From Age To Age, Vol.1 & Vol.2 

Front cover  

Home-made compilation,
2003,
Total Playing Time CD1: 79:26
Total Playing Time CD2: 79:24
Sound Quality: good.

Various live performances by Paul McCartney from
1985 to 2002 and some bonus singles at the end of CD 2.
The tracks were downloaded from Internet and decoded from a MP3 format to a CD audio format. 
After the tracklist follow some comments and pictures about various events relating to the CD tracks.


CD 1 Track list :

1  Let It Be   Lennon / McCartney  4:18 Saturday July 13 & 14, 1985 -
Live Aid Concert
2  Golden Slumbers / 
 Carry That Weight / The End 
 Lennon / McCartney  6:11 Monday September 15, 1997 -
Montserrat
3  Blue Suede Shoes   Carl Perkins  2:14 Monday March 15, 1999 -
Rock & Roll Of Fame
4  Let It Be   Lennon / McCartney  5:08
5  All My Loving   Lennon / McCartney  3:14 Saturday April 10, 1999 -
Linda McCartney Tribute - Albert Hall
6  Jim Carrey's Introduction    1:14 October 20, 2001 -
Madison Square Garden-
Concert For New York City

Whole concert.

7  I'm Down   Lennon / McCartney  2:27
8  Lonely Road   Paul McCartney  4:17
9  From A Lover To A Friend   Paul McCartney   3:44
10  Yesterday   Lennon / McCartney  3:35
11  Freedom   Paul McCartney  3:27
12  Let It Be   Lennon / McCartney  5:24
13  Freedom (reprise, finale)  Paul McCartney  4:30
14  I'm Down   Lennon / McCartney  2:14 October 20, 2001 -
Madison Square Garden-
Concert For New York City

Remixed tracks.

15  Yesterday   Lennon / McCartney  2:42
16  Let It Be   Lennon / McCartney  5:26
17  Freedom (reprise, finale)  Paul McCartney  4:04
18  Freedom   Paul McCartney  3:52 Sunday February 3, 2002 -
Super Bowl
18: Short & High-pitched version.
19: Long & Low-pitched version.
19  Freedom   Paul McCartney  4:41
20  Yesterday   Lennon / McCartney  6:44 February 25, 2002 -
Liverpool - Harrison Tribute Concert

CD 2 Track list :

1  Her Majesty   Lennon / McCartney  0:46 June 3, 2002 -
Queen's Jubilee

Tracks 9 & 10: alternate sources.

2  Blackbird  Lennon / McCartney  2:30
3  While My Guitar Gently Weeps  George Harrison  5:31
4  All You Need Is Love  Lennon / McCartney  7:21
5  Prince Charles' Speech    7:16
6  Hey Jude  Lennon / McCartney  7:17
7  Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts 
 Club (Reprise) / The End
 Lennon / McCartney  3:59
8  George Martin's Speech    1:43
9  While My Guitar Gently Weeps  George Harrison  5:34
10  All You Need Is Love  Lennon / McCartney  3:37
11  While My Guitar Gently Weeps  George Harrison  6:33 Friday November 29, 2002 -
GEORGE HARRISON TRIBUTE CONCERT- 
Royal Albert Hall

12: High-pitched version.
13: Low-pitched version.

12  For You Blue  George Harrison  2:51
13  For You Blue  George Harrison  3:08
14  All Things Must Pass  George Harrison   3:51
15  Something  George Harrison   5:21
SINGLES BONUS
16  Ferry 'Cross The Mersey  Chadwick/Marsden 3:55 1989 
17  Maybe Baby  Holly / Petty  1:57 June, 2000.
From the movie 'MAYBE BABY'
18  I'm Partial To Your Abracadabra   Dury / Jankel  3:32 April, 2001.
From the album 'BRAND NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES'
19  Vanilla Sky  Paul McCartney  2:42 2001.
From the movie 'VANILLA SKY'

REVIEW

Comments are not mine. They were collected from the WEB, or taken from excellent books like Keith Badman's "Beatles Diary - Volume 2: After The Break Up 1970-2001" or Bill Harry's "Paul McCartney Encyclopedia".


