Nothing indicated the end of the Beatles quite as bluntly as the release of this album, and perhaps for that very reason, I hated it. However, that wasn’t the only reason.

Keep in mind that in 1970, the last music that we heard from Paul McCartney was “Abbey Road”, one of the most pristinely produced albums of all time. On its heels, we heard about the Beatles breakup, and then Paul releases this collection of half-baked casual slop. It was stunning mostly for what it wasn’t, meaning ‘good’. How could Paul, a Beatle, maybe THE  Beatle most responsible for their quality control, release this crap? At the time, I felt that the only song on the entire album that I could even imagine on a Beatles record was “Maybe I’m Amazed”. As for the rest of it, it only served as a dismal, depressing reminder that ‘the dream is over’.

How ironic is it, then, that nearly fifty years later, I can look back on McCartney’s entire solo career and find this album to be in his top five all-time best solo releases? Heard from today’s perspective, away from all the emotional weight brought on by their bitter breakup, this album has a charm all its own, and rates as one of the more important/interesting solo albums from any Beatle. So, here it is.

The Lovely Linda

That Would Be Something

Valentine Day

Every Night

Hot as Sun/Glasses

Junk

Man We Was Lonely

Oo You

Momma Miss America

Teddy Boy

Singalong Junk

Maybe I’m Amazed

Kreen - Akrore

April 1970  - Billboard Charted #1