I love this quote from Steve Miller : "I invited him over to my studio and we recorded ‘Young Boy’ which was really a lot of fun. It was really a neat trip for me because it was completely different than anything than I would normally play and record. And so I got to play lead on top of, you know, some different changes and stuff and singing some different kinds of harmonies it was really fun. For me, it’s sort of like being around Mozart or something. It’s a remarkable experience because Paul is so talented. He plays drums, he plays bass, he plays guitar, and he was in the Beatles, a great band… And he writes classical music and he’s just an amazingly creative person to be around. He’s absolutely pleasant, very polite, really fun to work with, and we have nothing but a good time every time we get together." - Steve Miller - Flaming Pie Radio Special
Paul - lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, Hammond organ and producer. Steve Miller - lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals. This was the first single released from this album in most of the world. It peaked at #3 in Spain, #11 in Belgium, #19 in the UK, Norway & Scotland; #28 in Canada and #30 in Austria. This is a video of this song someone made with lots of pictures of the young Paul McCartney: ua-cam.com/video/ZhLZWam-DF8/v-deo.html
Yes, CPO, you got it right. This song is partially about Paul & Linda's only son, James, who was a teenager at the time of this record being made (1993 to 1997). James, as you said, also appears on record for the first time on this album, and he'll go about to write a couple of songs with his father in the very early 00s before embarking in his solo career, with his latest album, Beautiful Nothing, released just today!
Young Boy was the lead single off Flaming Pie in the UK and here in Europe. I remember well the exposure of the song here in Italy and having watched its music video on neighbouring Italian language Swiss TV channell TSI back in 1997. I was just about to fall into beatlemania by then, not still, but the song intrigued me enough. Even if The World Tonight was Flaming Pie's leading single in USA, Paul still favoured playing Young Boy in his promotional appearances in the States, among those a special appearance at Oprah Winfrey's show that has probably my favourite "live" rendition of the song (Although Paul has never played any song from Flaming Pie in concert apart from the next one, Calico Skies). Given the fact that Paul plays the majority of instruments on all of the album cuts, the idea behind this promotional performances was that Paul presented himself as the whole band, via life-sized videos of himself playing drums, bass and electric guitar accompanying himself singing live while strumming the acoustic. The concept is pretty much similar of that of The Plastic Macs, the fictitious (Almost) all-Paul band playing alongside him in the Coming Up video. Here's the performance, very effective: ua-cam.com/video/zQaadejtUOE/v-deo.htmlsi=5O_mKeGRNzPkHBzM Paul also performed alongide his video-selves on Britain's TFI show, but there his alter-egos performed in tiny TV screens onstage, not life sized as on Oprah's show, losing the concept of four "real" Pauls on stage
I remember watching that Oprah show when the album was coming out back in 1997. Here's a link to a video of a similar performance on TFI Friday from 1997: ua-cam.com/video/DV0-dK5S5PI/v-deo.html
Young Boy would also be used in the Billy Crystal/Robin Williams film, Fathers Day, as advertised on the original hypesticker. This was recorded at Sun Valley Idaho while all other McCartney/Miller tracks recorded at Hog Hill.
Funny you mention James on this track. Around the time of this album, Paul and James were listening to a track called My Dark Hour, a song he worked with Steve Miller on in 1969 that ended up on an album Steve released back then. Made Paul think to call Steve for a reunion.
