Flaming Pie

Quality 0.50 · 0 views · Updated 2 months ago

title: "Flaming Pie" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1997-albums", "albums-arranged-by-george-martin", "albums-produced-by-george-martin", "albums-produced-by-jeff-lynne", "albums-produced-by-paul-mccartney", "parlophone-albums", "paul-mccartney-albums", "albums-recorded-in-a-home-studio"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaming_Pie" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

FieldValue
nameFlaming Pie
typestudio
artistPaul McCartney
coverFlaming Pie.jpg
borderyes
released5 May 1997
recorded3 September 1992 ("Calico Skies" and "Great Day");
22 February – 11 May 1995;
1 November 1995 – 14 February 1997
studio*Abbey Road, London
genreRock
length53:47
prev_titleStrawberries Oceans Ships Forest
prev_year1993
next_titleStanding Stone
next_year1997
misc{{Singles
nameFlaming Pie
typestudio
single1Young Boy
single1date8 April 1997
single2The World Tonight
single2date6 May 1997
single3Beautiful Night
single3date15 December 1997
::

| name = Flaming Pie | type = studio | artist = Paul McCartney | cover = Flaming Pie.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = 5 May 1997 | recorded = 3 September 1992 ("Calico Skies" and "Great Day"); 22 February – 11 May 1995; 1 November 1995 – 14 February 1997 | studio = *Abbey Road, London

The album featured several of McCartney's family members and friends, most notably McCartney's son, James McCartney featured on electric guitar. In Flaming Pie'''s liner notes, McCartney said: "[The Beatles Anthology]'' reminded me of the Beatles' standards and the standards that we reached with the songs. So in a way it was a refresher course that set the framework for this album."

Flaming Pie peaked at number two in both the UK and the US and was certified gold. The album, which was well received by critics, also reached the top 20 in many other countries. From its release up to mid-2007, the album sold over 1.5 million copies. The album was reissued on 31 July 2020 as a part of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection with bonus tracks, outtakes and demos.

The album is ranked number 988 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's book All-Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).

Background

An early version of "Beautiful Night" was recorded in 1986. Two songs hailed from a September 1992 session produced by George Martin, when McCartney was finishing his album Off the Ground (1993): "Calico Skies", which McCartney had written when Hurricane Bob hit while he was staying on Long Island in 1991; and "Great Day", a song McCartney and his wife Linda used to perform for their young children, which features backing vocals from Linda.

Beginning in the mid-1990s and extending four years, McCartney was involved in The Beatles Anthology, a documentary on the history of the Beatles. During 1995, as the Anthology albums were starting to be released over a two-year period, EMI did not want McCartney to release a solo album in the meantime. McCartney said that he "was almost insulted at first" before then realising that "it would be silly to go out against yourself in the form of the Beatles. So I fell in with the idea and thought, 'Great, I don't even have to think about an album.'" McCartney was occupied with working on his second classical album Standing Stone (1997) in the interim.

The title Flaming Pie (also given to one of the album's songs) is a reference to an anecdote that John Lennon told in a humorous story published in magazine Mersey Beat in 1961 about the origin of the Beatles' name: "It came in a vision – a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, 'from this day on you are Beatles with an A.' "

Recording and structure

Two tracks ("Calico Skies" and "Great Day") were recorded on 3 September 1992 with George Martin co-producing. At the time, the Flaming Pie album had not yet been conceived, and the tracks were shelved for some unspecified future use.

Beginning in February 1995, McCartney teamed up with Jeff Lynne, An ardent Beatles fan, Lynne had previously worked with former Beatle George Harrison on his 1987 album Cloud Nine and in the Traveling Wilburys, with former Beatle Ringo Starr on his 1992 album Time Takes Time, and with the Beatles themselves on "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" for their Anthology project. Intending to produce something pure and easy – and without elaborate productions – McCartney sporadically recorded the entire album in a space of two years, working not only with Lynne, but also with Steve Miller.{{refn|Miller and McCartney had worked together once before, on 1969's "My Dark Hour", at Abbey Road Studios. McCartney and Miller started recording "Young Boy" on 22 February 1995 in Sun Valley, Idaho. They reconvened a few months afterwards in May at McCartney's home studio, Hog Hill Mill, recording – a song described as a "road song" – "If You Wanna" and the jam track "Used to Be Bad" in the process.

