actual album of Wings & solo McCartney outtakes that Macca himself had intended for release several times throughout the '70s and '80s, before abandoning the project altogether.
** Then there's ''Return to Pepperland''. [[note]]Supposedly slated for release sometime during 1987 (coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the release of ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand''), ''Return to Pepperland'' featured [=McCartney=] teaming up with Phil Ramone (famed producer for Music/BillyJoel) to record a slew of new tracks to help coincide with the then-recent "Second Wave of Beatlemania" (all 12 of the original Beatles' albums were released sometime throughout 1987, marking a second age of international popularity and acclaim for the Fab Four). Some of the tracks recorded include "Once Upon a Long Ago" and a heavily drum machine-synth version of "Beautiful Night", originally submitted for the soundtrack to ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', but rejected by director Creator/RobReiner for being "too sentimental"; these were eventually released in one form or another. The former was included as a single issued with [=McCartney=]'s 1987 compilation album ''All the Best!'', while "Beautiful Night" was rewritten and stripped down of its very heavy late-80s PowerBallad sound, and included on Paul's 1997 album ''Flaming Pie'' as a particular standout. The title track ("Return to Pepperland") though a noteworthy standout, is laced with heavy late-80s production standards (much use of synth bass, drum machines, and complex synthesizers). [=McCartney=] does make a unique innovation for the composition by indulging in a slight BaroquePop sound for the track (not unlike his own "Penny Lane" or "Strawberry Fields Forever") by including such instruments as the Mellotron.[[/note]]
** Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's ''Flowers in the Dirt''. WordSaladLyrics ensue as the general melody of the track sees the narrator longing for society to return to a time of "love and peace", while slyly noting that the occasion is more near then we believe it to be (in keeping with "Beatlemania/Sgt. Pepper's/60s nostalgia theme). The actual lyrics have very little to do with each other, (though these lyrics could've been in the development stage, and [=McCartney=] could've rewritten the lyrics to be more straight laced, had the project moved past potential development) as the first, second, and last verses deal with members of the narrator's family (namely, cousin Lil, her husband Dan, their two kids Bill and Kate, his Gran, and his cousin Min). The song period piece's itself by including a reference to Nelson Mandela, who, at the time of recording, was still serving his prison sentence (R.T.P was recorded in 87, while Mandela would not see release until 1990), and, as with the other tracks on "Return to Pepperland", is loaded with an overly "polished" late-80s sound, popular and common for the era, though as far as production standards and melody is concerned, holds up considerably well, even thirty-four years later. It's possible that [[https://youtu.be/n9lW77M3KU0 "Return to Pepperland"]] was shelved due to the material provided sounding very much familiar to that found on [=McCartney's=] 1986 album "Press to Play", which was a critical disaster, and is generally considered to be amongst Macca's worst output. There's also the factor of fellow ex-Beatle and friend Music/GeorgeHarrison releasing his first solo album in five years, the critically lauded [=Cloud Nine=], which returned Harrison to star levels as a critically acclaimed & commercially successful solo artist (which he would remain as up to, and after his passing). It's possible that [=McCartney] didn't want to be seen as piggybacking on the recent success of Harrison, and or the recent successes of the Beatles' discography releases. Whatever the case may be, Macca's unreleased material is as every bit worth listening to as his mainstream catalogue is.

** Arguably, Macca's unreleased output is as every bit rocking and danceable as his actual released material - just take a listen to "Cage" https://youtu.be/gsvcv7vjt-g - a New Wave track once considered to be amongst the final track listing on Wings' final album (1979's "Back to the Egg"), but was rejected at the last minute, supposedly as it's upbeat and relatively light-hearted sound didn't mesh well with the "serious & heavy" sounding material of the actual record itself.

** Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's ''Flowers in the Dirt''. WordSaladLyrics ensue as the general melody of the track sees the narrator longing for society to return to a time of "love and peace", while slyly noting that the occasion is more near then we believe it to be (in keeping with "Beatlemania/Sgt. Pepper's/60s nostalgia theme). The actual lyrics have very little to do with each other, (though these lyrics could've been in the development stage, and McCartney could've rewritten the lyrics to be more straight laced, had the project moved past potential development) as the first, second, and last verses deal with members of the narrator's family (namely, cousin Lil, her husband Dan, their two kids Bill and Kate, his Gran, and his cousin Min). The song period piece's itself by including a reference to Nelson Mandela, who, at the time of recording, was still serving his prison sentence (R.T.P was recorded in 87, while Mandela would not see release until 1990), and, as with the other tracks on "Return to Pepperland", is loaded with an overly "polished" late-80s sound, popular and common for the era, though as far as production standards and melody is concerned, holds up considerably well, even thirty-four years later. It's possible that [[https://youtu.be/n9lW77M3KU0 "Return to Pepperland"]] was shelved due to the material provided sounding very much familiar to that found on [=McCartney's=] 1986 album "Press to Play", which was a critical disaster, and is generally considered to be amongst Macca's worst output. There's also the factor of fellow ex-Beatle and friend Music/GeorgeHarrison releasing his first solo album in five years, the critically lauded [=Cloud Nine=], which returned Harrison to star levels as a critically acclaimed & commercially successful solo artist (which he would remain as up to, and after his passing). It's possible that [=McCartney] didn't want to be seen as piggybacking on the recent success of Harrison, and or the recent successes of the Beatles' discography releases. Whatever the case may be, Macca's unreleased material is as every bit worth listening to as his mainstream catalogue is.

** Then there's ''Return to Pepperland''. [[note]]Supposedly slated for release sometime during 1987 (coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the release of ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand''), ''Return to Pepperland'' featured [=McCartney=] teaming up with Phil Ramone (famed producer for Music/BillyJoel) to record a slew of new tracks to help coincide with the then-recent "Second Wave of Beatlemania" (all 12 of the original Beatles' albums were released sometime throughout 1987, marking a second age of international popularity and acclaim for the Fab Four). Some of the tracks recorded include "Once Upon a Long Ago" and a heavily drum machine-synth version of "Beautiful Night", originally submitted for the soundtrack to ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', but rejected by director Creator/RobReiner for being "too sentimental"; these were eventually released in one form or another. The former was included as a single issued with [=McCartney=]'s 1987 compilation album ''All the Best!'', while "Beautiful Night" was rewritten and stripped down of its very heavy late-80s PowerBallad sound, and included on Paul's 1997 album ''Flaming Pie'' as a particular standout. The title track ("Return to Pepperland") though a noteworthy standout, is laced with heavy late-80s production standards (much use of synth bass, drum machines, and complex synthesizers). [=McCartney=] does make a unique innovation for the composition by indulging in a slight Baroque Pop sound for the track (not unlike his own "Penny Lane" or "Strawberry Fields Forever") by including such instruments as the Mellotron.[[/note]]

** Then there's ''Return to Pepperland''. Supposedly slated for release sometime during 1987 (coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the release of ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand''), ''Return to Pepperland'' featured [=McCartney=] teaming up with Phil Ramone (famed producer for Music/BillyJoel) to record a slew of new tracks to help coincide with the then-recent "Second Wave of Beatlemania" (all 12 of the original Beatles' albums were released sometime throughout 1987, marking a second age of international popularity and acclaim for the Fab Four). Some of the tracks recorded include "Once Upon a Long Ago" and a heavily drum machine-synth version of "Beautiful Night", originally submitted for the soundtrack to ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', but rejected by director Creator/RobReiner for being "too sentimental"; these were eventually released in one form or another. The former was included as a single issued with [=McCartney=]'s 1987 compilation album ''All the Best!'', while "Beautiful Night" was rewritten and stripped down of its very heavy late-80s PowerBallad sound, and included on Paul's 1997 album ''Flaming Pie'' as a particular standout. The title track ("Return to Pepperland") though a noteworthy standout, is laced with heavy late-80s production standards (much use of synth bass, drum machines, and complex synthesizers). [=McCartney=] does make a unique innovation for the composition by indulging in a slight Baroque Pop sound for the track (not unlike his own "Penny Lane" or "Strawberry Fields Forever") by including such instruments as the Mellotron.

