Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1970
Maybe I'm Amazed
Buy Maybe I'm Amazed now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Maybe I'm Amazed
| cover =
| caption = Cover of the song's sheet music
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Paul McCartney
| album = McCartney
| EP =
| written =
| published = Northern Songs
| released = 17 April 1970
| recorded = 22 February 1970
| studio = Abbey Road, London
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:49
| label = Apple
| writer = Paul McCartney
| composer =
| lyricist =
| producer = Paul McCartney
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| title =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| tracks =
| misc =
}}
"'Maybe I'm Amazed'" is a song written by English musician Paul McCartney that was first released on his 1970 debut solo album 'McCartney'.
Although the original recording has never been released as a single, a live performance by McCartney's later band Wings, from the live album 'Wings over America', was. Released in 1977, this version became a top ten hit in the United States and reached number 28 in the United Kingdom.
In 2011, 'Rolling Stone' magazine ranked "Maybe I'm Amazed" number 347 on its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
History
McCartney wrote the song in 1969, just before the Beatles' break-up. He credited his wife Linda with helping him get through the difficult time. Although most of his debut solo album was recorded at his home in London, McCartney recorded "Maybe I'm Amazed" entirely in EMI's Number Two studio in Abbey Road, on the same day as he recorded "Every Night". He played all the instruments: guitars, bass, piano, organ and drums. Although McCartney declined to release the song as a single in 1970, it nonetheless received a great deal of radio airplay worldwide. A promotional film was made, comprising still photographs of McCartney, his wife Linda, stepdaughter Heather, and daughter Mary, which first aired in the UK on 19 April 1970 on ITV in its own slot, and as a part of an episode of CBS Television's 'The Ed Sullivan Show'.
Reception
Regarded as one of McCartney's finest love songs, it achieved the number 347 position in the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list compiled by 'Rolling Stone' magazine in November 2004, and is the only solo McCartney song to make the list. In a late 2009 Q&A with journalists held in London to promote his live album 'Good Evening New York City', McCartney said "Maybe I'm Amazed" was "the song he would like to be remembered for in the future".
In a review for the 'McCartney' album on release, Langdon Winner of 'Rolling Stone' described "Maybe I'm Amazed", as "a very powerful song", that states "one of the main sub-themes of the record, that the terrible burden of loneliness can be dispelled by love." Winner continued to describe the track as "the only song on the album that even comes close to McCartney's best efforts of the past. It succeeds marvelously." In a retrospective review for 'McCartney', 'Record Collector' has highlighted "Maybe I'm Amazed", along with "Every Night" and "Junk", as songs that "still sound absolutely effortless and demonstrate the man's natural genius with a melody". Joe Tangari of 'Pitchfork' similarly evaluated "Maybe I'm Amazed", along with "Junk" and "Singalong Junk", as the "peaks" of 'McCartney'.
Live version
A live recording from the 1976 album 'Wings over America' was released as a single by McCartney's band Wings on 4 February 1977 and reached number 10 in the US on the 'Billboard' pop charts, and number 28 in the UK. This live version is longer than the original and has a slower tempo.
Versions of the song can be heard on several other live McCartney albums including 'Back in the U.S.' and 'Back in the World'. "Maybe I'm Amazed" has become a centrepiece of McCartney's concerts, along with "Band on the Run" and "Live and Let Die". Live versions of the song are available on the 2011 reissue of 'McCartney'.
Track listing
7"# "Maybe I'm Amazed" 5:11
# "Soily" 5:10
12" US Promo, Record Store Day 2013 EP
'Side A'
# "Maybe I'm Amazed Short Version (Mono)" 3:43
# "Maybe I'm Amazed Album Version (Mono)" 5:11
'Side B'
# "Maybe I'm Amazed Short Version (Stereo)" 3:43
# "Maybe I'm Amazed Album Version (Stereo)" 5:11
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Personnel
According to author John C. Winn:
'McCartney' studio version:
*Paul McCartneylead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, piano, organ, drums
*Linda McCartneybacking vocals
'Wings Over America' live version:
*Paul McCartneylead vocals, piano
*Linda McCartneybacking vocals, organ
*Denny Lainebacking vocals, bass guitar
*Jimmy McCullochlead guitar
*Joe English drums
Covers
*Faces covered the song for the album 'Long Player'.
*George Lam covered the song for the album 'Hit Sounds Vol. 8' in 1977.
*Joe Cocker covered the song for the album 'Heart & Soul'.
*Billy Joel covered the song for the tribute album 'The Art of McCartney'.
*Soul singer Carleen Anderson reached no.24 in the UK singles charts with a cover in 1998.
*Contemporary Christian Music Artist Bryan Duncan covered the song on his 13th studio album 'Joyride' in 2001 backed by a full gospel choir led by Donnie McClurkin. Duncan also covered the song with The NehoSoul Band on 'Music City Live' in 2004.
References
Sources
*
Category:1970 songs
Category:1971 singles
Category:1977 singles
Category:1970s ballads
Category:Rock ballads
Category:Paul McCartney songs
Category:Faces (band) songs
Category:Paul McCartney and Wings songs
Category:Songs written by Paul McCartney
Category:Apple Records singles
Category:Capitol Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Paul McCartney
Category:Jem (singer) songs
Category:Norah Jones songs
Category:Music published by MPL Music Publishing
Category:Live singles
Buy Maybe I'm Amazed now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1970