What’s more hopeful than the music you choose for your wedding? When you have a big do you can choose a list of songs to be played as you walk down the aisle and make suggestions for the reception. I had a small do, in a backyard, under an oak tree. We put Paul McCartney’s new album, Flaming Pie in a CD player and hit repeat, only stopping it when our friend Dermot Summerville played for us. Nobody complained at listening to the same CD over and over for hours. Paul’s always good for a sunny, happy, hopeful tune.

Little did we know.

When Paul was writing and recording Flaming Pie he received news that Maureen Starkey (I think she was still using Starkey, she was Ringo’s first wife) had succumbed to cancer. He alludes to the story in the liner notes, but spoke about it extensively on the Flaming Pie TV special. They also knew at that time, though we didn’t, that Linda had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The same cancer that took his mother when he was 14. He wrote the song "Little Willow" the day they heard the news.

"Sleep, little willow
Peace gonna follow
Time will heal your wounds

Grow to the heavens
Now and forever
Always came too soon."

Hope.

Hope rings through this album, even the melancholy "Somedays." It sounds much like fatherly/friendly advice from someone who really knows.

"No use reminding me it’s just the way it is
Who ran the race or came in first
Somedays I cry
I cry for those who fear the worst.

We don’t need anybody else
To tell us what is real
Inside each one of us is love
And we know how it feels."

"Calico Skies" was the actual wedding song. It’s written, as all his love songs were, for Linda, but it’s infused with some much hope for peace, in love and in the world, that it replaces the wedding march quite well, except no body knows the bride is coming. It also has a very nice tempo change between the fifth and the sixth lines that is almost trademark McCartney.

"It was writing that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning I saw you
Gave me life under calico skies
I will hold you for as long as you like
I will hold you for the rest of my live."

I also have an absolute passion for "Beautiful Night." It’s a sweeping romantic song including an orchestral arrangement with an upbeat, jazzy ending. And you have Ringo at the end saying "On your way, on your way." It’s always good for picking up a down day.

"Some boats on the ocean
We’re here in this room
Seems to me the perfect way to spend the afternoon
We can look for castles in the sky
No more wondering, wondering why."

"It’s Gonna Be a Great Day" was a song that Paul and Linda used to sing to the kids when they were little. Now I don’t know how anybody could be that optimistic considering what was going on at the time. Here’s the highlights: Keith Moon died after leaving a party at their house (he went home early because he said he wasn’t feeling well.) Paul was arrested in Japan for possession. A girl was hit by a car outside of the studio they were recording in and Paul held her while she died. John was murdered. His life was threatened (significantly in Cleveland, there’s very tight security when he’s in town any more.) Court cases. Police raid on his farm in Scotland. Repeated banning by the BBC ("Hi Hi Hi" for one.) His father died. Several other deaths of close friends and associates. After all that, how do you jump out of bed singing "It’s gonna be a great day"? What ever drugs he’s taking I think they should be put into the water supply.

And not only does McCartney positively seethe optimism, but he’s an incredible musician and song writer. I'm sure somebody someplace has said it’s the best album since Band On the Run, but they’ve said that about every album since … well, since Band On the Run. And it is an exquisite album. If you like music, you won’t be sorry to own it.

This review was written for inclusion in the Reflections of Hope Write-Off, hosted by GinaHill and Angelabar. Please take time to visit the other participants reviews which can be found here: http://www.pronetisp.net/~anjuliz/hope.html, a special webpage designed by Angelabar for this write-off. You might want to keep this page in your favorites as there are other Write-Off pages created by Angelabar - for past, present and future Write-Offs. The participants include: 29th_Candidate, AdaDavis, Angelabar, danni_d, darkmistress, debbie26, Dr_Steph, Ed_Grover, ezreka, fallyn96, fjbpab, flamepillar, fragglemom, ginahill, hawgwyld, jankp, jkkelley, jo.com, khahn86351, kittyokc, mellkinwa, missy32, murasaki, nwinston, phineaskc, roark_8, Sordid-1, Sloucho, SurgRN911, Sumo_Rhino, Westerbear,


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Waking up