Ticket 2 Ride

Paul McCartney has toured extensively through the years, supporting new albums, and other times just playing the popular stuff.

His set lists are quite interesting. There are albums he ignores to play from, songs he used to play but doesn’t anymore, and songs he plays every time.

There are songs he only plays during sound checks where lucky VIP ticket holders are present. Songs include: “Every Night” (from McCartney), “Ram On” (from Ram), “One After 909” (from Let it Be).

Here’s 25 songs he wrote or co-wrote that he’s never played in concert (as far as I determine). Based on my research, it appears a couple of these songs were rehearsed during various tours, but not performed in concert. I’ve skipped his more recent albums, because I’m less familiar with them and simply prefer the older tunes.

“Big Barn Bed” From the neglected album, Red Rose Speedway (1971). The opening track from the album, it’s a mid-tempo rocker with great harmony vocals. My favorite song from the album. [Wings did play this song on their February 1972 tour of English universities.]

“Martha My Dear” A bouncy piano-driven, uptempo ballad about McCartney’s dog. From the White Album (1968). It’s always impressed me how easily McCartney constructed compelling melodies without repeating himself.

“I Will” Another delight from the White Album, a saucy acoustic guitar song, a short, but well-written love song. Unpretentious and beautiful.

“Monkberry Moon Delight” From the Paul and Linda McCartney album Ram (1971). Written off as a silly, children’s song because of its lyrics, this song is really a heavy rocker. Written a bit more seriously, this song could have had legs.

“Girls School” The flip side of “Mull of Kintyre” (1977). A driving rocker, in contrast to the folky “Mull of Kintyre.” These songs were recorded at the beginning of recording of London Town, but sessions stopped as Linda McCartney’s pregnancy entered into the latter months. Two members of Wings (Joe English, Jimmy McCulloch) left the band before sessions resumed.

“Get On The Right Thing” Another song from Red Rose Speedway, another upbeat rocker that displays some nifty chord changes and production.

“Dear Friend” Written in the back and forth of words between McCartney and Lennon as lyrics on their albums. From the debut Wings’ album Wild Life (1971). A somber, downbeat song, the melody is quite lovey despite the song’s lyrics.

“Single Pigeon” Also from Red Rose Speedway, a piano song that reminds me of a slower version of “Martha My Dear”, lovely and unassuming.

“No More Lonely Nights” The single from the soundtrack to Give My Regards to Broadstreet (1984). It was a great guitar solo from David Gilmour.

“Come and Get It” The song recorded by Badfinger for The Magic Christian Soundtrack. McCartey recorded a demo that Badfinger replicated for their version.

“All Together Now” A leftover track that was stuck onto the Yellow Submarine soundtrack (1968). Recorded during the Magical Mystery Tour recording sessions (1967). A bouncy acoustic guitar and ukulele driven rhythm with a joyous, lighthearted chorus.

“Take it Away” George Martin produced Tug of War (1982), a rebound for McCartney from the mess that was McCartney II (1980). Tug of War let McCartney to focus on song-craft and performance, allowing Martin to shape the sound. “Take it Away” is a soaring, grand production effort, not really a rocker, more pop flourishes, but one of McCartney’s best songs of the early 1980s.

“Backseat of My Car” Another interesting song from Ram. Dating back to the later Beatles’ period, McCartney retooled the song. Primary a piano-driven ballad, the song shifts into a higher gear with orchestra backing and rocks hard. A great vocal performance and a sterling way to end Ram. In concert, I imagine this song getting a rousing reception.

“When I’m Sixty-Four” Shocking that this song has never made it to the stage. McCartney avoided Sgt. Pepper songs for a long time, but that’s no longer the case. Now that he’s long past 64, I doubt this song has much relevance.

“I’m Looking Through You” A delicious slice of 1960s pop, psychedelia, with the driving, and the lyrics pertaining to McCartney’s doomed relationship with Jane Asher. From the groovy album, Rubber Soul (1965).

“You Won’t See Me” Also from Rubber Soul. Playful harmony vocals, interesting messaging about Jane Asher again, the song bebops along, upbeat and tangy.

“What You’re Doing” From Beatles For Sale (1964). Dismissed by McCartney as filler, it does follow the formulaic songwriting structure that he and John Lennon had developed in 1963-1965. Not a criticism, just an observation about how they worked and similarities in technique. McCartney’s lead local is great.

“With A Little Luck” The London Town (1978) album is avoided like the plague, McCartney has ignored releasing a remastered edition as he’s done with his other back catalogue. “With a Little Luck” was a high ranking single at the time, but I always felt it was too long and repetitive. Perhaps an edited version, maybe as part of a medley?

“So Bad” From Pipes of Peace (1985) and released as a single to moderate success. McCartney was chided for how schmaltzy the production and limp the lyrics were, but the melody is haunting and I enjoy his falsetto singing, although he couldn’t do that today.

“Motor of Love” From the also neglected Flowers in the Dirt (1989) album. Honestly, McCartney skips most of his late 1970s to early 1990 musical era now, but Flowers in the Dirt and Off the Ground (1993) were represented in concerts at the time. “Motor of Love” is a finely produced ballad, but is forgotten in time.

“The Night Before” A song from Help! Listed as the first Beatles song to feature an electric piano (played by Lennon). Bouncy tune, double lead guitar by McCartney and George Harrison. The lyrics are tame today, but in 1965 rather saucy.

“Goodbye” Written for Welsh singer Mary Hopkin, she took the song to the Top Ten. Produced by McCartney, who accompanied Hopkin on guitar and bass. It’s an upbeat folk song.

“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” Never one of my favorites, but it topped the charts. Mysteriously, never played in concert. From Ram.

“Once Upon a Long Ago” Released as a single in the U.K., but not in the U.S. Trivia: intended for the film, The Princess Bride, and as a duet with Freddie Mercury, that never happened.

“Kicked Around No More” Recorded during the Off the Ground (1993) sessions, and only released as a bonus track. For reasons I don’t understand, the track was not released on the original album but is a quality song. It’s a serious ballad, but may not have fit the vibe of Off the Ground, but this song should play on.