Fans of the legendary songwriter Paul McCartney believe one of his least talked-about songs is one of the best he has ever written. The Beatles and Wings hitmaker has more than a few classics under his belt but a song from the late 1990s has been singled out by listeners. McCartney would make some of his best work in the late 90s and early 2000s, with the likes of Flaming Pie and Chaos and Creation in the Backyard releasing in this time. McCartney would also release the live album, Back in the U.S., an outstanding release which heard him perform his greatest hits.
But a song absent from the setlist and often left off the best-of McCartney lists is Calico Skies from the album Flaming Pie. Fans took to the Paul McCartney subreddit and shared their love of the song, suggesting it is among the very best he has ever written. One fan wrote: “Calico Skies is unbelievably good. Since the release of the new album, I took it upon myself to listen to all his albums from the past 30 years, just to get a feel for the older Macca sound.
“When I got to Flaming Pie, I was shocked by how good this song is. Seriously, how is this song not talked about more? This is easily one of his best songs he’s ever written. I know that’s said about a lot of songs, but I mean it a lot for this song. Everything about it is so good, from the lyrics, to the great guitar playing and the vocals. It’s just a song I fell in love with. So good. What do you think of it?”
Listeners have since agreed with the praise for McCartney’s Calico Skies, with one person writing: “I’d say it’s probably his best solo song and stacks up against the best of his Beatles output.” Another added: “Really like it, I find it very melancholic. I love Beautiful Night from that album! Very cool period honestly. It’s post-Anthology, got Jeff Lynne on the production, Steve Miller, George Martin, Geoff Emerick and Ringo Starr involved as well. Definitely one of his best!”
A third shared: “I love Calico Skies. I think it was written around 1992, but the circumstances around Flaming Pie mean I always associate it with Linda’s diagnosis and health deteriorating. In the same way that Little Willow is about Maureen’s struggle with cancer, I always hear this one with Linda in mind. Just very very sad.”
McCartney would later share the song was inspired by a powercut he experienced during the 1990s. McCartney says of the song: “Bob” the hurricane, knocked out all the power; it was all candle-light, cooking on a woodfire. Very primitive, but we like that enforced simplicity. I couldn’t play records, so I made up little acoustic pieces. This was one of them—it’s a primitive little powercut memory.”
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