The "Lost" McCartney Gem

 

Paul McCartney, 1987

I expect literally no one to like this song.

Yet, when I heard it a few months back, I was pretty stunned. We know the 80s weren't great to Paul McCartney. "Ebony and Ivory" is the only song I ever blocked on my CD player (ah, such technology) and of course, there was the pain of his work with Michael Jackson.

I mean, "The Girl is Mine" is so bad I cringed just typing the title.

There were a few gems, such as "No More Lonely Nights" which I have come to appreciate and hold higher with age.

"My Brave Face" was solid work with Elvis Costello giving Paul a bit of a boost. Of course, there are others but many classic rock gods struggled with the 80s.

By 1987, a compilation of Macca's solo work was being assembled. "All The Best!" had the usual traits of the era: the hits with a new song or two.

Except, it didn't have the song on the U.S. version of the album.

That song was called "Once Upon a Long Ago." Oh, it's an 80s song and there's no question. The production is straight out of the era. So are the saxophone, violin, melody, and echo vocal.

And, yet, I love it. I don't think I had ever heard it, in part because it was never released in the US and is still basically difficult to find. It reached number 10 on the charts in the UK.

I finally heard it for sure on The Beatles Channel on Sirius XM. A channel for nuts like me, there are specialty shows hosted by, essentially, the same four or five people (or at least so it seems).

Anyway, I heard it with no introduction, and, well, it struck me. I had initially decided to just keep what I felt was a guilty pleasure to myself and those who have ever heard it but with Sir Paul's birthday happening (it's after midnight on the 18th in England as I write), I figured I'll take the risk.

The deeper backstory of the song fascinates me just as much. The song had been written for Freddie Mercury to duet with McCartney in a potential greatness overload. Schedules wouldn't allow the duet to happen. 

Also, the song was initially composed for the movie "The Princess Bride."

Alas, none of it mattered. "Once Upon a Long Ago" -- perhaps more McCartney fluff to you -- didn't appear in "The Princess Bride" and Freddie Mercury didn't sing on it. It had, as I said, a limited release around the world, and virtually no presence in the United States.

Is it an all-time great McCartney song? I'm not saying that. I'm also not saying it would have been a hit in the States either, given the choppy 80s for Paul.

But, I like it. 

Music is subjective, right. I mean, while most hate "Wonderful Christmastime" and a few other Macca songs, I appreciate them or like them. 

So, I guess I don't apologize nor do I expect you to come away loving it either.

You can listen to "Once Upon a Long Ago" in all its gooey 80s schmaltzy glory here.