Nice cd better than his last few, He toured with is lp got to see him 2 times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was too young for the Beatles (born in 1973), so as I discovered that brilliant music I slowly "discovered" the large trove of Beatle solo work that had piled up over the 15-20 years since the break-up of the band. This was the first new McCartney album I ever ran out to buy on the day of release, and to this day it is one of my absolute favorites. The tunes written with Elvis Costello show a "Lennonesque" bite that Paul misses to this day (the duet on "You Want Her Too" is wonderful), and the "pop" of songs like "My Brave Face" and "Figure of Eight" are as good as any Paul's ever produced. I remember reviews at the time arguing that things ran on a bit too long, and I agree (Motor of Love wouldn't be missed). That being said...this is a strong album (esp. given the inclusion of the bonus tracks--"Flying to My Home" is awesome), and any time I've been asked about Paul's post-70s solo work, this is one of two or three albums I consistently champion. Good stuff.

Paul is gifted, Paul is married. I'm glad he told us about it in his song "We Got Married". "Rough ride" is regular for me. "Figure of Eight", one could have an imagination with this one. Again, a real rocker.
"That day is done" is clearly a lesson to be heard. "How Many People" doesn't lack any concern for life and it's privilege. I'm rocked!
"My Brave Face" was definitely welcomed and submerged in my thoughts and as a mind of it's own. Lets face it, Paul is great by magnitude and structure. Even it's own develoment. His songs support an interesting vision. Lets get on with it.

While I'm a big fan of evrything Beatles and their individual branches, I feel that Sir Paul just went a little too far with the production of this collection. One very bright positive aspect was the addition of Elvis Costello to the mix. He definitely added some edge to the songwriting results as well as quite possibly pushing Mr. McCartney to take his songs off in a somewhat fresher direction. Paul McCartney is immensely talented and sometimes underrated songwriter musician and even his sub-apr works shine brighter than most.

As for most other classic artists, the 80s were a tough time for Paul McCartney. Starting with McCartney II in 1980 things had only gone downhill for him both artistically and commercially, with the exception of Tug of War and a few hit singles in the early part of the decade. Add to that the fact that he hadn't toured in ten years and you can see why, by the time 1989 rolled around, Paul needed to reassert himself in the public consciousness. He needed a comeback. And a comeback he had indeed, releasing his best album in years and embarking on a record-breaking world tour. The album was 1989's Flowers in the Dirt.

As I've observed elsewhere, Paul has a disposition to benefit from collaboration. Over the past decade he had tried on a number of collaborators - Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Eric Stewart to name a few - but they pale in comparison to his partnership with Elvis Costello which debuted on Flowers in the Dirt. Playing a role similar to John's in Lennon-McCartney, Elvis provided a pessimism and edge to Paul's innate upbeat tunefulness. This is nowhere more apparent than on You Want Her Too, a Getting Better-esque duet that sees a romantic Paul go it head-to-head with a bitter, sneering Costello. And the instantaneous, hook-laden My Brave Face may be THE highlight.

But don't think for a moment that Paul wasn't competent on his own. His collaboration with Elvis not only produced some great tunes but fuelled his individual songwriting fire, inviting him to square with the results of this synergy. Whether in communion or on his own, Flowers in the Dirt features both some of Paul's most accessible and most mature song-craft, particularly in the lyrical department. Supported by the band that would accompany him on his world tour the record is meticulously arranged, with dense layering of guitars and keyboards. So saying, it's admittedly tied to its time - there are a few places where a, well, less "80s" take would have benefited the material favourably. In addition, it also runs out of steam toward the end, closing UNfavourably on the experimental Ou Est le Soleil.

In spite of all complaints however Flowers in the Dirt remains polished, professional, and one of Paul's very best. And quite apart from objective quality, it is very special to me for personal reasons I won't elaborate on here. So Flowers in the Dirt may not be the best or most significant album in Paul's catalogue (though it's definitely up there); but for me it may be his most important.

NOTES FOR THE REMASTERED PAUL MCCARTNEY COLLECTION:

Flowers in the Dirt has the best bonus tracks of any PMcC edition I've yet seen. The McCartney-MacManus Back on My Feet, soaring (pun intended) Flying to My Home, and romantic Loveliest Thing are every bit as good as, even better than, anything on the album proper.