Initially Paul was going to call this song 'Poor Boy' but then decided to go for something more optimistic and with less common themes associate with the word 'poor' being in so many songs. As for the guitar I think James played on Heaven on a Sunday, but I don't think he contributed on any other tracks. I could be wrong. What I thought possibly was mistake at this time was Paul filming very basic handheld camera footage of him just running about on a beach, street etc, bopping with Linda. I know he wanted something simpler but when I see the magnificence of the video to Beautiful Night, I wish he had decided to put greater effort into the previous videos, 'Young Boy' and 'The World Tonight' of which the second version shot by Mary his daughter is much better and far more fun imo. I find this song pleasant, but it never really gets me excited in anyway. A song one would sing-along to in the car but it's not as good as other tracks on the album. A very typical enjoyable slice of Paul pop with a nice upbeat optimistic vibe but hardly of any great substance. The next song is a masterpiece and is just as good as most Beatle songs. Paul obviously knows it too as another person in the commentary mention it is the only song other than the title track he has played live in concert from this album and he has done so on more than just the one occasion.
Paul said he wrote this about a young girl having an intense conversation he overheard with her bf. He played it back to her and she said she liked it, so he recorded it. It was of those in the moments I have nothing to do here but I just have a guitar.
I bought this dad bop single back in the day hoping the b side would be good. It was an even worse and yet quite funny song called oobu juubu, if I remember rightly.
Broomstick was the B-side of Young Boy, another McCartney-Miller collaboration. You probably bought the CD single, or the EP, that also add part if the Oobu Joobu radio program. But Broomstick is there as well, and it's a very pleasant song
@@EricSmith-hd1wk Sorry but Steve didn't co-produce the track. It was indeed recorded in his personal studio in Sun Valley, Idaho, and he plays some excellent guitars and sings pretty backing vocals on it, but McCartney handled all production duties alone
Admittedly I never felt the song fitted the album. Except the production I always considered the song commercial and maybe medocre. I agree to your sound arguments.
I love this quote from Steve Miller : "I invited him over to my studio and we recorded ‘Young Boy’ which was really a lot of fun. It was really a neat trip for me because it was completely different than anything than I would normally play and record. And so I got to play lead on top of, you know, some different changes and stuff and singing some different kinds of harmonies it was really fun. For me, it’s sort of like being around Mozart or something. It’s a remarkable experience because Paul is so talented. He plays drums, he plays bass, he plays guitar, and he was in the Beatles, a great band… And he writes classical music and he’s just an amazingly creative person to be around. He’s absolutely pleasant, very polite, really fun to work with, and we have nothing but a good time every time we get together."
- Steve Miller
- Flaming Pie Radio Special
Nice comment.
Paul - lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, Hammond organ and producer.
Steve Miller - lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals.
This was the first single released from this album in most of the world. It peaked at #3 in Spain, #11 in Belgium, #19 in the UK, Norway & Scotland; #28 in Canada and #30 in Austria.
This is a video of this song someone made with lots of pictures of the young Paul McCartney: ua-cam.com/video/ZhLZWam-DF8/v-deo.html
Great song.. sound very beatle...paul is the best
Yes, CPO, you got it right.
This song is partially about Paul & Linda's only son, James, who was a teenager at the time of this record being made (1993 to 1997).
James, as you said, also appears on record for the first time on this album, and he'll go about to write a couple of songs with his father in the very early 00s before embarking in his solo career, with his latest album, Beautiful Nothing, released just today!
Paul activating Dad Rock mode
Young Boy was the lead single off Flaming Pie in the UK and here in Europe.
I remember well the exposure of the song here in Italy and having watched its music video on neighbouring Italian language Swiss TV channell TSI back in 1997.
I was just about to fall into beatlemania by then, not still, but the song intrigued me enough.
Even if The World Tonight was Flaming Pie's leading single in USA, Paul still favoured playing Young Boy in his promotional appearances in the States, among those a special appearance at Oprah Winfrey's show that has probably my favourite "live" rendition of the song (Although Paul has never played any song from Flaming Pie in concert apart from the next one, Calico Skies).
Given the fact that Paul plays the majority of instruments on all of the album cuts, the idea behind this promotional performances was that Paul presented himself as the whole band, via life-sized videos of himself playing drums, bass and electric guitar accompanying himself singing live while strumming the acoustic.