CultClassic: ''[=McCartney=] II'' is this for a lot of fans. He knocked it off by himself in a month, partly as a way to test his new synthesisers, while Music/{{Wings}} was preparing what would be its final tour, and it was released to what had become predictably negative reviews. In the early 2010s was when it began to be hailed as a precursor to a lot of modern indie pop, and it now sounds like one of his freshest, quirkiest and most interesting albums. That said, everyone agrees that there's no hope of saving the memetically-disliked "Temporary Secretary".

* CultClassic: ''[=McCartney=] II'' is this for a lot of fans. He knocked it off by himself in a month, partly as a way to test his new synthesisers, while Music/{{Wings}} was preparing what would be its final tour, and it was released to what had become predictably negative reviews. In the early 2010s was when it began to be hailed as a precursor to a lot of modern indie pop, and it now sounds like one of his freshest, quirkiest and most interesting albums. That said, everyone agrees that there's no hope of saving the memetically-disliked "Temporary Secretary".

** Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's ''Flowers in the Dirt''. WordSaladLyrics ensue as the general melody of the track sees the narrator longing for society to return to a time of "love and peace", while slyly noting that the occasion is more near then we believe it to be (in keeping with "Beatlemania/Sgt. Pepper's/60s nostalgia theme). The actual lyrics have very little to do with each other, (though these lyrics could've been in the development stage, and McCartney could've rewritten the lyrics to be more straight laced, had the project moved past potential development) as the first, second, and last verses deal with members of the narrator's family (namely, cousin Lil, her husband Dan, their two kids Bill and Kate, his Gran, and his cousin Min). The song period piece's itself by including a reference to Nelson Mandela, who, at the time of recording, was still serving his prison sentence (R.T.P was recorded in 87, while Mandela would not see release until 1990), and, as with the other tracks on "Return to Pepperland", is loaded with an overly "polished" late-80s sound, popular and common for the era, though as far as production standards and melody is concerned, holds up considerably well, even thirty-four years later. It's possible that [[https://youtu.be/n9lW77M3KU0 "Return to Pepperland"]] was shelved due to the material provided sounding very much familiar to that found on [=McCartney's=] 1986 album "Press to Play", which was a critical disaster, and is generally considered to be amongst Macca's worst output. There's also the factor of fellow ex-Beatle and friend Music/GeorgeHarrison releasing his first solo album in five years, the critically lauded [=Cloud Nine=], which returned Harrison to star levels as a critically acclaimed & commercially successful solo artist (which he would remain as up to, and after his passing). It's possible that [=McCartney] didn't want to be seen as piggybacking on the recent success of Harrison, and or the recent successes of the Beatles' discography releases.
** Whatever the case may be, Macca's unreleased material is as every bit worth listening to as his mainstream catalogue is.

* * DorkAge: [=McCartney's=] output during the 1980's is widely considered this by fans and critics. ''[=McCartney II=]'' got VindicatedByHistory 30+ years later and ''Tug of War'' was widely praised from the outset (though "Ebony and Ivory" is still infamous for how {{glurg|e}}y it is), but the next few albums after that are widely considered [=McCartney's=] worst, owing to a perceived lack of direction and the fact that [=McCartney=] spent much of it [[WereStillRelevantDammit playing catch-up with the popular zeitgeist]]-- a far cry from his culture-rewriting days with Music/TheBeatles-- which came to a head with the gratuitously synth-heavy ''Press to Play''. This bad streak was ultimately broken in 1989 with ''Flowers in the Dirt'', which was widely considered a major improvement over his recent albums and a more than welcome return to form for [=McCartney=].

** Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's ''Flowers in the Dirt''. WordSaladLyrics ensue as the general melody of the track sees the narrator longing for society to return to a time of "love and peace", while slyly noting that the occasion is more near then we believe it to be (in keeping with "Beatlemania/Sgt. Pepper's/60s nostalgia theme).
* The actual lyrics have very little to do with each other, (though these lyrics could've been in the development stage, and McCartney could've rewritten the lyrics to be more straight laced, had the project moved past potential development) as the first, second, and last verses deal with members of the narrator's family (namely, cousin Lil, her husband Dan, their two kids Bill and Kate, his Gran, and his cousin Min). The song period piece's itself by including a reference to Nelson Mandela, who, at the time of recording, was still serving his prison sentence (R.T.P was recorded in 87, while Mandela would not see release until 1990), and, as with the other tracks on "Return to Pepperland", is loaded with an overly "polished" late-80s sound, popular and common for the era, though as far as production standards and melody is concerned, holds up considerably well, even thirty-four years later.
* It's possible that [[https://youtu.be/n9lW77M3KU0 "Return to Pepperland"]] was shelved due to the material provided sounding very much familiar to that found on [=McCartney's=] 1986 album "Press to Play", which was a critical disaster, and is generally considered to be amongst Macca's worst output. * There's also the factor of fellow ex-Beatle and friend Music/GeorgeHarrison releasing his first solo album in five years, the critically lauded [=Cloud Nine=], which returned Harrison to star levels as a critically acclaimed & commercially successful solo artist (which he would remain as up to, and after his passing). It's possible that [=McCartney] didn't want to be seen as piggybacking on the recent success of Harrison, and or the recent successes of the Beatles' discography releases.

** Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's ''Flowers in the Dirt''.

* WordSaladLyrics ensue as the general melody of the track sees the narrator longing for society to return to a time of "love and peace", while slyly noting that the occasion is more near then we believe it to be (in keeping with "Beatlemania/Sgt. Pepper's/60s nostalgia theme).
* The actual lyrics have very little to do with each other, (though these lyrics could've been in the development stage, and McCartney could've rewritten the lyrics to be more straight laced, had the project moved past potential development) as the first, second, and last verses deal with members of the narrator's family (namely, cousin Lil, her husband Dan, their two kids Bill and Kate, his Gran, and his cousin Min). The song period piece's itself by including a reference to Nelson Mandela, who, at the time of recording, was still serving his prison sentence (R.T.P was recorded in 87, while Mandela would not see release until 1990), and, as with the other tracks on "Return to Pepperland", is loaded with an overly "polished" late-80s sound, popular and common for the era, though as far as production standards and melody is concerned, holds up considerably well, even thirty-four years later. https://youtu.be/n9lW77M3KU0
* It's possible that "Return to Pepperland" was shelved due to the material provided sounding very much familiar to that found on [=McCartney's=] 1986 album "Press to Play", which was a critical disaster, and is generally considered to be amongst Macca's worst output. * There's also the factor of fellow ex-Beatle and friend Music/GeorgeHarrison releasing his first solo album in five years, the critically lauded [=Cloud Nine=], which returned Harrison to star levels as a critically acclaimed & commercially successful solo artist (which he would remain as up to, and after his passing). It's possible that [=McCartney] didn't want to be seen as piggybacking on the recent success of Harrison, and or the recent successes of the Beatles' discography releases.

* Whatever the case may be, Macca's unreleased material is as every bit worth listening to as his mainstream catalogue is.

* DorkAge: [=McCartney's=] output during the 1980's is widely considered this by fans and critics. ''[=McCartney II=]'' got VindicatedByHistory 30+ years later and ''Tug of War'' was widely praised from the outset (though "Ebony and Ivory" is still infamous for how {{glurg|e}}y it is), but the next few albums after that are widely considered [=McCartney's=] worst, owing to a perceived lack of direction and the fact that [=McCartney=] spent much of it [[WereStillRelevantDammit playing catch-up with the popular zeitgeist]]-- a far cry from his culture-rewriting days with Music/TheBeatles-- which came to a head with the gratuitously synth-heavy ''Press to Play''. This bad streak was ultimately broken in 1989 with ''Flowers in the Dirt'', which was widely considered a major improvement over his recent albums and a more than welcome return to form for [=McCartney=].