The duo also recorded the B-side "Broomstick" and three unreleased tracks: "(Sweet Home) Country Girl", "Soul Boy", and an untitled song. was recorded in time. "Little Willow" was written for the children "Souvenir" features the sound of a 78 rpm record towards the end of the track.

In May 1996, Starr and McCartney were working on a track that McCartney had started a decade earlier, "Beautiful Night", Lynne showed up the next day and the trio, with McCartney on bass, Starr on drums, and Lynne on guitar, jammed, with the finished results being the track "Really Love You", the first track credited to McCartney–Starkey. "Heaven on a Sunday", which was written while McCartney was in the US sailing on holiday, was recorded on 16 September 1996, and features backing vocals by both Linda and James. An unreleased song recorded with Lynne producing, titled "Cello in the Ruins", was registered for copyright in 1994, although work on the song began in May 1995.

Reception

Critical

| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = | rev2 = Blender | rev2score = | rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | rev3score = | rev4 = Entertainment Weekly | rev4score = B− | rev5 = The Guardian | rev5score = | rev6 = Los Angeles Times | rev6score = | rev7 = NME | rev7score = 5/10 | rev8 = Q | rev8score = | rev9 = Rolling Stone | rev9score = | rev10 = USA Today | rev10score =

Upon its 1997 release, on 5 May in the UK on Parlophone and on 20 May in the US on Capitol, the critical reaction to Flaming Pie was strong, with McCartney achieving his best reviews since 1982's Tug of War. Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic stated that the album achieved McCartney's goal of creating "an album that was stripped-back, immediate, and fun, one less studied and produced" than his most recent preceding albums, resulting in a "direct and unassuming" product. He praised McCartney's more simplistic numbers on the album, concluding that he "is at his best when he doesn't try so hard and lets his effortless melodic gifts rise to the surface." Writing for Blender, Jody Rosen noticed "a distinctly Beatles aura" throughout the record which left McCartney sounding rejuvenated, choosing opener "The Song We Were Singing" as a standout track. In the Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Colin Larkin noted that the album was a return to form for McCartney, praising Lynne's production and hailing it as "most definitely for lovers of the Beatles' White Album". According to The Los Angeles Times Elysa Gardner, McCartney sounded "more inspired and, well, less goofy than he [had] in years" on Flaming Pie. She praised the stripped-down production of the album for showcasing McCartney performing at his strong suits, among them the rock songs "The World Tonight" and "Young Boy" and the gentler "Little Willow" and "Heaven on a Sunday".

*Entertainment Weekly*s Chris Willman was more critical of the album's front half; according to Willman, "several of the most enjoyable bits are the slightish tunes designed as throwaways," namely the title track, "Young Boy", "Used to Be Bad" and "Really Love You". He was more complimentary of the album's latter portion, praising the lyrical honesty in "Souvenir", "Beautiful Night", and "Great Day". Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone had a mixed reaction to the album, finding it less indulgent in nostalgia than his recently preceded work at the time and noting the musical sparsity in its production, among them the title track and "The World Tonight". However, DeCurtis took issue with "the troubling issues the album raises — aging, the meaning of the past, the instability of the future" — contrasting with love songs such as "Young Boy" and "Somedays". NME was unenthusiastic about the album. Paul Moody remarked that McCartney was "apparently content to finally admit his best work is behind him", panning "Young Boy" as a single but finding nostalgic, redeeming qualities in "The Song We Were Singing" and "Calico Skies".

Commercial

With fresh credibility, even with young fans who had been introduced to him through the Anthology project, Flaming Pie was also received positively in the United States, Flaming Pie debuted at number 2, with 121,000 copies sold in its first week, behind Spice, which sold 16,500 more copies that week. In both the UK and the US, Flaming Pie was the most commercially successful new entry, and was certified gold in both countries. It was also certified gold in Norway. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album had sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide up to June 2007.

