Flaming Pie

Flaming Pie is the tenth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, first released in 1997. His first studio album in over four years, it was mostly recorded following McCartney's involvement in the highly successful Beatles Anthology project.[1]  The album was recorded in several locations over two years, 1995 and 1997, featuring two songs dating from 1992. The album featured several of McCartney's family members and friends, most notable McCartney"s son, James McCartney who was featured on the track Young Boy. In Flaming Pie's liner notes, McCartney said: "[The Beatles Anthology] reminded me of The Beatles' standards and the standards that we reached with the songs. So in a way it was a refresher course that set the framework for this album."[2]

Flaming Pie peaked at number 2 in both the UK and US, and was certified gold. The album, which was well received by critics, also reached the top 20 in many other countries. From its release up to mid-2007, the album sold over 1.5 million copies.



Contents
[hide]  *1 Background  ==Background[ edit] == "Calico Skies",[nb 1]  which Paul McCartney had written when Hurricane Bob had hit while McCartney was staying on Long Island in 1991,[3] [4]  and "Great Day", which features backing vocal from his wife Linda McCartney,[4]  hailed from a 1992 session,[nb 2] [3]  recorded even before Off the Ground had come out. Starting from the mid-1990s for four years,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  McCartney was involved in The Beatles Anthology, a documentary on the history of the Beatles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Clayson241_9-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7]  The documentary was originally titled The Long and Winding Road, named after McCartney's song of the same name.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Clayson241_9-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7]  During 1995, as the Anthology albums were starting to be released over a two-year period, EMI did not want McCartney to release a solo album in the meantime.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  McCartney said that he "was almost insulted at first" before then realising that "it would be silly to go out against yourself in the form of the Beatles. So I fell in with the idea and thought, 'Great, I don't even have to think about an album.'"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  McCartney was occupied with working on Standing Stone in the interim.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] ==Recording and structure<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">]  == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Beginning in February 1995, McCartney teamed up with Jeff Lynne,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ALife306_10-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  Electric Light Orchestra lead singer and guitarist, an ardent Beatles fan. Lynne had previously worked with former Beatle George Harrison on his 1987 album Cloud Nine and in the Travelling Wilburys, and also co-produced "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" for the Anthology project. Intending to produce something pure and easy – and without elaborate productions – McCartney sporadically recorded the entire album in a space of two years, working not only with Lynne, but with Steve Miller,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 3]  George Martin, Ringo Starr and his own son, James McCartney,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-6" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  who plays lead guitar on "Heaven on a Sunday".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  McCartney wrote the song "Young Boy" while his wife Linda was making lunch for a New York Times feature on 18 August 1994.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-W.26M146_3-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[3]  McCartney and Miller started recording "Young Boy" on 22 February 1995 in Sun Valley, Idaho.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-W.26M146_3-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[3]  They reconvened a few months afterwards in May at McCartney's home studio, The Mill, recording – a song described as a "road song" – "If You Wanna" and the jam track "Used to Be Bad" in the process.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-7" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MRS95_13-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]
 * 2 Recording and structure
 * 3 Release and reception
 * 4 Track listing
 * 5 Personnel
 * 6 Charts and certifications
 * 6.1 Peak positions
 * 6.2 Year-end charts
 * 6.3 Certifications
 * 7 References
 * 8 External links

