Song Lyric Sunday – 27 December 2020 – Heart of the Country

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Odor /Scent /Smell /Taste this week to be included in the title or lyrics.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

This week I’m pondering on the final concert, and the final public performance, of The Beatles, Paul and Linda McCartney’s move to the Mull of Kintyre, and the beauty of that part of the world. I was fortunate to live in the Outer Hebrides for two years, based in Ballivanich, on the Isle of Benbecula. Wild, sparsely populated, enduring some tremendously strong winds and wild weather but beautiful, captivating, and instilling a sort of desert fever in those who are lucky enough to experience it.

The Beatles’ final paid concert of their career took place on 29 August 1966 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. The band played to an audience of 25,000, leaving 7,000 tickets unsold. They had become disillusioned with live performances, singing the same songs time and again, unable to hear themselves playing. They had upset many fans with John’s statement that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus.

The Beatles’ rooftop concert on 30 January 1969 marked the end of an era for many fans. The group did record one more album, Abbey Road — on which work started the following month — but by September 1969 the Beatles had unofficially disbanded.

To save some money from the taxman and as a bolt hole from Beatlemania, Paul had, encouraged by then girlfriend Jane Asher, bought High Park Farm in Campbeltown, near Argyll’s Mull of Kintyre in 1968. But it was only when newly married to American Linda Eastman in 1969 that he decided to make it a home.

He said: “Going up to Scotland was real freedom. It was an escape – our means of finding a new direction in life and having time to think about what we really wanted to do.”

The farm, which was rustic to say the least, would become home to Linda’s daughter Heather and the couple’s first child Mary. Stella, now a top fashion designer, arrived in 1971.

But it was also the place where Paul’s next music project was born.

The new expanded editions of Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway include never-before-seen pictures of the McCartneys’ life in Campbeltown, which in time would inspire his love letter to the area – Mull of Kintyre – a 1977 Christmas No1. 

They released the album ‘Ram’ together in 1971 and formed the band Wings in the same year. The couple were also nominated for an Oscar for their song ‘Live And Let Die’, the theme tune for the 1973 Bond film of the same name.

“When she came to Britain and we got to together the greatest thing about it was we both wanted to be free. We did what we wanted and she took pictures of it all.”

Linda McCartney died after a battle with breast cancer on April 17, 1998. She was 56 years old. 

The song I’m offering is Heart of the Country from the album Ram released in 1971.

The video shows some great examples of the free and easy life in their dream home. A great place to raise their children, grow their own food, ride in deserted areas (UK horseriders may note they use American style saddles and tack), and generally enjoy life.

The song aint bad either!

If you want to see more then there is some lovely pics, and music, at the bottom of the lyrics.

I look high, I look low

I’m lookin’ everywhere I go

Lookin’ for a home

In the heart of the country

I’m gonna move, I’m gonna go

I’m gonna tell everyone I know

Lookin’ for a home

In the heart of the country

Heart of the country

Where the holy people grow

Heart of the country

Smell the grass in the meadow

Whoa, whoa, whoa

Want a horse, I want a sheep

I wanna get me a good night’s sleep

Living in a home

In the heart of the country

I’m gonna move, I’m gonna go

I’m gonna tell everyone I know

Livin’ in a home

In the heart of the country

Heart of the country

Where the holy people grow

Heart of the country

Smell the grass in the meadow

Whoa, whoa, whoa

Want a horse, I got a sheep

I’m gonna get me a good night’s sleep

Livin’ in a home

In the heart of the country

I’m gonna move, I’m gonna go

I’m gonna tell everyone I know

In the heart of the country

Heart of the country

Where the holy people grow

Heart of the country

Smell the grass in the meadow

Whoa, whoa, whoa