Three singles were released from the album, "Young Boy", "The World Tonight" and "Beautiful Night", all of which were also released as picture discs, and all became UK top-40 hits. The only single in the US from the album was "The World Tonight", released on 17 April 1997, To promote the album, McCartney held an online chat party on 17 May 1997, and the event entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the most questions asked by people on a website in the span of 30 minutes, with three million inquiries.

In the World Tonight, a film about the making of the album, was broadcast in the UK on ITV, and on VH1 in the US, around the release of the album. "Young Boy" and "The World Tonight" appeared in the 1997 Ivan Reitman comedy Fathers' Day.

Track listing

| all_writing = Paul McCartney, except where noted | extra_column = Producer | title1 = The Song We Were Singing | extra1 = Paul McCartney, Jeff Lynne | length1 = 3:54 | title2 = The World Tonight | extra2 = McCartney, Lynne | length2 = 4:04 | title3 = If You Wanna | extra3 = McCartney | length3 = 4:37 | title4 = Somedays | extra4 = McCartney | length4 = 4:15 | title5 = Young Boy | extra5 = McCartney | length5 = 3:54 | title6 = Calico Skies | extra6 = McCartney, George Martin | length6 = 2:32 | title7 = Flaming Pie | extra7 = McCartney, Lynne | length7 = 2:29 | title8 = Heaven on a Sunday | extra8 = McCartney, Lynne | length8 = 4:26 | title9 = Used to Be Bad | note9 = duet with Steve Miller | writer9 = McCartney, Miller | extra9 = McCartney | length9 = 4:12 | title10 = Souvenir | extra10 = McCartney, Lynne | length10 = 3:40 | title11 = Little Willow | extra11 = McCartney, Lynne | length11 = 2:58 | title12 = Really Love You | writer12 = McCartney, Richard Starkey | extra12 = McCartney, Lynne | length12 = 5:18 | title13 = Beautiful Night | extra13 = McCartney, Lynne | length13 = 5:04 | title14 = Great Day | extra14 = McCartney, Martin | length14 = 2:09

Personnel

Credits adapted from CD liner notes.

Musicians

  • Paul McCartney – lead vocal (1–14), harmony vocal (1, 2, 7), electric guitar (1–3, 7, 8, 10–13), acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4–6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14), bass guitar (1–5, 7–13), double bass (1), harmonium (1, 11), drums (2, 3, 5, 7–10), piano (2, 7, 10, 11, 13), percussion (2, 6, 8, 13, 14), 12-string acoustic guitar (3), Spanish guitar (4, 11), Hammond organ (5, 13), knee slap (6), backing vocals (8, 10–13), acoustic solo (8), Fender Rhodes (8), harpsichord (8, 10, 11), vibraphone (8), mellotron (11), percussion effects (11), Wurlitzer piano (12, 13), leg slap (14)
  • Jeff Lynne – harmony vocal (1, 2, 7), electric guitar (1, 2, 7, 10, 12, 13), acoustic guitar (1, 2, 8, 10, 13), keyboard (1, 2, 10), backing vocals (8, 10–13), electric spinette harpsichord (11)
  • Steve Miller – harmony vocal (3), electric guitar (3, 5, 9), acoustic guitar (3), backing vocal (5), rhythm guitar (5), lead vocal (9)
  • James McCartney – electric guitar solo (8)
  • Linda McCartney – backing vocals (8, 13, 14)
  • Ringo Starr – drums (12, 13), ending backing vocal (13), percussion (13)

