Tuesday, July 19, 2016

This Never Happened Before by Paul McCartney



I never get enough of this song. Love the bass on it. Except for the strings, McCartney played all the instruments. He also did all the vocals.

This is the song to which Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock dance in The Lake House, a beautiful scene in a beautiful movie.

Released in 2005, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, from which this track is taken is, to my mind, one of McCartney's very best solo projects.

Undoubtedly, its quality was enhanced by the willingness of young producer Nigel Godrich, best known for his work with Radiohead, to challenge McCartney.

Macca didn't like being challenged, but, perhaps in deference to Beatles producer George Martin, who had recommended Godrich, he stuck it out. In interviews I've heard, McCartney still seems reluctant to credit Godrich's insights into Macca's material for this extraordinary LP. It's also telling that the two have never worked together since.

McCartney is a master of melody, of course, and one of my favorite musicians. But for Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, I think that he should be thankful for how Godrich challenged him to shy away from many of his old tricks, helping him, by dint of his own remarkable talent, to produce yet another classic among McCartney's other memorable releases.

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