"Goodnight Tonight"

On Monday, I did a post about "Wonderful Christmastime," off of the final Paul McCartney & Wings album, Back to the Egg. It reminded of another McCartney song from that time period. The Wikipedia entry:

Eager to release new material, Wings issued non-album dance single "Goodnight Tonight" b/w "Daytime Nighttime Suffering" in late March 1979 when it became a worldwide Top 5 hit. With the title a McCartney-ism for getting back to basics, the band considered Back to the Egg the beginning of a new era in their career. It was certainly not intended as their swan song.

Unfortunately, the critical reaction was not warm upon the album's release. Considered uninspired and directionless by many of its reviewers at the time - and to this day, Back to the Egg also sold beneath expectations, reaching #6 in the UK and #8 in the US with relatively short chart stays, although it went platinum. Its single releases "Old Siam, Sir," "Arrow Through Me," and "Getting Closer" were also small hits. Although many McCartney fans are devotees of Back to the Egg, it is still generally considered one of his least popular albums. It is interesting to note that Wings began and ended their studio career with their least successful projects.

That "non-album dance single" is no doubt one of those polarizing McCartney songs (like "Wonderful Christmastime"). Even while with The Beatles, certain McCartney tunes ("Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," "I'm Down," "She's Leaving Home," etc.) were either really loved or passionately hated. McCartney's music can definitely divide ranks of diehard Beatle fans into two. As for "Goodnight Tonight," I'm obviously in the camp with those who love it.

I really like McCartney's bass playing on this one. And I clearly remember being played on the radio. A lot.