Orchestral musicians

  • Violins – Keith Pascoe (4, 13), Jackie Hartley (4, 13), Rita Manning (4, 13), Peter Manning (4), Marcia Crayford (13), Adrian Levin (13), Belinda Bunt (13), Bernard Patridge (13), David Woodcock (13), Roger Garland (13), Julian Tear (13), Briony Shaw (13), Jeremy Williams (13), David Ogden (13), Bogustav Kostecki (13), Maciej Rakowski (13), Jonathan Rees (13)
  • Celli – Christian Kampen (4), Martin Loveday (4, 13), Anthony Pleeth (13), Stephen Orton (13), Robert Bailey (13)
  • Violas – Peter Lale (4), Levine Andrade (4, 13), Robert Smissen (13), Stephen Tess (13), Philip Dukes (13), Ivo Van Der Werff (13), Graeme Scott (13)
  • Alto flute – Andy Findon (4)
  • Flutes – Martin Parry (4), Michael Cox (4), Susan Milan (13)
  • Percussion – Gary Kettel (4)
  • Harp – Skaila Kanga (4)
  • Oboes – Roy Carter (4), David Theodore (13)
  • Cor anglais – Roy Carter (4)
  • French horns – Michael Thompson (8), Richard Bissill (8), Richard Watkins (8), John Pigneguy (8)
  • Trumpets – Kevin Robinson (10), John Barclay (13), Andrew Crowley (13), Mark Bennett (13)
  • Saxophones – Chris 'Snake' Davis (10)
  • Baritone saxophone – Dave Bishop (10)
  • Trombones – Richard Edwards (13), Andy Fawbert (13)
  • Horns – Michael Thompson (13), Richard Watkins (13), Nigel Black (13)
  • Doubles basses – Chris Laurence (13), Robin McGee (13)

Technical

  • Linda McCartney – all photography
  • Mark Lewisohn – sleevenotes
  • Geoff Baker – sleevenotes
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • The Team – design
  • Jeff Lynne – producer (1, 2, 7, 8, 10–13)
  • Paul McCartney – producer (1–14)
  • Geoff Emerick – engineer (1–5, 7–13), orchestral session engineer (4, 13)
  • Jon Jacobs – engineer (1–5, 7–13), orchestral session engineer (13)
  • Keith Smith – assistant engineer (1–5, 7–13)
  • Marc Mann – digital sequencing (1)
  • Geoff Foster – orchestral session assistant engineer (4)
  • David Snell – conductor (4, 13)
  • Frank Farrell – assistant engineer (5)
  • George Martin – producer (6, 14), orchestration (13)
  • Bob Kraushaar – engineer (6, 14)
  • Peter Cobbin – orchestral session engineer (13)
  • Paul Hicks – orchestral session assistant engineer (13)

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table title="Original album"] | Chart (1997) | Peak position | Australian ARIA Albums Chart | Austrian Albums Chart | Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) | Belgian Wallonia Albums Chart | Canadian Albums Chart | Danish Albums Chart | Dutch Mega Albums Chart | European Albums Chart | Finnish Albums Chart | French SNEP Albums Chart | German Media Control Albums Chart{{cite web | Italian Albums Chart | Japanese Oricon Weekly Albums Chart | New Zealand Albums Chart | Norwegian Albums Chart | Spanish Albums Chart | Swedish Albums Chart | Swiss Albums Chart | UK Albums Chart | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | title=Paul McCartney: Flaming Pie| language=de| publisher=Media Control |access-date=16 February 2022}} | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

::data[format=table title="Reissue"] | Chart (2020) | Peak position | UK Albums Chart | US Billboard 200 | |---|---|---|---| | 14 | | | | | 74 | | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (1997)PositionGerman Albums ChartUK Albums ChartUS Billboard 200 Year-end
79
82
138
::

