Friday, June 16, 2017

Song #8: "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five"--Paul McCartney & Wings (1973)

I can remember sitting in Mrs. Hartsell's class at Beaverdam Elementary School, counting years to figure out when I was going to graduate high school. When you're twelve years old and in seventh grade, and your seventh year of elementary school, thinking ahead another six years was a challenge!

Today, six years seems like a drop in the bucket. :)

It seemed inevitable that I, someone who would graduate in 1985, and today's song, would somehow merge. Now, it didn't necessarily mean that it would become one of my all-time favorite songs, and, honestly, I cannot remember when I first heard this song. But, whenever I did, the year in the title certainly was a hook, but I fell in love with the song itself.

It was certainly thanks to the XL102's and 3WV's of the radio world that I got exposed to this, cut #10 on the classic 1973 "Band On The Run" album from McCartney and company. You didn't hear it very often, but, when I did, I jammed to the best of my ability.  :)

I can also remember the afternoon of December 31, 1984. Before a New Year's Eve get-together with lots of church friends, I went over to the church, our family vacuum cleaner in tow, to, well, clean the sanctuary. Something good to do on an afternoon, rather than watch the Sun Bowl.  :)

And I think it was 3WV that cranked this song on that day while I sat in my classic first car, the 1979 Chevrolet Chevette. And I also distinctly remember being practically in shock that I was, finally, just a few hours away, from actually experiencing the year Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five.

Paul McCartney occupied, either with the Beatles, Wings, or as a solo artist, sixteen positions on this countdown. Today, my favorite song, one which McCartney said he only had the first line lyrically for the longest time.

From start to finish, a complete masterpiece.  :)


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