the other me

I’ll admit I had low expectations for the new album but I’ve been incredibly impressed with the musicality and production of The Boys of Dungeon Lane. I’m in awe of Paul’s ability to pluck these melodies out of thin air, and after a listen or two, feel as if they have been in the McCartney catalog for decades. How can he hitting this great stride at 83 years old? It illustrates that getting older doesn’t mean you stop growing or that creativity dies. I hope all of us will be this lucky.

I’m really into a lot of songs on this record but I wanted to talk about Never Know because, not only is it my favorite, but a lyric triggered a connection that’s worth exploring, so here we go…

WE two boys together clinging, One the other never leaving, Up and down the roads going—North and South excursions making, Power enjoying—elbows stretching—fingers clutching, Arm'd and fearless—eating, drinking, sleeping, loving, No law less than ourselves owning—sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening, Misers, menials, priests alarming—air breathing, water drinking, on the turf or the sea-beach dancing, Cities wrenching, ease scorning, statutes mocking, feebleness chasing, Fulfilling our foray.

--- Walt Whitman, 1860

David Hockney

We Two Boys Together Clinging

Date: 1961

Medium: Painting, Oil

Artwork details: 121.9 x 152.4cm

We Two

IN THIS ANALYSIS, I will compare the original 1969 footage of the Beatles discussing India with the edited footage of the same moment in the 2021 “The Beatles: Get Back” documentary.

The original footage has significant historical relevance, where Lennon makes explicit references to the Bob Wooler incident and the holiday with Epstein in Spain. What’s more is, he does this after Epstein’s death. It’s a risky thing to hint at in casual conversation, and that’s knowing that they’re being filmed.

In mentioning these two incidents, Lennon simultaneously alludes to an, ahem, moment between him and McCartney in India.

I don't feel like I have a Grand Take on every single song but let me try.

As You Lie There:

No huge ~theory, but I too am now in love with Jasmine. This song makes me feel things kind of like Layla does (it's not quite on Layla's level, on the other hand, I don't exactly relate to Layla) but it's helpful Paul isn't Eric Clapton.

I don't know if I've ever felt like Paul was making me see what he sees, feel what he feels in a love song, as opposed to being endeared to the way he described his feelings/his love interest. It's also probably related to where I'm at in my life these days.

I just love the dichotomy of it – the romantic and the erotic. There's an argument for this being the most quintessentially Paul song, specifically for embodying both of these sides at once. But I also think the combination heightens it to something more than either part separately. It's gorgeously human.

I was unsure about the spoken part on first listen, but actually I'm obsessed now. It's musical theatre-y the way he first speaks "Do I ever cross your mind?" and then sings it.

The way it just cuts back to the calm part at the end. *chef's kiss*

Lost Horizon

This song appeals to me as a Lover Of Memory™. I like how it's specifically about the feeling of being suddenly reminded of things (prompted by sounds – a lovely motif) which you didn't even remember you remembered.

And I love how Paul uses these memories to remind himself that every moment counts: even if you think this might be forgotten, it isn't necessarily! You shouldn't assume any moment is lost forever!

It may be Beatles-inspired. "Where every memory we shared / Brought us closer together" certainly fits how Paul tends to talk about the early Beatles period, though it's of course applicable to many different situations. It connects to Down South, the idea of key moments and shared experiences bonding you to someone.

The song itself was forgotten by Paul, rediscovered by his engineer on a cassette, which is wildly fitting and perfect. I also feel like it echoes the sentiment of Paul revising his breakup memories via Get Back, or finding that old Lennon-McCartney lyric sheet when putting together The Lyrics, or, my personal favourite, while talking about one of the Eyes Of The Storm pictures of John, he mentioned it was nice to rediscover that photo, because he had forgotten that John used to chew on his knuckles in the way he does on the picture. Memory is fleeting and fragile, but there are ways to retrieve it.

Lastly, I like how it's not completely positive: "That sound / Can do my head in."

Days We Lost Behind

I wrote a lot about this one on release, but it's interesting as a reflection extending from the previous track, like Paul is now processing these newly discovered memories ("Looking back at white and black reminders of my past") and it's quite bittersweet.

Ripples in a Pond

This one reminds me musically of Get Started off the Explorer's Edition of Egypt Station.

It's got a few lyrics that irk me: "If you say that I've been through worse / I'll have to say that's something that I couldn't deny" sorry could he not have rewritten that second part lmao.

