London Town - Your Favorites

Ok, time to revive a topic that I've let lapse recently...we were going through Paul's albums and talking about which songs off them were our favorites, which ones we didn't like so much and just generally discussing the songs. We left off with "Speed of Sound" and I don't want to do live albums, so let's move on now with "London Town".

Here's the tracklist:

London Town
Cafe On The Left Bank
I'm Carrying
Backwards Traveller
Cuff Link
Children Children
Girlfriend
I've Had Enough
With A Little Luck
Famous Groupies
Deliver Your Children
Name And Address
Don't Let It Bring You Down
Morse Moose And The Grey Goose

Go to it! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

I think my favorites on this album are "Backwards Traveller" (gee, I WONDER why???) and "I've Had Enough", but I also like the title track, "Deliver Your Children", "I'm Carrying" and "Name and Address" a lot. In fact, if he would have taken "I'm Carrying" down a couple steps and sang it without quite so much straining, it would probably be my favorite. Or if he'd finished "Name and Address".

I consider this to be an "ok" album - not a favorite and not a least favorite. If he would have had a killer closer instead of the dreadful "Morse Moose", I think I would have liked it a lot better. And I don't care much for "Don't Let it Bring You Down" either - it DOES bring me down, it's such a dirge. And "With a Little Luck" is just a little bit too sweetsie for my taste.

I love this topic because it reminds me to listem to more Paul stuff and in reading others' thoughts on songs gives different meanings to me!

I think overall this is a good album. My faves are probably London Town, Cafe on the left bank, Backwards Traveller, Children Children, I've had enought , Famous Groupies and Deliver your children. Oh and name and address. Had it not been for Don't let it bring you down and Morse Moose, I think I would've considered this an excellent album. It's got a little bit of everything - rocker, love song, pop song, silly song and unf. dreadful song. Oh well - he tried. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

If I were to rate thie from 1-5, where 5 is best, this would get a 4 from me.

This is a great album. It was released on March 31st, 1978 and includes five songs which are co-written by Paul and Denny Laine, which proves what a great co-workers they were [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

My favorites:

*London Town: One of the McCartney/Laine collaboration. The song is about "ordinary people" and it's a sweet melody about that subject...I love the lyrics and vocals, specially.
*I'm Carrying: really sweet. I read somewhere that it was about Linda's pregnancy [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
*Backwards Traveller: Good intro and percussions. I think that it's may fave mainly because of the "Hey!" that Paul sings [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
*Girlfriend: Paul performs the song amazingly, using alternatively high-pitched and low-pitched vocal lines. A good solo is played on two electric guitars. Definitely one of my faves.¨
*Deliver Your Children: Another collaboration between Paul and Denny. This time, the main vocal is Denny's. I like the lyrics, which always keep you attentive about what's gonna say next.
*With A Little Luck: I don't agree with Rell here [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] This is one of my fave ballads...good instrumentation, like a lot of keyboard rhythm. And the lyrics always cheer me up:

With A Little Luck, We Can Help It Out
We can make this whole damn thing work out

[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

The ones I dislike:

*Name And Adress: Paul uses his 'Elvis' way of singing. I just don't like this style, and the song appears to be unfinished.
*Don't Let It Bring You Down: Too slow for my taste.
*Morse Moose And The Grey Goose: another McCartney/Laine collaboration...good instrumental effects and all, but it doesn't say anything important and it's too long.

So, I give this album a rate of 7/10. A great album, but it doesn't figure among the best.

[size="1"][ Jan 28, 2004, 09:18 AM: Message Edited By: Cecilia ][/size]

The songs I listened to mostly from this album are as follows:
London Town - Great song. Makes you feel like you're in London and not on a boat. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
Cafe On The Left Bank - I like this one too. It's catchy.
I'm Carrying - Always loved this one, even as a teenager. It's very sweet.
Backwards Traveller - One of my favorites on here. Very catchy tune. No wonder you named yourself after it, Suz. [img]graemlins/wink3.gif[/img]
I've Had Enough - A good one, but it had its day in the sun. It's a bit dated.
With A Little Luck - I also really like this one. It's no wonder to me it was such a hit.
Famous Groupies - Good harmonies. 'Nuff said. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I should try to pick up this cd. I don't currently have very much Paulie in my collection, but I do remember enjoying this album way back when.

I like most of the songs on this album.
The kind of melecanholic feeling of the title track, which gives you a feeling you'r in London, and indeed not on a boat far away from it.

Cafe On The Left Bank, is another one of my favourites. Some nice guitar riffs.

I love the finger picking guitar work on I'm Carrying, simpe but effective.

Backwards Traveller is catchy and has some cool guitar riffs (licks?) but it's to short.

I've Had Enough, With A little Luck, Name and Address are good to, I also enjoy Denny's song, reminds me a bit of The Moody Blues, the songs written by Ray thomas.

