How Kind of You
My son got me the DVD/CD of Paul McCartney's Album “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard” It was cool to watch the DVD and hear him talk about his writing and how the project came together. There are some great moments here...insights into his approach to writing and humor in his description of working with his producer, Nigel Godrich. My favorite part was where he complained (with a smile) that Nigel would only let him record songs that he (Nigel) liked. He said, “I though that was a bit cheeky of him”
Is is truly a solo work (he even plays most of the instruments except for the strings and a few drum parts and a haunting Duduk on Jenny Wren). I did notice a familiar name, Abe Laboriel Jr. on percussion.
Paul still has an incredible voice. Listening to the CD took me back to earlier days...the unusual progressions, great melodies, and tempo changes that were a signature of the Beatles and his work since.
My favorite lyrical move he made was on the song “How Kind of You”.....“It really meant a lot to be in someone else's thoughts...Someone else's mind....Someone else as kind as you.” I love the homonym (else's, else as) effect there.
I also love the idea of the song. I was thinking last night about how crude our society has become. How tact and fitting words used to be a higher virtue than bluntness. “How Kind of You” reminds me of days when “If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all” was taught as an eleventh commandment...or as Jesus taught, “Bless and do not curse”
Kindness is a beautiful quality. Now that I think about it...it is one of the fruit of the Spirit.
I'm want to start using that phrase...“How kind of you”
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