Saturday July 13 & 14, 1985
Let It Be - Live Aid Concert

At Wembley Stadium in London Paul is one of many top rock stars to perform before a crowd of 90,000, as part of the massive Live Aid concerts. The all-day event is organised by former Boomtown Rat Bob Geldof, who, only eight months previously, had arranged the " Do They Know It's Christmas? "/ " Feed The World " single. Like that, this Live Aid concert is aimed at raising funds for the starving people in Africa. Simultaneously in Philadelphia, another fundraising concert is being held and the entire event in both England and America, is televised live around the world throughout the day and also broadcast live, simultaneously, on the radio. It attracts the largest worldwide television audience in history, estimated at over 1.5 billion people! Paul's appearance comes at the close of the Wembley concert when he performs 'Let It Be' solo at a piano. Unfortunately, due to a mishap by Queen's technicians, the lead on Paul's microphone fails to function during the first half of the song. Eventually Paul's vocals ring out loud and clear and the audience sing along with him, and as they do, Paul is joined on stage by Geldof, Pete Townshend, David Bowie and Alison Moyet. Paul as well as Linda remains on stage for the finale, when all the stars of the Wembley concert reappear to sing " Do They Know It s Christmas? "
The day after his Live Aid appearance, Paul records a new studio version of Let It Be at the BBC TV Centre in Wood Lane, London. He overdubs a new vocal on top of his visual Live Aid performance for use should it ever be released officially. This never happens, although a brief clip of this new 'vocalised' Live Aid performance does appear in the BBC2 Live Aid highlights programme which is transmitted on December 31.
Paul performing Let It Be
Bono and Paul

Monday September 15, 1997
Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End - Montserrat

Paul stars alongside Eric Clapton, Elton John, Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler, Sting and Carl Perkins in a charity event at the Royal Albert Hall in London, organised by George Martin to raise funds for the British Dependency of Montserrat, stricken by the recent volcanic eruptions.
Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, George Martin, Sting Martin remarks: "I am delighted that we look set to raise so much money for the long-suffering people of Montserrat. I am very grateful to all the wonderful
musicians who will perform in the concert. I'm going to Montserrat in the next few weeks to see for myself where the money raised should be spent to the best effect. "

All the stars of the concert have, at one time or another, used George Martin's AIR Montserrat Studios on the island. Further money for the cause is raised by special pay-per-view screenings on the Sky Box Office station. The broadcast, lasting two hours 45 minutes, is transmitted daily from September 16-19. On total, an estimated $1 million is expected to be raised from the show.)
For the concert Paul, following afternoon rehearsals, performs a solo acoustic version of " Yesterday ", followed by "Golden Slumbers", " Carry That Weight " and " The End " with an all-star line-up of Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton and Phil Collins on drums. For encores he sings 'Hey Jude', duetting on piano with Elton John, and they are joined on stage by Sting, Midge Ure, Carl Perkins and others. The show closes with an all-star jam on 'Kansas City'/'Hey, Hey Hey Hey'
( The concert is transmitted live on the radio station Heart FM ).

Monday March 15, 1999
Blue Suede Shoes - Let It Be - RnR Hall Of Fame

At the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City, Paul is inducted at the 14th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony. Among those in the star-studded gathering this evening are Elton John, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, U2 singer Bono, and Julian Lennon. Accepting the award following an induction speech by Neil Young, Paul remarks: "This is a brilliant night for me but it's sad too. I would have liked my baby to be with me. She wanted this."
During his investiture, where he is recognised for his work with The Beatles and as a solo artist, Paul is joined on stage by his daughter Stella, who is wearing a vest adorned by the slogan: "About fucking time!" Paul also remarks: "By the way, while we're here, you've got me, you've got John in this, what about George and Ringo?"

Later, and to the delight of 1,500 guests who had paid $2,000 a head, Paul takes to the stage where, along with the evening's all-star line-up, he performs 'Blue Suede Shoes', "What'd I Say" and, as the finale, 'Let It Be'. Paul had left the stage while Springsteen, Wilson Pickett, The Staple Singers, Mellissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill and others performed Curtis Mayfield's 'People Get Ready'. He reappears on stage when he hears the opening chords of 'Let It Be', played by Billy Joel, and sings 'Let It Be' standing at the microphone backed by a showcase of talent including Bono, Eric Clapton, Robbie Robertson and Joel on piano. (Paul did not bring a guitar with him and, apparently a member of the Hall Of Fame staff admitted that they "could not find him one!") At the conclusion of 'Let It Be', by which time it is now 12:45am, Paul shouts to the audience : "Thank you, it's time to go home. This is a great night, yeah?"

