Well, it certainly has been an interesting few weeks since I’ve last posted here.  The pandemic has reared its ugly head again, unfortunately, but fear not there has been a bit of musical light in the darkness so to speak to keep ones spirits up.

With the news of a brand new studio album by Paul McCartney entitled “McCartney III” due in December and upcoming box set reissues of Lennon’s classic “John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band” album as well as George Harrison’s epic solo masterpiece “All Things Must Pass” on the horizon there is at least something to look forward to in the midst of all this uncertainty.

There have also been a few newer and exciting music releases that have snuck out recently which I have decided to share on this blog. In fact just a few days a go I received a package in the mail that I thought I would be perfect to share here with you all.

Direct from paulmccartney.com came a lovely picture disc reissue of McCartney’s charming children’s song “We All Stand Together” from 1984 which was featured in an award-winning short cartoon film McCartney made called “Rupert and the Frog Song”.

The short but enchanting “Rupert and the Frog Song” was originally going to be part of a complete animated feature film but for unknown reasons McCartney only produced this lovely small film which made its debut as a trailer for his full-length movie “Give My Regards to Broad Street” in which he starred which likewise made its debut in 1984.

Ahhhh 1984. It was a strange year for so many reasons.

For Paul McCartney the critical drubbing of his self-written “Give My Regards to Broad Street” film sent his career into a tailspin that didn’t really recover until near the end of the decade with the release of his “Flowers in the Dirt” album and its accompanying tour.

For me I had graduated from high school in the spring of 1984 and I too felt a bit adrift as I tried to decide where my life was going. I took a few classes from a local trade school that Fall not really knowing where my future was headed.

I remember finally seeing “Give My Regards to Broad Street” in a near empty movie theater a few weeks after it was released and completely falling in love with the “Rupert and the Frog Song” short and absolutely loving “We All Stand Together”.

“We All Stand Together”, which was produced by famed Beatles producer George Martin, was the perfect antidote to my Fall of uncertainty.

While the song wasn’t even released in the U.S. at the time I remember locating an import copy on 45 as well as a groovy little picture disc and playing it to death on those last cold and wet winter evenings of November and December of 1984.

McCartney decided to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Rupert the Bear cartoon character – which has been a staple of British life all these many years while remaining relatively unknown in the States – by reissuing the 1984 picture disc of “We All Stand Together” .

I’m so glad he did as my original copy, see above, which came in a plastic PVC type cover has badly yellowed due to chemicals from the plastic cover seeping into the vinyl disc and discoloring it.

The new reissue is quite lovely and practically a spot-on copy of the original from 1984 but this time comes in a terrific cardboard cover and sleeve and also contains a small poster with images from the photo session for the original 45 sleeve and picture disc.

To top it off both “We All Stand Together” and it’s b-side “We All Stand Together (Humming Version)” have been lovingly remastered and sound great despite being pressed on a picture disc.

(Note: Picture discs tend to sound lousy as they usually add a lot of noise while playing but this disc sounded lovely without a hint of added hum or hiss.)

To me this song has become a part of the holiday season and I am so glad to have a reissue of the picture disc as to me “We All Stand Together” is the perfect way to close out the horrid year of 2020 and the song’s sentiment certainly stands as a great theme for this year of challenge, uncertainty and heartache.

As usual you can take a gander above at some photos of the new disc release as well as my much yellowed original 1984 picture disc minus the PVC type sleeve which fell apart a few years ago.

Well that’s all for now.

There are more new releases to come including a report on the fantastic new “Jewel Box” eight CD set by Elton John which I am currently wading through at the moment.

Until next time be well and safe and I hope the holiday season treats you well wherever you are!