Roots Music

As befits a career that started in early Rock'n'Roll and developed spectacularly beyond its confines, Paul McCartney has, at times, gone back to the source...producing three albums of roots music:

CHOBA B CCCP

The first was released only in Russia in 1988 but gained a global release a couple of years later. CHOBA B CCCP contains fifteen pre-Beatles rock'n'roll standards, all recorded in two days by an old rock'n'roller and friends, with sloppy...but fun results.

I wouldn't expect that you'd play CHOBA B CCCP as often as John Lennon's Rock'n'Roll...but it's...interesting.

Tracks include:

• Lucille
• Aint That A Shame
• Just Because
• Bring It On Home To Me &
• Summertime

Unplugged: The Official Bootleg

Unplugged: the Official Bootleg is a lot more my cup of tea. It isn't an official Roots album, in that McCartney actually presents a number of Beatles tracks...

• And I Love Her
• She's A Woman
• I've Just Seen A Face
• We Can Work It Out
• Here, There & Everywhere
• Blackbird

plus some songs off his first solo album, McCartney...

• That Would Be Something
• Every Night
• Junk

the first song he ever wrote:

• I Just Lost My Baby

and some covers... 

• Be-Bop-A-Lu-La
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky
• San Francisco Bay Blues
• High Heel Sneakers
• Good Rockin' Tonight
• Singin' The Blues
• Ain't No Sunshine

...and then gives them the early rock'n'roll acoustic treatment. Quite different from the Unplugged albums of his peers, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, this is much more a "roots" album than theirs.

Recommended only for The Beatles/McCartney fans, this is a fun album to sit back to with a little help from the relaxant of your choice and imagine you're there, in an invited audience, sharing an intimate, mellow evening with a man who loves Rock'n'Roll...and has nothing left to prove.

see also:

• wikipedia: Unplugged

Run Devil Run

As with Tug Of War, when Lennon's death sting him into creating a memorable piece of work, there's no doubt that the death of his wife Linda also finds McCartney creating a worthwhile effort, far more interesting than the flaccid albums he so often releases.

Run Devil Run sees McCartney running to that which he loves, 50s Rock'n'Roll, a comfort zone for sure...but, nevertheless, a position of strength when his spirits were low.

The Run Devil Run one-off band:

• David Gilmour...guitar (Pink Floyd)
• Ian Paice...drums (Deep Purple)
• Pete Wingfield...keyboards
• Mick Green...guitar   

...recorded Run Devil Run at Abbey Road in one week during March 1999...and unlike McCartney's other Roots effort,  these songs weren't well-known, they were mostly b-sides and minor hits by:

• Elvis 
• Gene Vincent
• Fats Domino &
• Carl Perkins

...and three by McCartney himself, songs which could easily have been  from the era:

• Run Devil Run
• Try Not To Cry &
• What It Is

50s Rock'n'Roll isn't meant to be studied, it's meant to be played loud and danced to...

"...Just play it, don't think it..."

...was Paul's directions to the players and with that in mind, I wholeheartedly recommend Run Devil Run as a rough, raw, bluesy rock'n'roll  that reminded Paul about what was still worth living for. 

2-disc album, including 35 min. interview

see also:

• wikipedia Run Devil Run

Live At The Cavern Club  

Run Devil Run, LIVE (see Paul McCartney)