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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Song Weirdest Paul McCartney Track Ever?

Posted by Dave Segal on Sun, Nov 30, 2008 at 12:49 PM

Thanks to an article in Wax Poetics (No. 31, with Shuggie Otis and MF DOOM on the covers), I just discovered—better late than never—this wacky, weird Macca cut, “Check My Machine” (the B-side to the “Waterfalls” single and a bonus track on the CD reissue of the 1980 album McCartney II; I always had the vinyl, so was unaware of this tune—gah.).

"Check My Machine" appears to be a throwaway track in which a seriously stoned Paul, um, checks out his machine. Out came a falsetto-laced, banjo-riffed, white-boy reggae tune with odd little electronic elements flitting about it. If Lee "Scratch" Perry were an ex-Beatle, he might've concocted something like this. The only other work in Paul's solo repertoire that may be stranger is “Temporary Secretary,” a new-wave dance number that sounds like the multi-millionaire vegetarian’s attempt at a Kraftwerk-esque novelty song.

Comments (10) RSS

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Wax Poetics ... sometimes there's magazines you'd sell your own soul to publish.

Posted by Chris Estey on November 30, 2008 at 1:03 PM

It sounds like a dubbed out cousin of the muppets' "moving right along", the ragtime bounce slowed to
a paranoid plod.

-j

Posted by a kid on November 30, 2008 at 3:35 PM

supposedly there's something even weirder that he did with the beatles for an 'electronic' compilation or something,supposed top be be released soon
http://powerpop.blogspot.com/2008/11/new…

Posted by dr stravinsky on November 30, 2008 at 7:54 PM

'Secret Friend,' the other bonus track on the McCartney II cd, is waaay better.

Posted by gfreesh on December 1, 2008 at 11:51 AM

Thanks for that!!! John sometimes got major props for being the "radical Beatle," which was true politically and to a large extent verbally. But lightweight Paul, with his "silly love songs," has gradually been revealed as the musical mad scientist of the group, with early lessons learned, no doubt, from George Martin.

Posted by B. Tilland on December 1, 2008 at 1:50 PM

@4 -
yup, Secret Friend is the best McCartney b-side, bar none.

Posted by pete on December 2, 2008 at 11:20 AM

Awesome thanks dave and gfreesh. i have some cd version of II but its got neither of those as bonuses. i like check my machine better. lee perry comparison is right on man. have you listened to scratch perrys new album produced by andrew wk? its weird as hell and i think it sucks but i cant be so sure yet. thats a good sign. oh, and temporary secretary is genius

Posted by T.v. coahran on December 2, 2008 at 2:29 PM

Temporary Secretary at least had a bit of almost sentimental affection for the light hearted temp and a classic slip up on an early sequencer - I really think it was one of his best non-Wings post-Beatles songs. This sounds like what a midget in Croydon would dance to if he were a Jamaican rasta guy for a talent show. This is the second time I've listened to it, and that's quite enough - I'll listen to it again when I'm 64 and Macca is 105.

Posted by matthew rutledge on December 2, 2008 at 5:55 PM

Agreed with 4 & 6: "Secret Friend" is fantastic. Kind of reminds me of Yellow Magic Orchestra/Haruomi Hosono.

Posted by segal on December 3, 2008 at 8:32 AM

@9 You should post that Yellow Magic Orchestra-rydeen video in space. raddest

Posted by T.v. coahran on December 3, 2008 at 10:29 AM