That being said, the bridge bit elevates it so much musically.

I really like the central imagery: "Let's carry on making ripples in a pond / Let's see how far it goes" is fire.

Mountain Top

I love when this song gets dark, that descending guitar line is by far the best part

Tangential, but pumpkin pie is the best kind of pie. So yay.

Also

@ people who have an official lyric sheet: Chat Is This Real? If so, DIED 1986 BORN 2026 WELCOME BACK OKLAHOMA WAS NEVER LIKE THIS

Uh. it could be about John, but I sort of have no deeper thoughts related to that. Like, yeah they did drop acid together. It's not really a romantic song, though, so IDK why he would feel the need to bury the lead on the inspiration by making the main character a girl, if it was about John.

On that note, there's something interesting about how Paul doesn't have to hide that this is a drug song, unlike during his 60s psychedelic phase. I feel like that gives this song a distinctly modern feel, like it really is about some teenaged girl in the 2020s.

The song is 95% vibes anyways. I like the tempo change.

Down South

Unfortunately this song kind of disappointed me lol. Mostly cause I don't love this type of guitar song from Paul (I'm also not huge on Confidant, for example). It's kinda basic and because I know the story he's telling well, I don't get a ton out of it. But it's cool that we have a George song :)

We Two

The music is growing on me, the slightly strange, restrained optimism with a sliver of melancholy in the melody and chords is appealing. Still love the tape noises at the end.

Maybe it's about John, I certainly wouldn't rule that out, but the lyrics just kind of bore me. TBH. I don't want to expend much time thinking about it. I actually lowkey suspect it's in fact about no one lol, it mostly feels like platitudes.

Come Inside

Hot take: this one's got more gay potential than We Two. The double entendre of "Come inside my mind" is right there + you could argue it's about mind melding which is of course a core McLennon activity

That being said, I think the most natural reading is that this a reflection on Paul interacting with his audience. It's a strange position for him to take, given his infamous guardedness. That being said, "All my life's an open book" well. I literally own like 20 books about him, so did he lie?

You could read it as perhaps a reflection on being "proven right" about many aspects of Beatles history. Sort of a "I've been saying all of this from the start – are you finally ready to listen?"

Never Know

I've said it all

Actual new GOAT in the discog. Crazy.

I made my best friend listen to the instrumental break and the Strawberry Fields Forever Take 1 outro one after the other to make sure I wasn't crazy.

Home To Us

Previous thoughts

Absolutely not the intention of the song, but given the previous song, reading Liverpool as a stand-in for John and this song being Paul and Ringo defending him despite his rough sides tickles my brain a lot.

Joy <3

Life Can Be Hard

I like that you can read this as a love song about someone who makes life easier or as a love song to life. Life calls Paul on and he's enchanted by her beauty.

"I can see when there's no food in the larder / I know that she wouldn't care" quite immediately pinged as a callback to My Love ("And when the cupboard's bare / I'll still find something there with my love"), which, being Paul's favourite Wings song and his longtime tribute to Linda, feels both heavy and lovely, especially in a song about love helping Paul push through the hardships of life. It's also very Chaos & Creations-coded.

So pretty. The lyrics of the bridge are so fun, beautiful imagery.

First Star of the Night

This one's been the biggest grower for me. It's soooooo warm and delightful.

The spoken "Raining in Costa Rica" intro, followed by the opening line "Even when it's raining inside / Something tells me it's alright" appears to be a callback to My Valentine ("What if it rained? We didn't care" + the way Paul introduces the song on tour)

I love how Paul is actually subtly calling the subject of the song the first star of the night – Venus of course, goddess of beauty and love. It's deeply romantic and elegant. On Letting Go, Paul invoked the planet Venus with the line "Like a Lucifer she'll always shine", making this another Linda comparison, in a way? I'm thinking about the fact Nancy met Linda and, when she told Paul this, it made him feel more certain about this new relationship, like they were both aligned I suppose. It's lovely to see him being able to reconcile them with each other, not make them compete.

Salesman Saint

The 4/4 trumpets over the 3/4 song: so cool.

"They couldn't take any more / But they had to carry on" is actually soooooo Too Much Rain-coded ("It's too much for anyone […] You've gotta learn to laugh").

The "So they learned to carry on" bridge bit works so well, it raises the tension so well, makes you agree: You just have to carry on.

