Artistic re-rendering of the White Album (officially called The Beatles) cover made of simple polygons.

202: Honey Pie

Having listened again carefully, and after all I said about Rocky Racoon, I feel a bit churlish having ranked this as low as 202.
On re-listening it is a charming pastiche, and George Martin’s woodwind band arrangement seems really authentic. Everything has been done carefully, and it sounds as if the Beatles had fun with it.

Beatles BibleThe Beatles Bible

Sharing little more than a title with ‘Wild Honey Pie’, this pastiche of the British music hall style was written by Paul McCartney for the White Album.

The Beatles (White Album) artworkContinue reading on Beatles Bible →
WikipediaWikipedia
"Honey Pie" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1968 double album The Beatles (also known as the "White Album"). The song was written entirely by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.
Continue reading on Wikipedia →

This is another light-hearted Paul McCartney song which, in this case, vividly conjures up the era of Gracie Fields and Hollywood silent movies. I was sure I had remembered a touch of a Noel Coward impression in it, but I couldn’t pick it up this time around. [In retrospect, I think I was remembering the solo song Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.]

It’s amazing that this is on the same album as Helter Skelter and Blackbird.

This is a matter of taste, but the only reason it is not ranked more highly is that for me a pastiche necessarily feels a bit “inauthentic”, and that in the context of the album it tends to dilute the effect of the more powerful or thoughtful songs.

For a once-in-a-generation bona fide musical genius McCartney has come in for a lot of unfair criticism from people who could not create anything a thousandth as good in a lifetime as he might do in an afternoon.

It always drives me nuts.

And here am I doing the same thing.

Thankfully he had the perfect comeback, as pointed out here by @paulgcornish.bsky.social:

23 days until MaccaSilly Love SongsYou have to admit, responding to all the critics that say you write too many silly love songs by having a huge number 1 hit called Silly Love Songs that asks the question "what's wrong with silly love songs?" is a hell of a flex.youtu.be/ap87QgZKTNw?…

Paul Cornish (@paulgcornish.bsky.social) 2024-11-22T10:29:03.975Z

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