Alright, we’re not underestimating how hardcore Paul McCartney fans can be. If you’re a ride-or-die Macca fan, you’ve probably heard these four songs before. However, if you’re just now getting into Paul McCartney’s work outside of The Beatles, you may have never heard these stellar deep cuts before. Either way, they’re fun ones to revisit. Let’s take a look, shall we?
1. “Ballroom Dancing”
This track from Tug Of War could afford to get some extra love. This side-two opener doesn’t get as much attention as the album’s title track, “Take It Away”, or the several Stevie Wonder collabs on that record. Still, “Ballroom Dancing” is a lovely little tune with a ton of energy and one of McCartney’s best recorded piano performances.
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2. “Waterfalls”
Out of all the Paul McCartney deep cuts on this list, we understand why “Waterfalls” didn’t get much love when it was first released. The other two singles, “Coming Up” and “Temporary Secretary” got a lot of (good and bad) attention.
The simplicity of “Waterfalls” is really a testament to how good of a songwriter McCartney is without the need to pack on the effects. While the electronic elements of “Temporary Secretary” had some fans scratching their heads, the simple synth strings on “Waterfalls” are perfectly placed.
3. “My Brave Face”
The combination of Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello was a little weird at the time, but one can’t deny that their work together had a similar vibe to what McCartney did with John Lennon. Even McCartney himself agreed with that sentiment, though he didn’t directly compare Costello to Lennon.
“My Brave Face” is just one of several songs from Flowers In The Dirt that is really excellent, but the stripped-down demo version is even better.
4. “Monkberry Moon Delight”
The best Paul McCartney deep cuts can be found on his strangest solo-album-slash-collab-with-Linda-McCartney RAM. We’d say “Monkberry Moon Delight” is the wildest work on that record, though that is certainly up for debate.
This song is a Western-leaning wall of sound that can inspire fresh interest with each thorough listen. It’s the kind of song you’d hear in an insane dream or moment of psychosis; and we love it.
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