Saturday, February 16, 2019

"Junk" and "Singalong Junk"

"Junk" and "Singalong Junk" were two songs featured on Paul McCartney's first Apple solo LP "McCartney". The working title for the tune was "Jubilee". Both of the songs have the same tune with one being issued with vocals and the other "Singalong" version being an instrumental.
"Junk" was written by Paul back in India in early 1968 and was to be recorded/issued on the "White Album" set but didn't get any further than the Kinfauns/Esher demoes (acoustic demos recorded at George Harrison's home in early summer 1968). A copy of the demo can be found commercially on the Apple 3LP/2CD "Anthology 3" project as well as on the Apple 2LP/CD "Esher Demos" from the 50th anniversary "White Album" package. The song was also busked at one of the recording/film sessions for the "Get Back/Let It Be" project in early January at Twickenham Studios (one source says January 09 1969).
The recording for the solo LP was done in two takes. The first take (take 1) was mainly recorded at McCartney's home with acoustic/electric guitars, piano and bass. Overdubs for the first take were a mellotron keyboard and percussion recorded at Morgan Studios in London (exact date unknown to me). This version has no vocals and is known as "Singalong Junk" (being an instrumental). The song was mixed in late Februrary 1970. The second take was also recorded at McCartney's home with guitar, bass and vocals. Extra vocals and percussion were also overdubbed at Morgan Studios in London and the result was the song "Junk" (with vocals). This was also mixed around the same time frame - late February 1970. Both are stereo only.
"Junk" was also performed live for MTV's "Unplugged" series on January 25 1991. This live version appeared on the Capitol LP "Unplugged: The Official Bootleg" in the same year. "Junk" was also performed as a classical piece by the Loma Mar Quartet and was recorded at EMI Studio One in the winter of 1998-1999. It was released in October of 1999 on EMI Classics 2LP/CD.
"Singalong Junk" appeared on the 1996 movie soundtrack on the Epic CD "Jerry Maguire" which contains the same stereo mix as the commercial LP.

Saturday, February 2, 2019

"Hot As Sun/Glasses/Suicide" Recording Session

Three pieces of music were made into a medley for Paul McCartney's first Apple solo LP entitled "McCartney". All of these pieces were recorded in London and mixed in London  The recordings were made at Morgan Studios early in February 1970 (the exact date is unknown) and mixed at EMI Abbey Road Studios 2 on February 24 1970.
The first piece "Hot As Sun" is an instrumental that was written by Paul in the early day of the Quarrymen/ Beatles during their Cavern period . The middle section was added by Paul specifically to complete the song probably before going in to record it. It has all the instruments played by McCartney including: organ, guitars, bass, drums, maracas, bongos and acoustic as well.
The instrumental fades out and the second piece "Glasses" commences. This is basically Paul playing wine glasses several times in a random order and overdubbing his various takes randomly as well.
The wine glasses stop and we hear Paul playing the third and final piece of the "Medley". At the time of release no one knew the title of the song since there is only a small section of the song being sang and it fades out rather quickly. The song in question we later learn is entitled "Suicide" and was written with Frank Sinatra in mind. The entire song can be heard on the "McCartney Archive Collection" 2LP/2CD set on the second disc. There is also video of Paul performing the song at EMI Studios during the taping of "One Hand Clapping" in August 1974 and this visual can also be found on the "Archive" collection. A home studio demo of the song made in Scotland at Rude Studios in 1977 with an extra verse as well as additional bass and drums can be heard on the bootleg CD "Good Times Comin'" by Vigatone. A bit of the song was also performed on the BBC show "Parkinson" in the UK on December 02,1999 with Paul at the grand piano explaining his desire to "give" it to Sinatra.
"Hot As Sun" was also performed live in concert during Wings' 1979 UK tour. The Glasgow 1979 performance can be heard on the bonus audio of the "Archive" collection as well as a video of Wings performing the song for "The Concert For the People of Kampuchea" in December 1979.