music.wikisort.org - Composition

"Heart of the Country" is a song written by Paul and Linda McCartney from their album Ram released in 1971.

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"Heart of the Country"
Single by Paul and Linda McCartney
from the album Ram
A-side	"The Back Seat of My Car"
Released	13 August 1971
Recorded	16 November 1970
Genre	Folk rock, country folk
Length	2:21
Label	Apple
Songwriter(s)	Paul and Linda McCartney
Producer(s)	Paul and Linda McCartney
Paul and Linda McCartney singles chronology
"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" (1971) "Heart of the Country" (1971) "Eat at Home" (1971)
Music video
"Heart of the Country" on YouTube

Origins

The song has simple acoustic tune with a heavy bass chorus, and an unusually mellow sound to the acoustic guitar that was achieved by tuning all of the strings a full step lower than standard pitch. The song is about a man searching for a farm in the middle of nowhere. The song reflects Paul's heading for the Scottish countryside to escape the headaches associated with the Beatles' break-up at the time.[1]

Composition

The song is played in the key of D Minor at a tempo of 172.

Personnel

• Paul McCartney – lead vocals, bass guitar, guitar
• Linda McCartney – backing vocals
• Hugh McCracken – guitar
• Denny Seiwell – drums (with brushes)

Reception

In a contemporary review for Ram, Jon Landau of Rolling Stone gave "Heart of the Country" a negative review, calling it the album's "lowest point", and the song that "most clearly indicates [Ram's] failures".[2] Landau described the song as "an evenly paced, finger-picking styled tune, with very light jazz overtones, obviously intended as Paul's idea of "mellow."".[2] However, Landau believed McCartney's lyrics about the country "ring false".[2]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the song as "an effortless folk-pop tune that ranks among [McCartney's] very best songs".[3] Erlewine also praises its "imaginative and gorgeous arrangement".[4] In 2013, Rolling Stone rated "Heart of the Country" at number 26 in its list of Paul McCartney's best post-Beatles songs.[1]

Aftermath

McCartney and Elvis Costello re-recorded the song, with Mark Ronson producing, in 2013 for a commercial featuring his late wife Linda's vegetarian recipe book.[5]

References

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