Momma Gets By

I do suspect this is to some extent inspired by Paul's parents and perhaps a reflection on Linda in the early period of her marriage to him (over which I do believe he feels some guilt), as well as his general observation of women which he's been doing his entire career, reaching all the way back to Suicide.

The instrumental is so gorgeous.

Also the "She loves him, she loves him" bit immediately made me think of On My Own from Les Mis. I don't know if that was on purpose but it's a depressing song to invoke while describing a marriage.

you're in luck, I completed my Taylor song of the day post early today, but I'm also Well Practiced in writing about songs at this point.

Okay, let me subdivide it:

The music

SOOOOO many great elements. Genuinely, one of the greatest arrangements on any Paul song ever:

the acapella "bum bum bum"s which give such a haunted vibe to the whole thing, and they sort of foreshadow the "oh oh oh" of the chorus, which makes it all so cohesive. And the full acapella bit before the second chorus, which adds suspense. IT'S SO VARIED!!!! and also perfectly builds musical tension.

The flarey tape sounds in the background REALLY remind me of I'm Only Sleeping in particular, but it's obviously a general psychedelic vibe

the flutes are just…… sooo Strawberry Fields-coded. I just looked at the personnel list and there is no credited flutist...... but there's a mellotron on this track. RAAAAAA!

EDIT: Paul is playing a recorder on this track (my cmd+f failed me).... I was actually thinking it sounded kind of super real for a mellotron. But there's ALSO a mellotron he plays. I think it's playing like the accompanying chords, creating a combined sound.

the mysterious, uncertain vibe of the verse melody vs. the catchy but slightly dark vibe of the chorus melody. Amazing chord use across the board. This is one of Paul's catchiest tracks which somehow doesn't sound like anything else he's done.

I love the little octavated "never know" backing vocal at the end of the second chorus. Also the chorus harmonies in general.

I adore the instrumental break and how it changes throughout the song. At first, it SUPER sounds like Strawberry Fields, especially because of the descending bass accompanying it, then there's that fakeout ending and only the flute which has this like....... cliffside (???) vibe — Nature. Fool On The Hill. (the Fool On The Hill with Mother Nature's Son bits from Love specifically, perhaps) — And then that guitar and those "oohs" comes in and it's sooooooo uplifting and heartbreaking at once. God that's just pure MUSIC. This song doesn't need a bridge because of how good this instrumental is. And finally the fadeout with mostly the vocals. Perfect, genuinely.

There's quite some bass playing on this song actually. I miss that on a lot of Paul's post-Wings work, tbh

The lyrics

"I want to be the one that's rooting for you" – notice how he's not actually saying that he is rooting for the you. From line 1, he's bargaining with himself.

The entire first verse is praising the you, but the chorus is completely about feeling blindsided and destroyed by this relationship. The contrast is stark.

"My mind is black and blue" is such a heavy line, but I love it.

I love the contrasting bookend lyrics of the chorus: "I love you but you know" vs. "I love you but I never know."

However, the second verse complicates this: "I'm gonna take the time / To prove that I care" and "I've got to make you see / I'll always be there / I only want to be with you." This suggests that the narrator of the song does know and it's the you who doesn't. Are the communication issues mutual?

Overall, the words are haunting but so simple.

The John of it all (DISCLAIMER: I make zero of these connections with certainty)

I JUST NOTICED IT'S TRACK 9.

Just in general, I feel like the track really captures the specific toxicity of late-stage JohnandPaul. Just the emotional exhaustion from being perpetually not on the same page, despite the love still running so deep. The fear and sadness of something so special ending, the growing weariness from walking on invisible eggshells day in, day out. And combine that with the second verse: having all those feelings but also having an instinctive knowledge that to some extent John acted that way because of deep-seated abandonment issues, because he couldn't always fully believe Paul was on his side. In spite of all the hurt caused, there is still entrenched sympathy.

"I want some love and peace / We need it right now" it really doesn't get more The Beatles, 1969 than that

First Star of the Night -> Salesman Saint -> Momma Gets By

is so interesting.

This is the story it tells me:

Linda was his first star (his Lucifer). Her death seemed like the death of certain kinds of "positive emotions", but now Paul has learned that he can feel those things again. And he feels Linda's presence blessing his "little world" (his family and home life).

Paul remembers his parents with a lot of empathy. Maybe he feels like his job as an entertainer is a type of sales? Like in Home to Us he seems to be emphasising that his positivity about his memories is not because everything was perfect.