I love this album for some reason, maybe just because it's a little off beat from traditional McCartney "Pop/Rock" albums.  I remember when I saw the tracklisting for the first time, I only recognized a few tracks: "Coming Up", and "Waterfalls" but after listening to it I was amazed.  I know it's not as good as any of his other albums in the traditional sense but they'res something about it.  Take for example, "Temporary Secretary": what the hell was Paul thinking when he wrote this song? I love it!  I know there're some weak ones like "Check My Machine", but I like "Secret Friend".  Anyways tell me what you think about this work.

The best thing on it is "One Of These Days." The live version of "Coming Up" that was released as a single in America (and inserted as an extra into early pressings of the album) is pretty good, too. The rest strike me as being throwaways.  

Nice avatar, by the way: I thought of using that one myself.

'Waterfalls' is the only thing decent on that piece of crap. 'One Of These Days' is half assed and the rest of the album just plain sucks. Maybe one of the worst albums ever made.

Coming Up and Waterfalls are great
It's odd that Paul and John made indifferent albums at the same time , they were more intune than they had been in years

I remember one of my friends picked up this album about a week after it came out and brought it over.  I asked him "How is it?"  He replied, "Look at the cover.  He looks like he's saying 'Who, me?  I didn't make this album!'"  To this day I think that's a pretty accurate description.

If you weren't there in 1980, you have to remember McCartney was coming off the streak of Band On The Run/Venus And Mars/At The Speed Of Sound/London Town so hearing this (especially stuff like "Temporary Secretary" and "Darkroom") was a big shock.  We were all thinking "what the hell is this?"

This came after "Back To The Egg" which was a very good album .

Quoted from madman

We were all thinking "what the hell is this?"

Yeah, that was my reaction more or less, too, but mainstream pop in 1980 was very bland and if there was ever a time to shake top 40 radio up that was it. McCartney II wasn't a good enough album to do that, but I enjoyed hearing a top 40 guy not doing what he was expected to do and selling records anyway. I suspect that Paul was just at loose ends after Back To The Egg, really.  

Agree Geoff ,although Bowie's "Scary Monsters" from (1980) was great

Quoted from DaveRam

Agree Geoff ,although Bowie's "Scary Monsters" from (1980) was great

Yeah, that was a good one, but most of the action around that time was all in the alternative thing. Bowie fits better there too, come to think of it.  

Quoted from Geoff

Yeah, that was a good one, but most of the action around that time was all in the alternative thing. Bowie fits better there too, come to think of it.  

God ive just rememberd i was 19 year old in 1980 .

I think it's not that bad as many said. I give this album 3.0 stars.
"Coming Up", "Waterfalls" and "One Of These Days" are fantastic. I really like the instrumentals too, really funny. Another favourite is "Nobody Knows".

The album reached #1 in the UK and #3 in the U.S. So it was a hit at least.

Quoted from wingsman

Another favourite is "Nobody Knows".

Yep, a good throwaway.  

Clip of Paul talking about McCartney II from about the time of its release:

Wow! Thanks for posting! I love the little smile where he says, "nothing against Frank, mind you!"
Young and more carefree back then, wasn't he? Understandable, given what was to follow.

'Coming Up' is a good song, but not the version on the album. Thats just another strike against the record. The single and live versions were so much better than the dull, slower version on the album.

Thanks for posting that lovely interview Geoff , he seemed really relaxed then .
Spooky he said all The Beatles  " were still alive and kicking " i found that chilling knowing what was to come .

This is another interview with Paul from 1980, but it's a bit earlier:

Are you trying to spook us all out????!!

Quoted Text

Nice avatar, by the way: I thought of using that one myself.

Thanks man. It's my favorite picture from one of my favorite Beatle years!

That one with Paul and the guitar is pretty humorous.  Who is this Kevin Keegan guy he keeps on clowning on?

British footballer with dodgy haircut!

OK Psycho. . .

-Happy Gilmore

How does originality in the music scene relate to Kevin Keegan?

Quoted from dcowboys107

Who is this Kevin Keegan guy he keeps on clowning on?

Link here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jan/20/newcastleunited.premierleague


...and dreadful 1979 Keegan video here (embedding disabled, sorry):

I sent the boys round! (Paul).

My Mum used to call him Mrs.Keegan because of the perm

He looks- and sounds- like a guy who was rejected at a casting call for Xanadu.  

He was the England football manager for a short time

Quoted from DaveRam

He was the England football manager for a short time

So he wasn't any better at football than he was at disco?  

I still think "Temporary Secretary" is an awesome track!

Someone once wrote in a forum that one of Paul's greatest strengths is also one of his fatal weaknesses.  They were writing about his eclectic musical output, and I agree.

Most bands have a "sound" which may or may not evolve over time. Sometimes a band will experiment with different "styles" or genres, and apply them to their songs, but in a way that leaves the foundation of their "sound" intact.

But not Paul.

Every 70's and 80's album seemed to be a complete musical departure from the one before it.  I think during the Beatles, this tendency was tempered by the other Beatles and George Martin, but left to his own, Paul was often extreme. The problem with this is, it alienates casual fans. Paul picked up a bunch of new fans with 'Back To the Egg', that eagerly waited for the next album, only to be dumbfounded by 'McCartney II'. Likewise, fans of Paul's softer 'Band On The Run' or 'Red Rose Speedway' rock sound were confused by 'Back to the Egg'.

'McCartney II' is an OK listen, but it should never have been a mainstream release. What he should have done instead was a LIVE album of new songs with a consistent sound like the 'Coming Up' single. This is what the public wanted, (supported by the fact 'Coming Up' topped the charts). A few songs from 'McCartney II' could have made it to such a live project with some reworking, maybe a few unreleased songs...

How awesome would that have been?

Quoted from jjs

'McCartney II' is an OK listen, but it should never have been a mainstream release. What he should have done instead was a LIVE album of new songs with a consistent sound like the 'Coming Up' single. This is what the public wanted, (supported by the fact 'Coming Up' topped the charts). A few songs from 'McCartney II' could have made it to such a live project with some reworking, maybe a few unreleased songs...

Good suggestion: the live version of "Coming Up" was from Wings' fall 1979 UK tour, which was intended to promote Back To The Egg, and the only other McCartney II era song performed on that tour was Wonderful Christmas Time, presumably because it was Paul's new single. Who knows; if Paul hadn't landed himself in a Japanese jail in 1980 because of carelessness with those "herbal jazz cigarettes," maybe there would have been a tour to support McCartney II some time in 1980?  

I think Nobody Knows and On The Way , would have sounded great live .
I always liked Nobody Knows , think there is a great little rocking single there , Paul should have done this track with a full band ?

IMHO "One Of These Days" along with "Waterfalls" are the stand out tracks that save the album from being a "Press To Play" or "Driving Rain" semi disaster.