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Read the original blog post5.38pm
31 March 2008
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‘The End Of The End’ is the penultimate song on Paul McCartney’s 14th solo album Memory Almost Full.
The song finds McCartney dealing with the subject of death, and how he might be remembered. See more…
I’d read something somebody had written about dying and I thought, ‘That’s brave.’ It seemed courageous to deal with the subject rather than just shy away from it. So I fancied looking at it as a subject myself. I like the Irish approach of a wake, where it’s celebratory. I remember once an Irish woman wished me well by saying, ‘I wish you a good death’, and I said, ‘Say what?’ I thought about it later and actually it’s a great thing to wish someone. I thought, ‘Well, what would I like?’ Jokes, a wake, music, rather than everyone sitting around looking glum, saying, ‘He was a great guy’ – though they can do a bit of that, too. So that led into the verse, ‘On the day that I die I’d like jokes to be told and stories of old to be rolled out like carpets.’ I have played it to my family and they find it very moving because, you know, it’s Dad. It’s a strange combination, because you’re talking about a serious subject. But I’m dealing with it lightly.
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3.20am
10 August 2011
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Now you hate to jinx anyone by bringing up this topic, but McCartney himself did so in “The End of the End.”
And as Ahhh Girl pointed out last September, (https://www.beatlesbible.com/f…..cs/#p83863),
the lyrics are pretty good.
So what would be a fitting send off for the greatest singer-songwriter-performer of all time (tied with Lennon if you wish)?
I’m thinking of a train from London to Liverpool or vice versa carrying his regal remains (speaking of which, Charles by then will probably have just become king).
The train would move slowly and McCartney songs would be played all along the way.
Some student can tell us if the train’s going 30 miles an hour, how many songs would be played?
And then: which ones and in which order?
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3.51am
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20 August 2013
Offline The End of the End should be at the end of the journey.
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8.40pm
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20 August 2013
Offline ^^Well, Charles has become King, @Into the Sky with Diamonds. Here’s hoping McCartney has many, many, many, many more lovely years ahead of him!
@Sea Belt, surely you recognize that this song is inspired, most inspired.
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2.48am
7 November 2022
Offline Ahhh Girl said
^^Well, Charles has become King, @Into the Sky with Diamonds. Here’s hoping McCartney has many, many, many, many more lovely years ahead of him!@Sea Belt, surely you recognize that this song is inspired, most inspired.
No doubt I listened to this song years ago when I “tested” out this album and at the time concluded only ‘That Was Me” and “Dance Tonight” were inspired. In the meantime, another thing has happened to me, call it maturing I guess, where my artistic tastes have expanded a bit to be not so… unforgiving and to appreciate beauty & sentiment that may not be technically perfect. Also mostly I didn’t care for songs that tried to be deep or “meaningful” — I just wanted musical excellence. But I’ve changed and can now appreciate these things. This song by Paul is quite moving and beautiful and I guess I’d say it’s inspired, though strictly on a musical level, I’m not quite sure.
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7.27pm
10 August 2011
Offline @Ahhh Girl Ah yes, the End of the End should be at the end of the journey – maybe 🙂
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4.07pm
7 November 2010
Offline I was just listening to a Spotify playlist on shuffle and this came on and made me bawl my eyes out.
My mum is quite poorly at the moment, and we’ve been told she hasn’t got long left. However she is dealing with it with such strength and positivity that it is helping and inspiring me / everyone around her to do the same. (She’s a scouser, what else would you expect?!)
Thank you for having all the right words as always, Paul. 
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5.46pm
6 May 2018
Offline I think this is a tremendous song from Paul.
Thinking of you and your mum, @kelicopter, and sending my very best wishes. 
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6.00pm
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20 August 2013
Offline {{hugs}} @kelicopter.
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