There are some songs that brings the album somewhat down, and keeps it from being a strong and consistent album like Band On The Run. To me these are, Girlfriend, I am not fond of the high pitched voice Paul uses here, perhaps Michael Jackson can do it. Famous Groupies, in a style simulair to "Monkberry Moon Delight" but doesn't really work for me, tho it has his moments.Don't Let It Bring You Down and Morse Moose aren't among my favourites either.

london town, to me, consists of either great songs, or horrible ones, i dont vote many of them in the middle:
London Town: entertaining lyrics, beatlesque, and cute music video...
Cafe on the Left Bank: song about a cafe on the left bank in france, and english people annoying the french [img]graemlins/laugh5.gif[/img] *(great guitar solo)
I'm Carrying: paul doing what he does best, ballads, love this song! so sweet..
Backwards Traveler: another great song, i especially like the delivery of the opening lyrics hey did u know that i'm ALWAYS GOING BACK IN TIME!?
Cufflink: funky, but a bit dated, i still like it though...
Children Children: good harmonies, sweet little song
Girlfriend: paul with his oh so sweet high voice, but the *yeahhhh* can be annoying...
Ive had enough: I like this song, a great little rocker, an odd topic for this kind of song, i think
With a little Luck: love this song, a bit cheesy at parts, but a good cheesy! i like the part the willow turns his back on inclinant weather...
Famous Groupies: love this song, clever lyrics and just a fun song!
Deliver your children: this is my favorite track on the album, its got that dark folky feel, great harmonies
Name and Address: hate this, sounds liuke a parody on elvis or something
Dont let itr bring you down: i like this one too, but the lyrics sort of bring the melody down i think
Morse Moose And The Grey Goose: [img]graemlins/barf4.gif[/img] ...enough said

Originally Posted By Legs:
Backwards Traveller is catchy and has some cool guitar riffs (licks?) but it's to short.

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Yeah, you're right, I am too short. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Gee, we all have different tastes ...
I really like Don't Let It Bring You Down. I play it anytime I feel overwhelmed or depressed. Yes, I know it's slow, but it's soothing when my nerves are shredded. Londontown is cute, nice beat. I enjoy I've Had Enough, Deliver Your Children & With a Little Luck.

I really dislike Girlfriends - way too much falsetto for me. Not fond of the Groupies either. Kind of a weird song.

The other songs I can't even remember - guess I better listen to it again tomorrow. The CD is great though - I absolutely LOVE Mull of Kintyre which is a bonus track. And Girls School is a hoot! [img]graemlins/laugh5.gif[/img]

FAMOUS GROUPIES ... is my fav on a dodgy album see my poll on "average albums" else where in the macca solo section i wonder what paul was smoking when he wrote it ... must be why he went to japan shortly after - lol

cafe on the left bank... is good ... deliver your children to is nice

Backward Traveller
Children, Children
Cuff Link
Deliver Your Children
I've Had Enough (I REALLY love this one)

Excellent album/CD. I am not wild about Morse Moose, but I still like it. A real feel good album/CD.

One of my fave PM albums--
I love:
Cafe on the Left Bank
Children Children
Don't Let It Bring You Down
Backwards Traveler
I've Had Enough
Name And Address
--and my fave on that album, has to be:
I'm Carrying--LOVE that one!!!!
That is one great PM album!!!!

I love nearly Every song, except I'n Carrying, Girlfriend (relly TOO high notes!!), With A Little Luck (I've just heard it too often...) and Name And Adress.
It's one of his best albums, I'd say

Cafe On The Left Bank

i like the note: drinking german beer

Originally Posted By AnyRoad69:
Cafe On The Left Bank

i like the note: drinking german beer

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">I also!! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Thirteen days later... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I do like some parts of the London Town album. When I first heard it, it sounded very fragmented (it was only my third solo Paul purchase, after Off The Ground and Ram, which to me sound much more cohesive production-wise) and I still hear those differences in the production and even in the mixing, which make the album a little hard to analyze in that respect.

You get lovely acoustic ballads ("I'm Carrying"), racous rockers ("I've Had Enough"), synth-driven ballads ("London Town" and "With A Little Luck"), a weird tribute to old rock'n'roll ("Name And Address"), a bad attempt at folk ("Don't Let It Bring You Down") plus that monstruosity called "Morse Moose And The Grey Goose". You actually get music for all tastes!

I think the album's not really a huge favorite of mine because of lacking an identity. But still, it has fantastic songs: "London Town" and "With A Little Luck" might just be my favorite pieces of music produced by synthesisers... both of them are fairly nice compositions, both in music and lyrics IMHO. I love "I'm Carrying" because of the sweetness and simpleness of it (George is quoted saying he liked it because it was a simple acoustic ballad "the way Paul only know how to do"), "Backwards Traveller" and "Cuff Link" are a great medley of unfinished things a-la Paul; and "Café On The Left Bank" is quite inventive.

A side note for Denny Laine, whose two major compositions absolutely shine: "Children Children" is my favorite song on the whole record, being sweet and lovely, almost a lullaby. "Deliver Your Children" is a very strong folkish tune, which I also grew to love.

Those would be my faves. I wish "Cage" was added to this album in the place of maybe "Morse Moose" or "Don't Let It Bring You Down". Or even "Name And Address" which is a song that causes mixed feelings to me. "Girlfriend" is another song that I can listen to, but it's not a huge favorite of mine either. Sounds like written for Michael Jackson, which cannot be a good thing in my tiny little mind.

Do go on with your lives now. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Originally Posted By darkhorse:
I wish "Cage" was added to this album in the place of maybe "Morse Moose" or "Don't Let It Bring You Down".

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Oooh, that would have been a good decision.

Agree with your comments too about the album not having a clear focus or identity. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Or should I only point out when we disagree? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]