"Flaming Pie"

"1) The Song We Were Singing (3:54): Alternates between half-spoken verses obviously addressed to John Lennon -- "For a while we could sit, smoke a pipe, discuss all the vast intricasies of life" over acoustic guitar, and a more heavily produced, sung chorus -- "But we always came back to the song were singing at any particular time" -- that is pure McCartney. Features him playing the Bill Black standup bass. As with much of the album (and much of his solo work), this is one that has to grow on you with repeated listenings (and does!).
2) The World Tonight (4:06): Previously previewed in Beatlefan/EXTRA! #75 and Beatlefan #105, this one features Macca and Jeff Lynne on guitar.
3) If You Wanna (4:37): Written with Steve Miller and recorded in May '95 at The Mill, this is the best bet for album radio airplay with its rousing acoustic guitar and electric solo; this is the "air guitar" track (judging by my son's enthusiastic reaction). The lyrics are pretty weak, though ("If you wanna, if you wanna do it again" and "If you wanna love me, this is what you need. To be thinking of me when you plant the seed of love.") The latter's from the very catchy chorus.
4) Somedays (4:15): Previously previewed, except George Martin's orchestration has been remixed since the advance sampler tape, with the first "laughing" flutes and the snare drums completely eliminated. A beautiful (if somewhat melancholy) ballad, with Macca playing solo Spanish guitar.
5) Young Boy (3:54): Previously previewed, this number was recorded in February '95 in Idaho with Miller, who plays guitar. That's Macca on the Hammond organ at the end.
6) Calico Skies (2:32): An acoustic love song that almost feels like an Irish folk tune, with Macca solo on acoutic guitar. He told Billboard he wrote it in '91 during a storm/blackout. Interesting, since this very pretty tune is the album's sunniest song.
7) Flaming Pie (2:29): A bit underwhelming on first listen, it has a very loose feel (it was recorded in only four hours) with rollicking piano; reminiscent of a White Album era outtake. Inspired by Lennon's joking explanation of The Beatles' name but has no overt references to either in the tonue-in-cheek lyrics, which are deliberately sassy/nonsensical, though not al all Lennonesque ("I took my brains out and stretched 'em on the rack, now I'm not sure I'm ever gonna get 'em back").
8) Heaven On a Sunday (4:27): Very pretty Macca Lite a la "Distractions" on "Flowers In the Dirt." It has a bossa nova beat. Best part is the guitar interplay between Macca on acoustic and son James on electric. James' Hendrixish squealing solos are a surprising departure from the rest of the track.
9) Used To Be Bad (4:12): An upbeat blues rocker recorded in one take at The Miller with Miller and Macca trading off the vocal. The lyrics are basically blues cliches ad-libbed during what sounds like a fun session.
10 Souvenir (3:42): A gospel-tinged number with an unusual but memorable melodic structure. Like a couple of other tracks, it harkens back to the "Ram"/Red Rose Speedway" period. Fades out with the crackling sound of a 78 RPM record.
11) Little Willow (2:58): Written for the children of a recently deceased friend, this is an acoustic trifle full of "time will heal your wounds" sentiment. Pleasant, but this and the album's final track are the weakest selections.
12) Really Love You (5:18): Credited to McCartney-Starkey, it grew out of a jam with Macca on bass, Ringo Starr on drums and Jeff Lynne on guitar. The Fabs' old rhythm section lays down a funky R&B groove while Macca provides a raucous vocal.
13) Beautiful Night (5:08): Written a decade ago and recorded in May '96, this is one of my favorites. A piano-based tune with immediately recognizable Ringo drumming, it has an irresistable, gorgeous chorus that is vintage McCartney. The most elaborately produced track on the album (with Martin's orchestration), it has a false ending that gives way to an upbeat reprise with all singing. Ends with Ringo declaring, "Lordy, lordy."
14) Great Day (2:09): A last minute addition as an acoustic coda to the album. Not a great song, but not bad; rather in the mode of the "McCartney" album (complete with Linda's backing vocals). Overall, it's an album that features few knockout punches, but creeps up on you. I like the looser, less polished feel and the unexpected time changes and quicks in the arrangements."

Beatlefan/Extra! also says there is a possibility that the album release date will be moved to May 13. It says the U.S. CD single "The World Tonight" will be released April 17. The B-sides, as mentioned below, will be the same as CDR-6462.