* Arguably, Macca's unreleased output is as every bit rocking and danceable as his actual released material - just take a listen to "Cage" https://youtu.be/gsvcv7vjt-g - a New Wave track once considered to be amongst the final track listing on Wings' final album (1979's "Back to the Egg"), but was rejected at the last minute, supposedly as it's upbeat and relatively light-hearted sound didn't mesh well with the "serious & heavy" sounding material of the actual record itself.

** There exists a metric ton of bootleg [=McCartney=] recordings -namely tracks Macca himself - at one point or another - considered for official release before going back and forth on the idea several times, all together shelving what could've been potential big name hits for himself.
** Of particular note amongst these bootlegs are ''Wings' Last Flight'' - fanmade recordings of Wings' last ever concerts in Glasgow, December 1979, and ''Cold Cuts'' - an actual album of Wings & solo McCartney outtakes that Macca himself had intended for release several times throughout the '70s and '80s, before abandoning the project altogether.
** Then there's ''Return to Pepperland''. Supposedly slated for release sometime during 1987 (coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the release of ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand''), ''Return to Pepperland'' featured [=McCartney=] teaming up with Phil Ramone (famed producer for Music/BillyJoel) to record a slew of new tracks to help coincide with the then-recent "Second Wave of Beatlemania" (all 12 of the original Beatles' albums were released sometime throughout 1987, marking a second age of international popularity and acclaim for the Fab Four). Some of the tracks recorded include "Once Upon a Long Ago" and a heavily drum machine-synth version of "Beautiful Night", originally submitted for the soundtrack to ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', but rejected by director Creator/RobReiner for being "too sentimental"; these were eventually released in one form or another. The former was included as a single issued with [=McCartney=]'s 1987 compilation album ''All the Best!'', while "Beautiful Night" was rewritten and stripped down of its very heavy late-80s PowerBallad sound, and included on Paul's 1997 album ''Flaming Pie'' as a particular standout. The title track ("Return to Pepperland") though a noteworthy standout, is laced with heavy late-80s production standards (much use of synth bass, drum machines, and complex synthesizers). [=McCartney=] does make a unique innovation for the composition by indulging in a slight Baroque Pop sound for the track (not unlike his own "Penny Lane" or "Strawberry Fields Forever") by including such instruments as the Mellotron.
** Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's ''Flowers in the Dirt''.

** Then there's ''Return to Pepperland''.....
*** Supposedly slated for release sometime during 1987 (coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the release of ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand''), "Return to Pepperland" featured [=McCartney=] teaming up with Phil Ramone (famed producer for Music/BillyJoel) to record a slew of new tracks to help coincide with the then-recent "Second Wave of Beatlemania" (all 12 of the original Beatles' albums were released sometime throughout 1987, marking a second age of international popularity and acclaim for the Fab Four). Some of the tracks recorded include "Once Upon a Long Ago" and a heavily drum machine-synth version of "Beautiful Night", originally submitted for the soundtrack to
''Film/ThePrincessBride'', but rejected by director Creator/RobReiner for being "too sentimental"; these were eventually released, in one form or another. The former was included as a single issued with [=McCartney=]'s 1987 compilation album "All the Best!", while "Beautiful Night" was rewritten and stripped down of its very heavy late-80s PowerBallad sound, and included on Paul's 1997 album ''Flaming Pie'' as a particular standout. The title track ("Return to Pepperland") though a noteworthy standout, is laced with heavy late-80s production standards (much use of synth bass, drum machines, and complex synthesizers). [=McCartney=] does make a unique innovation for the composition by indulging in a slight Baroque Pop sound for the track (not unlike his own "Penny Lane" or "Strawberry Fields Forever") by including such instruments as the Mellotron.

