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[Buttmunker]

Its not as though John himself didn't churn out granny songs of his own - I'd consider "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite" a granny song.  Also, what about "If I Fell?"  That's certainly the type of song that John would berate Paul for writing.  

[ElementaryPenguin]

Is there a quote from John somewhere explaining how he used the word "granny"? I guess it all depends on how you look at it. If it's in regards to the solo years, it'd make more sense-they were always digging at eachother. And don't forget that whatever your personal opinions might be, John did seem to contradict himself occasionally.

[Buttmunker]

John used the term "oh, another one of Paul's granny music" when Paul was working on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," I believe.  And I read that he used it before that, too.

[alexis]

Its not as though John himself didn't churn out granny songs of his own - I'd consider "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite" a granny song.  Also, what about "If I Fell?"  That's certainly the type of song that John would berate Paul for writing.  

I agree with you, that "If I Fell" and "Being for the Benefit ..." could be called "granny" songs as much as "When I'm 64", "Lovely Rita", etc. John wasn't known for letting reality put any limits on his utterances.

Paul's greatest "granny" song "Eleanor Rigby" ..in this case "cheers" to so-called granny songs.(assuming of course the term isnt derogatory)  

[Andy Smith]

any mention of Honey Pie yet?

any mention of Honey Pie yet?

I thought of it but was afraid to mention it. Actually, I always loved the "old-fashioned" sound of that one on The White Album. A DEFINITE Paul granny song

by the way, doesnt "You Gave Me the Answer" off Paul's old "Venus & Mars" album sound like it could be a sister song of "Honey Pie" ?? I always thought that.

[tkitna]

I'd consider "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite" a granny song.  

Its a psychedelic marvel. While John was writing stuff like this, 'Strawberry Fields', and 'I Am The Walrus', Paul was writing 'When I'm 64', 'Hello Goodbye', and 'Your Mother Should Know'. I think thats where John was coming from.

'If I Fell' was written in 64' and it was a collaboration between the two of them. Not sure if that was such a good example.

[The End]

It all depends on what John's definition of "Granny music" was. Paul did experiment with different genres a lot more than John and I would definitely class a few of Paul's Beatle compositions as "Granny" music, i.e. they are deliberately old-sounding - "Michelle", "When I'm 64" and "Honey Pie" for example, as well as those already mentioned. I would also say that "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" probably fits that description too.

I certainly wouldn't class "If I Fell" and "Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite" as Granny music though - however "Goodnight" from the White Album is, in my opinion.

[Pasta Cheif]

by the way, doesnt "You Gave Me the Answer" off Paul's old "Venus & Mars" album sound like it could be a sister song of "Honey Pie" ?? I always thought that.

Yeah, those 2 songs did have that 1920s sound to them. Good songs though, I like the throwback sound they had.

[Andy Smith]

what about Mull of Kintyre, does anybody think that has a granny sound?

[Wordno]

Mull of Kintyre does not sound "granny" at all. Its suppose to be a Scottish ballad. I take it the "Granny" term means songs that sound like they've come from the 1940s and had very cabiret sounds to them(I.E. Fred Astaire).  Maybe something their Granny's would listen to.

I see the example you're trying to say Tkita but those Paul songs you mentioned except 'Hello Goodbye' are not the best songs to use. 'Your Mother Should Know' and 'When I'm 64' were written in Paul's early teens when he had a fascination with Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire and other cabiret songwriters. He didn't write those songs in 67. Paul puts out whatever type of music he wants, it shouldn't be a suprise he put 'When I'm 64' during the psychedelic marvel. I mean he did put out 'Mull of Kintyre' in the middle of the Punk revolution.

Its just funny how John is seen as a saint but yet he was the most arrogant guy ever known to man. I mean Paul was arrogant too but he was more subtle about it. In the early 70s John was bragging about how much of a genius he was and that eventually faded in the mid and late 70s when he music was selling poorly. It shouldn't be a suprise he said Paul puts out "Granny" music. I think for awhile he thought he was superior to Paul.

what about Mull of Kintyre, does anybody think that has a granny sound?

