Paul McCartney
Another Day

THE REVIEW

1969 is the year that effectively closed the chapter on the Beatles; a year in which ex-Beatle Paul McCartney disappeared from the music chronicles and the social scene of London, seeking refuge on an old farm in Scotland with Linda and the children. The photos and images documenting this period show him engaged in building fences, painting the roof, constructing a barn, and tending to the flock. The Life journalist who managed to track him down was profoundly affected, titling the article "The Case Of The 'Missing' Beatle" with a cover featuring a photo of the McCartney family. This hermit life would be put on hold only for the corporate issues of Apple and the release of "McCartney" in April '70, amid the decision to abandon the Beatles to their fate.

"Another Day" is the first single released by Paul nearly a year after "McCartney," a time spent once again in isolation in Scotland, shaken by the end of the group, not writing music and spending his time fixing up his farm, occasionally indulging in one too many drinks. It was Linda who understood that her husband needed help and encouraged him to write new music. Together, they composed small pieces that evolved from harmless, unpretentious songs into something more. "Another Day" was the first to see the light in '71, a pop gem that immediately brings to mind other works by Paul. The protagonist is a modern girl trapped in a lifeless routine, a solitary figure on the margins like others previously described by McCartney, the girl running away from home in "She's Leaving Home" or "Eleanor Rigby". The music is vibrant, perfect, complete, no longer rough like some compositions in "McCartney," it is the sign that Paul has picked up from where he left off with "Abbey Road" two years earlier.

The second track is one of the most beautiful pieces by solo Paul. "Oh Woman, Oh Why" is gritty, rocky, a dry rock of great impact driven by the precise rhythm of Denny Seiwell on drums. Paul's rough singing sends chills down your spine, a mature vocal performance that preludes to the explorations that would soon come to light with "Ram," an absolute masterpiece of McCartney's eccentric genius.