Backstage at the press conference, Paul is asked about his future plans. "I've just recorded some rock'n'roll songs last week," Paul confirms, "so that's coming out at some time.  He does not take too kindly to his final question, whether "making the Hall Of Fame as a solo act provides a closure for him." He replies: "What closure? What am I gonna do, die next week? I'm just gonna keep on keeping on! Thank you very much everybody, see ya." With this, he is gone. (Paul's daughter Stella had been by Paul's sideonly briefly at the start of the questions.)
Paul's award
Stella McCartney and her dad Also inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this evening is the late Dusty Springfield, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Curtis Mayfield and The Beatles' producer George Martin, who remarks: "I am very honoured to be placed in a galaxy alongside many of my own heroes."

The three-hour television transmission of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame event begins screenings on VH-1 in America on Wednesday March 17 and is repeated several times. (Coverage of the event is also featured on various news bulletins including CNN Showbiz Today, the following day and in the UK, on BBC ITN and SKY, also on Tuesday March 16.)

Paul is seen leaving the Waldorf Astoria hotel at approximately 2:30am after attending a private party given by Bruce Springsteen.

Saturday April 10, 1999
All My Loving - Linda McCartney Tribute - Albert Hall
Tonight at the Royal Albert Hall in London, in a show hosted by the comic Eddie Izzard and organised by Chrissie Hynde, Paul, along with an all-star cast take part in a special tribute concert for Paul's late wife Linda. The performers include The Pretenders Elvis Costello, Sinead O'Connor, Tom Jones, George Michael, Marianne Faithfull, Lynden David Hall, Des'ree, Johnny Marr, Neil Finn and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. At the conclusion of the show, entitled "Here, There And Everywhere - A Concert For Linda", Paul appears on stage to perform the Ricky Nelson song 'Lonesome Town', a track that he and Linda used to listen to separately back in the Fifties, 'All My Loving' and, as part of an all-star finale, 'Let It Be'.

Photo taken by Colin Barratt

The first highlights broadcast of the show takes place oneweek later on BBC Radio Two on Saturday April 17, between 7:30 and 9:00pm.

The TV premiere of the show will not take place until the following day, Sunday April 18, broadcast on BBC1 between 22:35pm and 12:05am as a 90-minute show, also entitled Here, There And Everywhere - A Concert For Linda. (Neither programme features the finale version of 'Let It Be'.) 

To celebrate the show, a picture of Paul and Linda (circa 1972) appears on the front page of this week's TV and radio listings magazine, the Radio Times (April 17-23) in a story headlined "For The Love Of Linda", which features an exclusive interview with the comedy writer Caria Lane, a fellow animal rights campaigner and long-time friend of the McCartneys.

Photo taken by Colin Barratt


October 20, 2001
I'm Down - Lonely Road - From A Lover To A Friend - Yesterday - Freedom - 
Let It Be -
Madison Square Garden / Concert For New York City
October 20th; the Madison Square Garden benefit night - now dubbed by media as Paul McCartney's Concert For New York - is performed to an audience of some 18,000 at the Garden and to tens of millions on TV around the world. Some 6,000 tickets are given free to firefighters, police, emergency service workers and their families. The hall of fame line-up includes: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Elton John, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, The Who, James Taylor, Buddy Guy, John Mellencamp, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi, Jay Z, Destiny's Child, The Backstreet Boys and Macy Gray. In addition to the top grade musicians, A-list celebrities join the night - including: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Harrison Ford, Susan Sarandon, Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, John Cusack, Michael J. Fox, Halle Berry, Christy Turlington, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Spike Lee, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Howard Stern, along with President Bill Clinton and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. 
--

Paul closes the six-hour show with I'm Down, Lonely Road, From A Lover To A Friend, Yesterday and Freedom - followed by an all-stars-on-stage performance of Let It Be. The benefit night ends with another all-star performance, of Freedom - for which police and firefighters climb out of the audience to join Paul and his all-star choir on stage for a final and moving encore. The Concert For New York becomes VH1's most-watched programme in the music TV station's history and raises tens of millions of dollars for families of the victims of the September 11th attacks.

Due to demand for Freedom from radio stations across the USA, Capitol Records adds the track to Paul's upcoming album Driving Rain. Paul then decides that due to the nature of the Freedom anthem, it too will be released as a charity single to benefit the New York police and firefighters, and then confounds convention by releasing the Freedom single just one week after the release of the initial benefit song From A Lover To A Friend.