Mull of Kintyre is one his most brilliant solo works...I wouldn't even think of calling it a "granny song". Come to think of it, this whole thread is predicated on a misnomer in my opinion. This was John's tag on some of McCartney's melodies--it was probably just another one of his spontaneaous, off-the- cuff light sarcasms at Paul. I'm not sure when he said it..(was it in the "How Do You Sleep" era ?..or in the Beatle era?) Maybe slight jealously. Yes, it's true, John was the Fab's resident "word-smith",as opposed to Paul, the "melody-man"..but..as we all know conversely, John could write some beautiful melodies himself (e.g., In My Life, Imagine, Norwegian Wood..etc.)and Paul could oft-time write a timeless lyric (Eleanor Rigby, Yesterday)--so John's remark seems to be slightly petty to me whenever it occurred.

[Andy Smith]

Mull of Kintyre is one his most brilliant solo works...

I think so too & i cannot understand why so many people hate it,
it's a beautiful simple singalong that sticks in your head!  
I still find the term 'Granny' a bit strange.  :-/

[Bobber]

Mull of Kintyre does not sound "granny" at all. Its suppose to be a Scottish ballad. I take it the "Granny" term means songs that sound like they've come from the 1940s and had very cabiret sounds to them(I.E. Fred Astaire).  Maybe something their Granny's would listen to.

I see the example you're trying to say Tkita but those Paul songs you mentioned except 'Hello Goodbye' are not the best songs to use. 'Your Mother Should Know' and 'When I'm 64' were written in Paul's early teens when he had a fascination with Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire and other cabiret songwriters. He didn't write those songs in 67. Paul puts out whatever type of music he wants, it shouldn't be a suprise he put 'When I'm 64' during the psychedelic marvel. I mean he did put out 'Mull of Kintyre' in the middle of the Punk revolution.

But Paul returned to the genre every now and then. Hence Honey Pie and You Gave Me The Answer from his Venus And Mars album in 1975.

Lennon was such an  " Old Women " pontificating from behind his granny spec's , i love his comments though  

DaveRam

[Buttmunker]

When Paul belted out "Got To Get You Into My Life," Lennon later said 'that was Paul at his best.'  Lennon would get "annoyed" when Paul would go soft with the ballads, when he knew Paul could rock along with the best of them.  Lennon thought "Yesterday" was lovely, yet he didn't really want anything to do with it.  He tried to play an organ at first, but the idea was abandoned, and after that, he was content to just stand in the wings.  His "granny" comments occurred during the Beatles era, to be sure, cause he had much worse things to say about Paul during his "How Do You Sleep" era.

[BlueMeanie]

by the way, doesnt "You Gave Me the Answer" off Paul's old "Venus & Mars" album sound like it could be a sister song of "Honey Pie" ?? I always thought that.

Paul's always had a thing for whimsy. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, for instance. And an entire album of Ram remakes: Thrillington.

John's remark seems to be slightly petty to me whenever it occurred.

John would make them up on the spot, depending on how he was feeling that day. In the mid 70's hye did say that he regretted some of the things he said about Paul. Maybe that was one of them. I think there's maybe a little jealousy there too. The fact that Paul could turn his hand to pretty much anything.

His "granny" comments occurred during the Beatles era, to be sure, cause he had much worse things to say about Paul during his "How Do You Sleep" era.

I haven't listened to all of the Jann Wenner interview for Rolling Stone from 1970 yet, but john is being particularly nasty about Paul. It could have originated from there.

[Andy Smith]

When Paul belted out "Got To Get You Into My Life," Lennon later said 'that was Paul at his best.'  Lennon would get "annoyed" when Paul would go soft with the ballads, when he knew Paul could rock along with the best of them.  Lennon thought "Yesterday" was lovely, yet he didn't really want anything to do with it.  .

yes, but then he later came out with songs like Woman & Beautiful Boy.
I can see that in a McCartney range!
But Macca then came out with Coming Up which Lennon apparently loved
& inspired him to write new stuff again. I personally think they loved each
other's work but sometimes afraid to admit it. :-/ but i could be wrong.