Update (3/31/97): "Flaming Pie" U.S. press release:

Paul McCartney's 'Flaming Pie' Hits Stores May 20th

Recording to be McCartney's first solo release in four years

   NEW YORK, March 31 -- "Flaming Pie", Paul
McCartney's much anticipated solo album, which takes its
title from Beatles mythology, is set to hit stores on
Tuesday, May 20th.
  His first studio recording in four years, "Flaming Pie"
marks the first album release by a Beatle since "The Beatles
Anthology", which scored three consecutive *1 recordings and
a *1 longform video.  McCartney says he was "inspired in the
making of  "Flaming Pie" by the Anthology, which reminded him
of the songwriting standards and the fun of The Beatles."

   "Flaming Pie" features 14 songs, almost all written by
McCartney during "The Beatles Anthology" campaign, and includes
bass, guitar, piano and drum performances by McCartney, as
well as appearances by Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Steve Miller
and Linda McCartney.

   The album release will also coincide with the worldwide
screening of a new one hour television documentary on Paul
McCartney, filmed by Grammy Award- winning Beatles Anthology
director Geoff Wonfor.  The documentary, which brings the
McCartney story up to date, will air in 30 countries around
the world.  Negotiations are underway in the United States
and an airdate is expected in mid-May.

   The first single from "Flaming Pie," "The World Tonight",
will be released by Capitol Records in late April along with
a video directed by Wonfor.  The album will be released with
a 24-page booklet, complete with personal liner notes by
McCartney and Linda McCartney photographs.

   "Flaming Pie" comes 30 years to the week after the release
of The Beatles' seminal album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts
Club Band" and 40 years after the first meeting between
McCartney and John Lennon.

SOURCE  Capitol Records

"The World Tonight" (which had the rumored working title of "I Saw You Sitting") ...a midtempo soft-rock number, it has a great guitar hook and Macca singing much of the time in a lower register. There are no obvious Lynne-isms (aside from some subtle vocal effects in a couple of places) but the mix is reminiscent of his Traveling Wilburys work. The lyrics, which appear to be about the trials of dealing with fame, features one line likely to be widely quoted by fans: "I go back so far I'm in front of me."
"Young Boy," which unconfirmed reports tout as the likely first single from the album, is quite reminiscent of the sound of "Hope of Deliverance". The moderately upbeat acoustic-guitar-based number takes a paternalistic view of a young man (James?) look for love who's "gotta do it himself." The chorus curiously advises that if you find love, "it might come looking for you." There's a very McCartneyesque electric guitar solo and a nice twist to the arrangement has the song slowing down over organ backing toward the end.
"Somedays" is a deceptively lovely tune that, in time-honored McCartney fashion, grows on you with repeated listenings. A rather world-weary McCartney sings over acoustic guitar with the (George) Martin orchestration gradually coming in and building. The harp, flutes, strings and woodwinds give it an almost baroque feel, and there are even some military-type snares thrown in . Lyrically, the song could easily be read as dealing with Linda and her illness, as he sings, "Some days I look, I look at you with eyes that shine." Also: "Sometimes it's hard, it's hard to know which way to turn" and "Some days I cry, I cry for those who fear the worst." As he so often does, though, Macca lapses into pat sentiment on his chorus: "Inside each ones of us is love and we know how it feels." But that doesn't keep the songs from being quite affecting. If the sampler is any indication, "Flaming Pie" won't be one of McCartney's more rocking efforts, but it could be one of his more interesting ones, stylistically."

1. The Song We Were Singing (McCartney) 3:50
2. The World Tonight (McCartney) 4:02 (rock 'n roll)
3. If You Wanna (McCartney) 4:32 
4. Somedays (McCartney) 4:23  (Ballad w/acoustic guitar & strings)
5. Youngboy (McCartney) 3:55 (Up tempo)
6. Calico Skies (McCartney) 2:33
7. Flaming Pie (McCartney) 2:34
8. Heaven On A Sunday (McCartney) 4:25 (Ballad)
9  Used To Be Bad (McCartney/Miller) 4:08 (Straight rock ' roll)
10. Souvenir (McCartney) 3:34
11. Little Willow (McCartney) 2:56 (Simple Ballad)
12. Really Love You (McCartney/Starkey) 5:18 (rock 'n roll)
13. Beautiful Night (McCartney) 5:03 (Ballad)
14. Great Day (not in original track list)
Artiste:     Paul McCartney
Produced by: Paul McCartney 3,4,5, & 9
                         Paul McCartney & Jeff Lynne 1,2,7,8,10,11,12& 13
                         Paul McCartney & George Martin 6

Track 9: Steve Miller - First Vocal

Tracks 11 & 13: Ringo Starr - Drums

Jeff Lynne playing on tracks 1,2,6,8,10,11,12 & 13

Steve Miller playing on tracks 3, 5 & 9

Strings to be added to track 13