Sunday February 3, 2002
Freedom - Super Bowl
On Sept. 13 of last year, Paul McCartney sat down and wrote the song Freedom for a benefit performance that took place at Madison Square Garden a month later. 

On Feb. 3, the legendary singer/songwriter performed it again -- this time before Super Bowl XXXVI in front of a sold-out Superdome crowd and 800 million people watching on TV. 

The song is featured on McCartney's new CD, Driving Rain. Now that you've seen the pregame performance, you can add Sir Paul to your download collection!


February 25, 2002
Yesterday - Liverpool - Harrison Tribute Concert


LIVERPOOL, England -- Sir Paul McCartney performed "Yesterday" in memory of his former band mate George Harrison at a tribute concert in The Beatles' hometown.
McCartney took to the stage at the end of Sunday night's show and dedicated his a cappella version of the hit to the man he called "my baby brother." "I thought I should just come on and say how much George would have loved this," McCartney told the cheering crowd of 2,300 at the Empire Theatre.

McCartney altered the lyrics slightly in Harrison's memory, singing: "Why he had to go, he would not say."

The concert, which will benefit cancer charities, was held on the day Harrison celebrated as his birthday -- which records show as falling on February 25. Harrison, who died of cancer on November 29, would have been 59.

Beatles' contemporaries Gerry and the Pacemakers and other Liverpool musicians also performed.

Before the show, McCartney recalled meeting Harrison as a teenager while riding the bus to school. "We go way back," McCartney said. "We both used to live in Speke and he used to get on the bus one stop after me. We used to have a half an hour on the bus to talk about guitars and music and stuff like that. "He was a lovely bloke. He gave a lot to the world -- his music and his spirituality. He was always a very strong man. I think he would be delighted with this," he added.


June 3, 2002
Queen's Jubilee
Her Majesty / Blackbird / While My Guitar Gently Weeps / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise)-The End / All You Need Is Love / Hey Jude

--
The Queen's Jubilee, on June 3 and 4, was celebrated in fine style, with a spectacular series of events that drew in the entire nation, not to mention a television audience of 200 million viewers. 

The list of events blended high state services, including a processional, church services, and an appearance by the Queen on the balcony of the Palace, with parades, concerts, theatre, illuminations, and the Party at the Palace concert, featuring a lineup of stars that included Atomic Kitten, Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Phil Collins, the Corrs, Ray Davies, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Tom Jones, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Annie Lennox, Ricky Martin, Paul McCartney, Ozzy Osbourne, Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart, Brian Wilson, and yes, Queen, paying tribute to Her Majesty.


Friday November 29, 2002
GEORGE HARRISON TRIBUTE CONCERT
For You Blue
/ Something / All Things Must Pass / While My Guitar Gently Weeps

--
ROYAL ALBERT HALL
LONDON, ENGLAND

Friends, family, fellow musicians and fans of George Harrison gathered in London on Friday, November 29, 2002 to honor his life and music.

As 5,000 fans settle into their expensive seats, George Harrison's old Rickenbacker guitar sits alone onstage beneath a picture of the former 'quiet' Beatle, who went on to seek enlightenment and happiness away from the spotlight.

The first half of the show - 12 months since his death - features the Indian music George loved so much, courtesy of Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka, who plays tonight's specially written piece, 'Ape' (pronounced Arpa, meaning to give), and is simply breathtaking. Monty Python's Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Neil Innes then change the mood somewhat with 'Sit On My Face', before leaving bare arsed beneath their waiters' aprons as Michael Palin begins a comedy tribute that breaks off for the legendary 'Lumberjack Song'.

Still reeling from that surreal spectacle, Jeff Lynne joins Eric and the house band for a stomping, spell-binding 'I Want To Tell You' from 'Revolver' and then, while we're still trying to decide if George's son Dhani could possibly look anymore like his dad up there playing guitar, they spin out the sparkling opening salvo of 'If I Needed Someone'. Magnificent. 'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)' - featuring more bottlenecks than the M6 - and then Joe Brown, George's Best Man, joins us for a sweet version of the 'Abbey Road' classic, 'Here Comes The Sun'.

Next up, Tom Petty counts in the intro to 'Revolver''s famous 'Taxman'. It's a measure of George's skill and originality as a guitarist that Heartbreaker Mike Campbell comes nowhere near the controlled chaos of the original solo. Tom delves back in time to the 'Help!' set for 'I Need You' and then it's full on Travelling Wilburys for the single 'Handle With Care'.