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The duo also recorded the B-side "Broomstick" and three unreleased tracks: "(Sweet Home) Country Girl", "Soul Boy", and an untitled song.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MRS95_13-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  Also in May, McCartney, by himself, recorded the unreleased tracks "Stella May Day", for his daughter Stella McCartney, which would be used playing over loudspeakers at her fashion shows, and "Whole Life" with Dave Stewart.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 4] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MRS95_13-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  "Somedays", which was written while McCartney was escorting Linda to Kent for a photo shoot,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-W.26M146_3-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[3]  features an orchestration score by George Martin.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  "The Song We Were Singing",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 5]  which was about the times McCartney and hisformer-songwriting partner John Lennon were at 20 Forthlin Road,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ALife306_10-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  was recorded in 3/4 time.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  "Little Willow" was written for the children<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-6" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  of Starr's first wife, Maureen Starkey Tigrett, who had recently died of cancer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  "Souvenir" features the sound of a 78 rpm record towards the end of the track.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-7" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  The title track, recorded in a four-hour session,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  is in similar style to the Beatles' "Lady Madonna".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-W.26M147_17-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In May 1996, Starr and McCartney were working on a track that McCartney had started a decade previously, "Beautiful Night",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  which featured vocals from Starr.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RSE83_18-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]  Lynne showed up the next day and the trio, with McCartney on bass, Starr on drums, and Lynne on guitar, jammed, with the finished results being the track "Really Love You", the first track credited to McCartney–Starkey.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  McCartney and Starr also recorded the B-side "Looking for You" and an untitled song.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MRS96_19-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  "Heaven on a Sunday", which was written while McCartney was in the US sailing on holiday, was recorded on 16 September 1996, and features backing vocals by both Linda and James.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-W.26M147_17-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  Martin added orchestration to "Beautiful Night",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillATP_5-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  on 14 February 1997 at Abbey Road Studios.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MRS97_20-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]  An unreleased song was recorded with Lynne producing, titled "Cello in the Ruins",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-JLSongs_CITR_21-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  had its copyright registered in 1994,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17]  despite work on the song only getting started a year later, in May 1995.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MRS95_13-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  The track was nearly issued as a single for War Child's The Help Album in 1995, but ultimately shelved.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-JLSongs_CITR_21-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  This album was the last McCartney studio album to feature vocals and participation from Linda,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  who died of breast cancer in 1998.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18] ==Release and reception<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Upon its 1997 release, on 5 May in the UK on Parlophone<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 6]  and on 20 May in the US on Capitol,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-12" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  the critical reaction to Flaming Pie was very strong, with McCartney achieving his best reviews since 1982's Tug of War. With fresh credibility even with young fans who had been introduced to him through theAnthology project,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-13" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  and anticipation raised with the excellent reviews, Flaming Pie debuted at number 2 in the UK in May, giving McCartney his best new entry since Flowers in the Dirt eight years before. The album was also his first top 10 album in the US since Tug of War.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Band155_33-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  It was kept off the top spot there by theSpice Girls' album Spice.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ukchart2_34-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[27]  In the US, reaction was also very positive.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Billignite_35-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28]  The album debuted at number 2 with 121,000 copies sold in its first week, also behind the Spice album, which sold only 16,500 more copies that week.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Billignite_35-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-LAT_36-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In both the UK and the US, Flaming Pie was the most commercially successful new entry, and also reached gold in both countries. It was also certified gold in Norway.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IFPINOR_37-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album had sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide up to June 2007.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboardbiz_38-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[31]  The singles "Young Boy",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 8] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 9] "The World Tonight"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-44" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 10] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 11]  and "Beautiful Night",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 12] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 13]  all of which were released as picture discs, became UK hits, all making the top 40 in the sales charts. The only single in the US from the album was "The World Tonight",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-52" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 14]  released on 17 April 1997,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-14" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  a top 30 entry on the Billboard mainstream rock listing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[39]  The album was also released on vinyl.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 15] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[nb 16]  To promote the album, McCartney held an online chat party, and the event entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people in an online chatroom at once.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-LAT_36-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the World Tonight, a film about the making of the album, was broadcast in the UK on ITV, and on VH1 in the US, around the release of the album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Billignite_35-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28]  Also broadcast was an hour-long radio show about the album on 5 May 1997 on BBC Radio 2.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Billignite_35-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28]  It received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, although Bob Dylan won the award with his back-to-form album Time Out of Mind.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40GN_58-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[42]  "Young Boy" and "The World Tonight" appeared in the 1997 Ivan Reitman comedy Fathers' Day.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Billignite_35-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28]  The title Flaming Pie (also given to one of the album's songs) is a reference to a humorous story John Lennon told in a story in Mersey Beat in 1961 on the origin of the Beatles' name: "It came in a vision – a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, 'from this day on you are Beatles with an A.' "<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BillML_1-15" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Otr232_59-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[43] ==Track listing<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">All songs written by Paul McCartney, except where noted.

==Personnel<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Personnel per booklet.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[44] ==Charts and certifications<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==
 * 1) "The Song We Were Singing" – 3:55
 * 2) "The World Tonight" – 4:06
 * 3) "If You Wanna" – 4:38
 * 4) "Somedays" – 4:15
 * 5) "Young Boy" – 3:54
 * 6) "Calico Skies" – 2:32
 * 7) "Flaming Pie" – 2:30
 * 8) "Heaven on a Sunday" – 4:27
 * 9) "Used to Be Bad" (Duet with Steve Miller) (Steve Miller, McCartney) – 4:12
 * 10) "Souvenir" – 3:41
 * 11) "Little Willow" – 2:58
 * 12) "Really Love You" (McCartney, Richard Starkey) – 5:18
 * 13) "Beautiful Night" – 5:09
 * 14) "Great Day" – 2:09