The Beatles (and McCartney solo), "Things We Said Today" (4 videos)

[highplainsdem]

3. Thanks for mentioning that website! It sounds amusing, and I also appreciate photos

of Paul in the Cutest Era ever, though it's hard to decide which era that was. I've been enjoying how beautiful he looks in the Peter Jackson documentary.

And yes, "Things We Said Today" was very sophisticated for the Beatles at that time.

I remember being stunned the first time I heard it. I can't remember whether it was on the radio, or from an early promo copy. (My dad worked in radio at that time and I got some promos. A copy of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds before it was released, for instance; I still remember that I loved "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows" but had very mixed feelings about the rest of the LP.) I remember thinking immediately after hearing "Things We Said Today" that I had to hear it again, and I wanted the Beatles to record more songs like that.

I loved the chord and tempo changes. The verses are almost hypnotic, and then that intense middle eight is a perfect contrast, especially the second middle eight at 1:40. The double-tracked vocal is perfect, as are the words.

And the words weren't written, even in part, by another Beatle. They weren't words Paul came up with later, trying to add lyrics to a melody. This wasn't a song he had to write for an album. He was on vacation, sailing in the Caribbean with Jane Asher, about a year into their relationship, with a few years yet before they'd break up, and it was an idyllic time, but her refusal to give up her career to have more time with him was already a fault line in the relationship he wanted. He called the mood of the song "future nostalgia." He's singing from the heart there, and you can tell.

Anyway, I thought it was perfect. Amazing when it was only 2-1/2 minutes long.