** Of particular note amongst these bootlegs are "Wings' Last Flight" - fanmade recordings of Wings' last ever concerts in Glasgow, December 1979, and "Cold Cuts" - an actual album of Wings & solo McCartney outtakes that Macca himself had intended for release several times throughout the '70s and'80s, before abandoning the project altogether.
** Then there's "Return to Pepperland".....
*** Supposedly slated for release sometime during 1987 (coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the release of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"), "Return to Pepperland" featured McCartney teaming up with Phil Ramone (famed producer for Billy Joel) to record a slew of new tracks to help coincide with the then-recent "Second Wave of Beatlemania" (all 12 of the original Beatles' albums were released sometime throughout 1987, marking a second age of international popularity and acclaim for the Fab Four). Some of the tracks recorded include "Once Upon a Long Ago" and a heavily drum machine-synth version of "Beautiful Night", originally submitted for the soundtrack to "The Princess Bride", but rejected by director Rob Reiner for being "too sentimental" - they were eventually, in one form or another - released. The former was included as a single issued with McCartney's 1987 compilation album "All the Best!", while "Beautiful Night" was rewritten and stripped down of it's very heavy late-80s Power Ballad sound, and included on Paul's 1997 album "Flaming Pie" as a particular standout. The title track ("Return to Pepperland") though a noteworthy standout, is laced with heavy late-80s production standards (much use of synth bass, drum machines, and complex synthesizers). [ =McCartney= ] does make a unique innovation for the composition by indulging in a slight Baroque Pop sound for the track (not unlike his own "Penny Lane" or "Strawberry Fields Forever") by including such instruments as the Mellotron.
** Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's "Flowers in the Dirt".

* There exists a metric ton of bootleg McCartney] recordings -namely tracks Macca himself - at one point or another - considered for official release before going back and forth on the idea several times, all together shelving what could've been potential big name hits for himself.
* Of particular note amongst these bootlegs are "Wings' Last Flight" - fanmade recordings of Wings' last ever concerts in Glasgow, December 1979, and "Cold Cuts" - an actual album of Wings & solo McCartney outtakes that Macca himself had intended for release several times throughout the '70s and'80s, before abandoning the project altogether.
* Then there's "Return to Pepperland".....
* Supposedly slated for release sometime during 1987 (coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the release of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"), "Return to Pepperland" featured McCartney teaming up with Phil Ramone (famed producer for Billy Joel) to record a slew of new tracks to help coincide with the then-recent "Second Wave of Beatlemania" (all 12 of the original Beatles' albums were released sometime throughout 1987, marking a second age of international popularity and acclaim for the Fab Four).
* Some of the tracks recorded include "Once Upon a Long Ago" and a heavily drum machine-synth version of "Beautiful Night", originally submitted for the soundtrack to "The Princess Bride", but rejected by director Rob Reiner for being "too sentimental" - they were eventually, in one form or another - released. The former was included as a single issued with McCartney's 1987 compilation album "All the Best!", while "Beautiful Night" was rewritten and stripped down of it's very heavy late-80s Power Ballad sound, and included on Paul's 1997 album "Flaming Pie" as a particular standout.
* Other songs recorded during the 1986-87 sessions include the instrumental "Squid" (quite possibly a contender for the most epic instrumental Macca ever composed and recorded), and the "Smooth Criminal"-esque "P.S, Love Me Do" - a mashup of two early Beatlemania hits - "Love Me Do" and "P.S, I Love You". The latter was eventually released as a track on the Japanese release of 1989's "Flowers in the Dirt".
* The title track ("Return to Pepperland") though a noteworthy standout, is laced with heavy late-80s production standards (much use of synth bass, drum machines, and complex synthesizers). [ =McCartney= ] does make a unique innovation for the composition by indulging in a slight Baroque Pop sound for the track (not unlike his own "Penny Lane" or "Strawberry Fields Forever") by including such instruments as the Mellotron.