Song #259: "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey" by Paul & Linda McCartney

Date: Sept 4, 1971
Weeks: 1

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I actually didn't set up that Pixies post as an introduction to discussing the pros and cons of experimental music, but I guess it's worked out that way, because this seems like an experimental song, too. The difference is that I cherry-picked a Pixies song that worked and became a classic. This song doesn't work, which is probably why I've never heard it before, despite it being the first No. 1 solo hit by the Beatle with the most post-Beatles No. 1 solo hits.

Let's start with the things I like. I like some of the song's odder moments. The section where a distorted recorded voice speaks "we're so sorry, Uncle Albert" is fun, and feels like a throwback to 1930s radio addresses. It made me think of King George VI's speech from the start of World War II (or at least Colin Firth at the end of The King's Speech, because that's the only place I've heard it). The transition from the slow "Uncle Albert" section to the faster "Admiral Halsey" section is pretty good, the way the song gradually accelerates. And the vocals and guitar parts in the chorus-like sections of the "Admiral Halsey" section are clever and charming.

Unfortunately, most of the song is filled with experimental ideas that don't quite work. The first half of the song is generally slow and unengaging. Its orchestrated by a full string section, which is a 70s trope that I've come to dislike. The space between choruses is occupied by sound effects with tangential relationships to the lyrics. The thunderstorm effect is neutral, not adding enough to be worthwhile but also not being a terrible idea. The phone-ringing effect distracts me because I'm pretty sure that's somebody's voice faking a phone ring. Why include a real thunderstorm but then use such an obviously fake phone ring?

In the second half of the song, the bizarre gets cranked up. The oompa-oompa bass line probably isn't a tuba, but it sure sounds like one, which makes the whole section sound like polka, especially the "gypsy" section.

The lyrics are fine for a song that is so deliberately odd and experimental. They come off as poetic, even if they might just be nonsense. At least they aren't lazy. The second-half chorus consists of "Hands across the water, hands across the sky," which, to a person living in a post-"Hands Across America" world, does feel lazy. But I concede that this song predates that event.

Also, this song is credited as being by Paul and Linda McCartney. Where's Linda? There's one spoken line ("Butter Pie?") that sounds like it's spoken by a female voice, and that's it. Did she play instruments? Wikipedia says she contributed to the harmonies, but I don't hear it. Maybe she's buried deep in the mix? I don't know.

My verdict: Don't like it. It's experimental, it's weird, and if anyone but an ex-Beatle had made it, it probably would have lived in obscurity. As with the Pixies song, I suspect this song may have had more influence on subsequent music than is obvious from a time period so far beyond it, but I don't think this song holds together on its own.