Billy Preston takes over on organ for Clapton's 'Isn't It A Pity', but, by now, we're getting restless for some more ex-Beatles, so Eric introduces "a man who loved George very much" and on comes Ringo to a standing ovation, all little legs and red velvet jacket. He thanks us for coming, stays clear of the drums and treats us to a version of the poignant 1973 Starr/Harrison hit 'Photograph' - "now all I have is a photograph to remind me..." - before reprising the Carl Perkins' classic 'Honey Don't' which he sang on 'Beatles For Sale' thirty eight years ago.

As if it couldn't get anymore awe-inspiring, Ringo then announces: "I'd like to introduce you to someone else who George loved very much... Mr Paul McCartney." We're all on our feet now as a sombrely dressed Paul acknowledges the cheers and leads the band (Ringo now on drums) in 'For You Blue' from 'Let It Be' - a thrilling moment for any Beatles fan. But Paul knows how to lighten the mood. He picks up a ukulele and tells us, "Sometimes we'd go round to George's for dinner and after, the ukes would come out. The last time I was there I said 'I've got one for you George' and it goes like this." Macca strums away in true George Formby style before singing the opening verse of 'Something' and the crowd cracks up. The band joins in quietly with this weird, comedy version of a true classic, but then we hit the guitar break and it's full on, original arrangement, as our hearts stop and that famous slide guitar soars up into the Gods. A spine-tingling moment.

'All Things Must Pass' is a perfect summation of tonight's celebration and a thirty two year old declaration of George's philosophy, played by his mates and his doppleganger son. Lump in the throat time for sure. And where do you go from here? Well, what about Macca at the piano and Ringo on drums for a towering 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', complete with a Clapton solo that must rank among his finest onstage moments - ever. So emotionally drained by now is the crowd that we need a release - to stand, stomp and sing along - so here comes 'My Sweet Lord' - possibly the only time 5,000 well-heeled music fans will ever be heard singing "Hare Krishna, Hare Hare" on the chorus. Then, after a short 'thank you' from Dhani, Joe Brown closes the night with one of George's favourite songs, the sweet and touching 'I'll See You In My Dreams', as a shower of petals falls gently from the ceiling.

Put this one down as one of those events that you really do feel privileged to have attended. George Harrison's music, his beliefs, his life, made him a one-off and that's exactly what this gig was.

by Andy Strickland (© dotmusic.com)

PAUL McCARTNEY & RINGO STARR

  • For You Blue
  • Something - Paul on ukulele; 2nd part, traditional version with ERIC CLAPTON and DHANI HARRISON, RINGO on drums

PAUL McCARTNEY

  • All Things Must Pass

ERIC CLAPTON

  • While My Guitar Gently Weeps with PAUL McCARTNEY on piano and RINGO STARR on drums

 


1989
Ferry 'Cross The Mersey 
 

One of the major British football disasters took place when Liverpool FC was playing Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough football ground in 1989. Ninety-five people were crushed to death.

Gerry Marsden decided to make a benefit record to aid relatives of the victims. He'd made a special version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' four years previously in aid of another football disaster at Bradford. On that particular record, in which Gerry had fifty artists participate under the name the Crowd, he had Paul contribute a few words on the B-side of the record, called 'Messages'.

That record topped the British charts. It also gave Gerry another unique record achievement: the first time that an artist had topped the British charts with a different version of the same number.

For the 'Mersey Aid/Hillsborough Fund', Gerry approached Pete Waterman of the hit production team Stock, Aitken and Waterman, who agreed on Gerry's choice of the number 'Ferry 'Cross The Mersey'. Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson of Frankie Goes to Hollywood and another Liverpool band, the Christians, were approached to participate in the recording.

Left: The Beatles Right: Gerry (Marsden) And The Pacemakers

Gerry recorded his part first and Paul and the Christians went in the studios together. Holly Johnson was in Germany at the time and recorded his vocals after the others had all finished. Waterman had to explain to Gerry that their recording technique was different from what he had in mind. He was to comment, 'He (Gerry) wrote it as a pop song. When we produced it with four artists, we did it as a tribute, which changed the whole meaning of why the song was being recorded. Gerry had recorded it with George Martin as a hit; we were now recording it with Paul McCartney and everybody else to raise money for a charity. We were creating an emotional message to wrench money out of people's pockets. Our job was to make money for an appeal and for that what we had to be mercenary'.

