# Have a listen to Paul McCartney's "New" song. What do you think? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563 "2013-08-30T04:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/1 "2013-08-30T04:05:19Z")
The name of the song is “[New](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE_1V0phMW8),” hence the quotes. I think it could grow on me. The man (legend) is 71 years old. He sounds pretty much the same as always. I’d like to hear the rest of the album. 71 though. Wow. Thoughts? ETA: Excuse title typo. No way to fix. Mods? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/2 "2013-08-30T04:18:35Z")
OK. Who’s the maverick mod who fixed my typo in like 20 seconds? Muchas gracias. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/3 "2013-08-30T04:34:03Z")
Eh…just another silly love song… 😃 I think he sounds great, and that song is vintage Paul McCartney. In fact, if you had said “listen to this old Paul McCartney song, just discovered in a vault where it had been locked away for 40 years”…I would have had no problem believing you. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/4 "2013-08-30T04:43:37Z")
I wasn’t impressed. It lacked energy, drive, cleverness, and a lightness that I expect from a really good McCartney tune. Not bad, but he’s done lots better. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/5 "2013-08-30T04:53:22Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Eh…just another silly love song… 😃 > I think he sounds great, and that song is vintage Paul McCartney. In fact, if you had said “listen to this old Paul McCartney song, just discovered in a vault where it had been locked away for 40 years”…I would have had no problem believing you. +1 I thought the same thing: sounds like he wrote it 45 years ago or so and just locked it away in a vault. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/6 "2013-08-30T05:09:25Z")
I love it! Vintage Paul, something that could have been on the “White Album” with a little Brian Wilson harmony in for good measure. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/7 "2013-08-30T05:24:18Z")
“When we were new.” “You came along and made my life a song.” “We can do what we want; we can live as we choose.” “There’s no guarantee, we got nothing to lose.” It’s a tribute to John and the Beatles in the exact same vein as George’s “[When We Was Fab.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxr3tV-ieyY)” I like it. Yep, silly love song on surface, but autobiographical in reality. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/8 "2013-08-30T05:47:21Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > sounds like he wrote it 45 years ago or so and just locked it away in a vault. Totally. How many songs these days have tambourine? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/9 "2013-08-30T06:32:32Z")
I was simply impressed by how good his voice still sounds, considering he’s a couple years older than my mom. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/10 "2013-08-30T15:47:12Z")
The video is blocked. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/11 "2013-08-30T16:08:27Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > “When we were new.” “You came along and made my life a song.” “We can do what we want; we can live as we choose.” “There’s no guarantee, we got nothing to lose.” He’s striving for new frontiers in banality, it seems. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/12 "2013-08-30T16:10:18Z")
I liked it, and I’d love to hear a whole album of tracks like this–stuff that could easily fit into a Beatles album. Speaking of Sir Paul, I really hope his idea to perform the last concert at Candlestick becomes a reality. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/13 "2013-08-30T16:12:48Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The video is blocked. Here it is on Paul McCartney’s YouTube channel (nice and legal) The other one was pirated. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pE_1V0phMW8/maxresdefault.jpg "Paul McCartney 'New' - Album out 14th Oct [UK] / 15th Oct [US]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE_1V0phMW8) ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/14 "2013-08-30T16:32:30Z")
Awesome logo too. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/15 "2013-08-30T17:08:28Z")
Typical Paul McCartney ditty bop. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/16 "2013-08-30T17:17:43Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > “When we were new.” “You came along and made my life a song.” “We can do what we want; we can live as we choose.” “There’s no guarantee, we got nothing to lose.” > > It’s a tribute to John and the Beatles in the exact same vein as George’s “[When We Was Fab.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxr3tV-ieyY)” > > I like it. Yep, silly love song on surface, but autobiographical in reality. Really sounds like a classic Beatles production with the horn arrangements. Nice. He really knows how to reord his voice. Sounds double tracked but not Autotuned. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/17 "2013-08-30T20:28:31Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > He really knows how to reord his voice. Well, I should hope so. He’s got 50 years’ practice. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/18 "2013-08-30T21:59:34Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I was simply impressed by how good his voice still sounds, considering he’s a couple years older than my mom. Ahem - He’s 3 years older than I am, and I sing better than ever. The song sounds like it was composed by someone writing in the style of Paul McCartney. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/19 "2013-08-30T22:20:28Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > +1 > > I thought the same thing: sounds like he wrote it 45 years ago or so and just locked it away in a vault. Pretty much. My main complaint about the song is that it lacks a little “quirk” and character. It’s just too perfect and clean for my tastes–like Paul McCartney singing to a karaoke track. But I like the song overall. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563/20 "2013-09-05T09:47:23Z")
Mmm, enjoyed this and I do think it’ll grow on me. From a single listen what hooks me, or intrigues me, are what appears to be unusual choices or changes in meter–I could be wrong about that and perhaps it’s just that he’s using vocal lyric lines that run into the next measure. But I’m getting almost a hemiola vibe. (Again: this is after a single listen, something I’m doing purposely. I wanted to write my first impressions down. Please don’t mock my bad musician’s ear after only one listen, and I’m looking at you, **WordMan**! :D) Another first impression is that it _does_ sound like someone writing like McCartney – honestly if I didn’t hear the voice, just going on the melody/arrangement alone? I’d have said it was a Billy Joel song. And that ain’t no insult for either one, needless to say. \ ***Edited to add:** Okay, 2nd listen: no, it’s not a meter change, though there’s a slight hesitation now and then that slows things down and makes the ear perk up. Like an optical illusion. And the triplet on “When we were new” also adds to the effect. \* Certainly frothy and light, but not everything can be _Eleanor Rigby_, _For No One_ or _Blackbird_ – and never will be again, let’s face it. Although I would say he came close with _Jenny Wren_ from, um, I forget the album but it was from the mid-2000s I believe. But so it’s a love song. What’s wrong with that, I’d like to know? 🙂 Plus, yes, the production is wonderful and he sounds terrific. I’m very happy that he’s going with Giles Martin as producer. The continuity of production talent in the Martin family pleases me immensely. (His work with his dad on _Love_ was infuckingcredible.) Off to listen again. I have the feeling this will make me happier the more I hear it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-listen-to-paul-mccartneys-new-song-what-do-you-think/667563.md?page=2)