The week of July 19, 1975, found Wings atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Listen to What the Man Said,’ the leadoff single from the album Venus and Mars. This was the third of five #1 hits by Wings during the 70s.
This is the song I know least of those five, which include ‘My Love,’ ‘Silly Love Songs,’ ‘Band on the Run,’ and ‘With a Little Luck.’ I’m sure I’ve heard this before but it doesn’t exactly ring a bell.
This is a quintessential example of McCartney’s melodic pop, maybe a bit too sugary, maybe in need of a little John Lennon vinegar. Even though many “Lennon/McCartney” compositions were very much written by one man or the other, there was something about the chemistry of The Beatles that made every song better with the group than as a solo.
All right, okay, he-he-he-heh
Very good to see you down in New Orleans, man
Yeah, here it is, yeah, yeah
[Verse 1]
Any time, any day
You can hear the people say
That love is blind
Well, I don’t know, but I say love is kind
[Refrain]
Doo doo doo-roo, doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo-ooh, doo-ooh doo doo
[Verse 2]
Soldier boy kisses girl
Leaves behind a tragic world
But he won’t mind
He’s in love and he says love is fine
[Refrain]
Doo doo doo-roo, doo-roo doo doo
Doo doo-roo
[Chorus]
Oh yes, indeed we know
That people will find a way to go
No matter what the man said
And love is fine for all we know
For all we know, our love will grow
That’s what the man said
So won’t you listen to what the man said?
He said
[Bridge]
Ah, take it away
[Chorus]
Oh yes, indeed we know
That people will find a way to go
No matter what the man said
And love is fine for all we know
For all we know, our love will grow
That’s what the man said
So won’t you listen to what the man said?
He said
Oh yes, indeed we know
That people will find a way to go
No matter what the man said
And love is fine for all we know
For all we know, our love will grow
That’s what the man said
So won’t you listen to what the man said?
He said
[Outro]
The wonder of it all, baby
The wonder of it all, baby
The wonder of it all, baby
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Meet Me In Montauk 
McCartney’s post-Beatles output largely left much to be desired in contrast to Lennon’s. This song (which I unfortunately do remember) stands as an example, though “Silly Love Songs” gives it a run for its money. Overall, Paul’s melodies definitely benefitted from collaboration with a better lyricist with more musical grit, such as when he teamed up with Elvis Costello.