The concept is pretty much similar of that of The Plastic Macs, the fictitious (Almost) all-Paul band playing alongside him in the Coming Up video.
Here's the performance, very effective:
ua-cam.com/video/zQaadejtUOE/v-deo.htmlsi=5O_mKeGRNzPkHBzM
Paul also performed alongide his video-selves on Britain's TFI show, but there his alter-egos performed in tiny TV screens onstage, not life sized as on Oprah's show, losing the concept of four "real" Pauls on stage
I remember watching that Oprah show when the album was coming out back in 1997.
Here's a link to a video of a similar performance on TFI Friday from 1997: ua-cam.com/video/DV0-dK5S5PI/v-deo.html
My fave song on this album!
Great Album!
He still has a couple more in the next decade too.
He's McCartney.
Young Boy would also be used in the Billy Crystal/Robin Williams film, Fathers Day, as advertised on the original hypesticker. This was recorded at Sun Valley Idaho while all other McCartney/Miller tracks recorded at Hog Hill.
Funny you mention James on this track. Around the time of this album, Paul and James were listening to a track called My Dark Hour, a song he worked with Steve Miller on in 1969 that ended up on an album Steve released back then. Made Paul think to call Steve for a reunion.
I really enjoy this song--just a fun, sing-along pop song that reminds me a little of the Beatles--one of my favorites on the album.
Would have been interesting had Paul and Steve Miller put together their own Wilburys type group. McCartney, Miller, Costello, Hamish...
Initially Paul was going to call this song 'Poor Boy' but then decided to go for something more optimistic and with less common themes associate with the word 'poor' being in so many songs. As for the guitar I think James played on Heaven on a Sunday, but I don't think he contributed on any other tracks. I could be wrong. What I thought possibly was mistake at this time was Paul filming very basic handheld camera footage of him just running about on a beach, street etc, bopping with Linda. I know he wanted something simpler but when I see the magnificence of the video to Beautiful Night, I wish he had decided to put greater effort into the previous videos, 'Young Boy' and 'The World Tonight' of which the second version shot by Mary his daughter is much better and far more fun imo. I find this song pleasant, but it never really gets me excited in anyway. A song one would sing-along to in the car but it's not as good as other tracks on the album. A very typical enjoyable slice of Paul pop with a nice upbeat optimistic vibe but hardly of any great substance. The next song is a masterpiece and is just as good as most Beatle songs. Paul obviously knows it too as another person in the commentary mention it is the only song other than the title track he has played live in concert from this album and he has done so on more than just the one occasion.
Great drums of Paul !!!
Paul said he wrote this about a young girl having an intense conversation he overheard with her bf. He played it back to her and she said she liked it, so he recorded it. It was of those in the moments I have nothing to do here but I just have a guitar.
Steve Miller is playing guitar.
Hi!
I bought this dad bop single back in the day hoping the b side would be good. It was an even worse and yet quite funny song called oobu juubu, if I remember rightly.
Broomstick was the B-side of Young Boy, another McCartney-Miller collaboration.
You probably bought the CD single, or the EP, that also add part if the Oobu Joobu radio program.
But Broomstick is there as well, and it's a very pleasant song
@Uetti Was probably the CD single.
This short 80 second video actually has film of Steve Miller playing the guitar solo: ua-cam.com/video/8g4CdF66g4c/v-deo.html
Steve Miller produced this track with Paul!
Steve also played acoustic guitar on this track!
@@EricSmith-hd1wk Sorry but Steve didn't co-produce the track.
It was indeed recorded in his personal studio in Sun Valley, Idaho, and he plays some excellent guitars and sings pretty backing vocals on it, but McCartney handled all production duties alone
Steve miller on guitar
Decent Macca track but don't like the reprise at the end.
Admittedly I never felt the song fitted the album. Except the production I always considered the song commercial and maybe medocre. I agree to your sound arguments.
Paul sounds very old here, and that’s no good to me. He's only 55!