Certifications and sales

References

; Footnotes

; Citations

References

  1. (1997). "Flaming Pie". [[Parlophone]], [[EMI]].
  2. "Rocklist".
  3. Sinclair, Paul. (17 July 2020). "Paul McCartney offers free download of the original 'Beautiful Night'".
  4. Gaar, Gillian G.. (12 November 2020). "The Making of Paul McCartney's "Flaming Pie"".
  5. Clayson, Alan. (2003). "Paul McCartney". Sanctuary.
  6. (2010). "Off the Record: 25 Years of Music Street Press". University of Queensland Press.
  7. [[Paul McCartney]]. (1997). "Flaming Pie". [[Parlophone]].
  8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. (1 August 2020). "Paul McCartney: Flaming Pie Album Review".
  9. "Jeff Lynne".
  10. Roberts, Chris. (28 October 2019). "Jeff Lynne".
  11. Clayson, Alan. (2003). "Paul McCartney". Sanctuary.
  12. According to what assistant engineer Frank Farrel told author Luca Perasi, McCartney recorded his drum parts separately, with snare, bass drum and toms first, and later overdubbing cymbal crashes.Perasi, Luca: ''Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 2) 1990-2012'', L.I.L.Y. Publishing, 2024, p. 125, {{ISBN. 979-12-817580-5-6.
  13. Carlin, Peter Ames. (2010). "Paul McCartney: A Life". Simon & Schuster.
  14. Duffy, Thom. (12 April 1997). "Album Track Previews".
  15. Carlin, Peter Ames. (2010). "Paul McCartney: A Life". Simon & Schuster.
  16. "The McCartney Recording Sessions – 1997".
  17. Porter, Robert. "Jeff Lynne Song Database – 1990s Songs". Jefflynnesongs.com.
  18. "The McCartney Recording Sessions – 1994".
  19. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Flaming Pie – Paul McCartney". [[AllMusic]].
  20. Rosen, Jody. "Paul McCartney: Flaming Pie".
  21. Larkin, Colin. (2006). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". [[Oxford University Press]].
  22. Willman, Chris. (30 May 1997). "New music from baby-boom rock legends".
  23. Sullivan, Caroline. (9 May 1997). "Mac's back". [[The Guardian]].
  24. Gardner, Elysa. (25 May 1997). "McCartney Bounces Back in Fab Form". [[Los Angeles Times]].
  25. Moody, Paul. (17 May 1997). "Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie".
  26. (June 1997). "Paul McCartney: Flaming Pie".
  27. DeCurtis, Anthony. (26 June 1997). "Flaming Pie".
  28. Gundersen, Edna. (26 May 1997). "New album scores with simplicity, soulfulness". [[USA Today]].
  29. Duffy, Thom. (12 April 1997). "McCartney Let Loose on Capitol's 'Flaming Pie' Set".
  30. McGee, Garry. (2003). "Band on the Run: A History of Paul McCartney and Wings". Rowman & Littlefield.
  31. Taylor, Chuck. (14 June 1997). "Capitol, EMI Ignite Global Charts With McCartney's 'Pie'".
  32. (5 June 1997). "'Flaming Pie' Is Hot". [[Los Angeles Times]].
  33. "IFPI Norsk platebransje".
  34. "Paul McCartney's new album "Memory Almost Full" will be released June 5 in North America".
  35. (17 May 1997). "Most questions asked online".
  36. "australian-charts.com Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie". [[Australian Recording Industry Association]].
  37. "Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie – austriancharts.at".
  38. "ultratop.be – Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie". Ultratop.
  39. "ultratop.be – Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie". Ultratop.
  40. (14 June 1997). "Hits of the World".
  41. (14 June 1997). "Hits of the World".
  42. "Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie". [[MegaCharts]].
  43. "Paul McCartney – Chaos And Creation in the Backyard". finnishcharts.com.
  44. "lescharts.com Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie". [[SNEP]].
  45. ["Highest position and charting weeks of ''Flaming Pie'' by Paul McCartney"](http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/262616/1/ ポール・マッカートニー-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック). [[Oricon.
  46. "charts.nz – Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie". [[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand]].
  47. "norwegiancharts.com Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie".
  48. "swedishcharts.com Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie". [[Sverigetopplistan]].
  49. "Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie – hitparade.ch".
  50. "The Official Charts Company Paul McCartney – Flaming pie". [[Official Charts Company]].
  51. "Official Albums Chart Results Matching: Flaming Pie". Official Charts Company.
  52. "Billboard 200 Week of August 15, 2020".
  53. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". [[GfK Entertainment]].
  54. "UK best albums 1997".
  55. "1997 Top Billboard 200 Albums". [[allbusiness.com]].
  56. (2006). "Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005". Oricon Entertainment.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1997-albumsalbums-arranged-by-george-martinalbums-produced-by-george-martinalbums-produced-by-jeff-lynnealbums-produced-by-paul-mccartneyparlophone-albumspaul-mccartney-albumsalbums-recorded-in-a-home-studio