The record topped the British charts on 20 May 1989. Gerry Marsden was to comment, 'It was fun to think that Paul McCartney had returned, with me, to the top of the charts with a Marsden composition.'

By Bill Harry "The Paul McCartney Encyclopedia"

 


June, 2000
Maybe Baby - (From the movie 'MAYBE BABY')
--
Maybe Baby: a cover of the Buddy Holly number, recorded in September 1999. Following a PETA performance Paul met Jeff Lynne at Capitol Records and they recorded the number in Los Angeles. Paul's version of the number was released on Virgin Records CDV 2916 on 5 June 2000 on the soundtrack of the British film Maybe Baby.

By Bill Harry "The Paul McCartney Encyclopedia"


April, 2001
I'm Partial To Your Abracadabra - (From the album 'BRAND NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES')

--
A uniquely honest character, Ian Dury could never resist sending up the asinine world of the music industry, or indeed the world itself. His death last year shocked the UK music community, in which he'd made an awful lot of friends, as this tribute album proves.

Re-recording Dury's stellar 1977 album 'New Boots And Panties' with an all-star line-up was an inspired decision, as it conclusively proves that there was more to the man who called himself 'Durex' than 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick' and 'Reasons To Be Cheerful'.

Eight of the ten contributors to the album are backed by Dury's band The Blockheads for added authenticity. Sinead O'Connor is up first on 'Wake Up And Make Love With Me'. Her soft vocals bring out the sensual quality, and highlight the fact that this is a love song, albeit one written from Dury's unique down-to-earth perspective.

Ian Dury

Robbie Williams races through 'Sweet Gene Vincent', clearly relishing the wicked wordplay and putting on his best 'Cockney Geezer' voice. Paul McCartney, on the other hand, tackles 'I'm Partial To Your Abracadabra' very much in the vein of the rock'n'roll classics he covered on the 'Run Devil Run' album. And rightly so.

Madness suit 'My Old Man' down to the ground, and Suggs effortlessly gets into character. Ditto Billy Bragg on his and The Blokes' version of 'Billericay Dickie'. Wreckless Eric is the third of Dury's contemporaries and his 'Clever Trevor' is suitably downbeat.

Catatonia's Cerys Matthews, like Sinead, oozes warmth on 'If I Was With A Woman' while Grant Nicholas from Feeder manages the most punk rock performance of his career to date on the raucous 'Blockheads'.

Shane MacGowan staggers through the harrowing lyrics of 'Plaistow Patricia', propped up admirably by Sam Brown. And, for a finale, actor Keith Allen snarls and spits through 'Blackmail Man', which shows definitively how Dury could attack prejudice by bringing everyone down to his own lyrical worldview.

The whole album speeds by with barely pause for breath, with everyone putting their heart and soul into their track, and more importantly sounding completely thrilled to be there. A good job very well done. Wherever he is, Lord Upminster is surely smiling down.

Simon P. Ward (© dotmusic.com)

2001/ 2002
Vanilla Sky - (From the movie 'VANILLA SKY')
Paul received a Golden Globe Award nomination for composing 'Vanilla Sky', theme song for the film of the same name. 

Director Cameron Crowe had approached Paul, who wrote the song in four days. He said, 'All I had to do was watch forty minutes of the film to agree. I saw Cruise acting his heart out, and I thought Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz also delivered great performances. It's very exciting being nominated for a Golden Globe.'

He received an award for the song at the seventh annual Critics' Choice Awards, held in Beverly Hills, on Friday 11 January 2002.

He also won an award for the number at the 59th Golden Globes Award ceremony that took place on Sunday 20 January 2002 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, California.

The song was also nominated for an Academy Award as Best Original Song in 2002 and Paul performed it at the Oscars ceremony, although it didn't win.

When he was told of the nomination, Paul said, 'This is fantastic news, it's a great honour to be considered for an award such as this. We are thrilled and would like to thank all of the people responsible.'

Paul had previously been nominated for an Oscar for 'Live And Let Die' in 1971.

'Vanilla Sky' was in the repertoire of his Drivin' USA tour in 2002 and when he performed the number on stage he was joined by Rusty Anderson on a six-string acoustic guitar and Paul 'Wix' Wickens playing the flute part on keyboard.

 

25/3/2002, during the Oscar awards, McCartney was nominated for the song "Vanilla Sky". The surprise was that behind them were Jeff Lynne and Rosie Vela.