Paul McCartney’s catalog is so vast and consistently sharp that it’s difficult to find any forgettable albums. Then again, there are also specific LPs that time has shown to be standouts from the pack. We can certainly count Flaming Pie, released in 1997, as one of them.
Videos by American Songwriter
Even considering some CD-era bloat (the album is 14 songs long), Flaming Pie possesses hardly any weak moments. Here are some of the stories behind the making of this Macca classic.
Lynne Makes an Impression
McCartney took a four-year break in between new studio albums, a hiatus that took him from Off The Ground in 1993 to Flaming Pie in 1997. The main reason was so he could concentrate on the massive undertaking that was The Beatles Anthology. During that project, he and the other living Beatles worked with Jeff Lynne to revive a pair of John Lennon demos. McCartney clearly enjoyed the experience. He employed Lynne as co-producer on eight of the 14 songs on Flaming Pie, including the thrilling lead single “The World Tonight”.
A Nod to John
For many years, the former Beatles reluctantly mentioned or hinted at their former band in song. And when they did, it was often in a less than pleasing light. (Consider John Lennon’s “God”, for one.) But by the time the 90s rolled around, they feared this kind of self-referential approach much less. Hence, Paul McCartney didn’t hesitate to title a song and the album after John Lennon’s far-fetched story about the origin of The Beatles’ name. Lennon famously suggested that a magical man on a “Flaming Pie” had given him the moniker.
Miller and Macca Reunite
The track “Used To Be Bad” features McCartney singing and playing along with fellow classic rock legend Steve Miller. Considering the chemistry they showed on the track, you might swear that they worked together before. Well, they had. In 1969, Miller happened into Olympic Studios to work on some ideas. He found McCartney there. Paul was stewing over an argument he had just experienced with the other Beatles. Macca channeled his frustration into helping Miller with “My Dark Hour”, a cathartic gem found on Miller’s album Brave New World.
An Ode to an Old Friend
McCartney never shied away from writing songs about personal experiences. But he generally managed to cloak his inspiration in such a way that the songs were universal. Think back to how he wrote “Hey Jude” for Julian Lennon. “Little Willow”, one of the most haunting songs on Flaming Pie, came from similar cloth. McCartney was reacting to the recent death of Maureen Starkey Tigrett, Ringo Starr’s first wife, who died of cancer in 1994. “Little Willow” was meant as a pick-me-up to her surviving children.
A Decade in the Making
“Beautiful Night”, the stirring penultimate track on Flaming Pie, shows that you should never give up on a track. McCartney first tried recording it all the way back in 1986, using some members of Billy Joel’s band. He then attempted it on at least two more occasions. Finally, he decided that he’d bring it back for Flaming Pie. To give it a very Beatlesque feel, McCartney handled all the rock instrumentation save drums, which were played by Ringo Starr. Meanwhile, George Martin arranged the strings and brass.
Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.