Silly Love Songs

"Silly Love Songs" was written as a rebuttal to music critics (and his former Beatles bandmate, John Lennon) who had criticized McCartney for writing lightweight love songs. Author Tim Riley suggests that in the song, McCartney is inviting "his audience to have a laugh on him", as Elvis Presley had sometimes done. The song includes a build-up of multiple vocal parts sung in counterpoint, similar to the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows", a song that McCartney cited as his favourite of all time. McCartney allowed the horn section to create their own parts for the song. ==Release==

"Silly Love Songs" was released in the US on 1 April 1976 and spent five non-consecutive weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was the number 1 pop song in Billboard's Year-End Charts of 1976; it was also the group's second of three number ones on the Easy Listening chart. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies. Billboard listed "Silly Love Songs" as Paul McCartney's all-time biggest Hot 100 single. The single was released in the UK on 30 April 1976 and reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song reached No. 1 on the Irish Singles Chart on 27 May. ==Critical reception==

Upon release, "Silly Love Songs" generally received positive reviews from music critics, despite a common criticism of the song lacking substance. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song, as well as its follow-up single, "Let 'Em In", as "so lightweight that their lack of substance seems nearly defiant". Music critic Robert Christgau called the two tracks "charming if lightweight singles", while Rolling Stone critic Stephen Holden said "Silly Love Songs" was "a clever retort whose point is well taken". Cash Box said that "the production is slick and the arrangement filled with drive" and that McCartney's "voice is as good as ever". Record World said that "all the ingredients of a sure chart-topper are wrapped up in this delightful, fast moving number" with "awesome hooks". John Bergstrom of PopMatters called the song "an exemplary piece of mid-‘70s pop production and a pure pleasure". In 2008, "Silly Love Songs" was listed at No. 31 on ''Billboard's Greatest Songs of All Time, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. ==Other recordings==

In 1976, Wings recorded "Silly Love Songs" live for their triple live album Wings Over America. In 1984, three years after the dissolution of Wings, Paul McCartney re-recorded "Silly Love Songs" for the soundtrack to the motion picture Give My Regards to Broad Street. == Personnel ==

Personnel per Andrew Grant Jackson: • Paul McCartney – lead and backing vocals, bass, piano, producer • Linda McCartney – backing vocals, keyboards • Denny Laine – guitar, backing vocals • Jimmy McCulloch – guitar • Joe English – drums • Howie Casey – saxophone • Thaddeus Richard – saxophone • Steve Howard – trumpet • Tony Dorsey – trombone ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts All-time charts ==Certifications==

In 1999, New Zealand music group Ardijah released an R&B version of "Silly Love Songs". Their cover debuted at number 22 on New Zealand's RIANZ Singles Chart on 17 January 1999, rising to number nine the following week. It then moved up to number three, where it stayed for two weeks, and reached number one on 14 February, becoming the band's highest-charting single in their home country as well as their first top-10 hit since "Watchin' U" in 1988. "Silly Love Songs" logged 17 weeks on the New Zealand chart in total and was certified gold for selling over 5,000 copies. Charts Certifications ==Other covers==

• In 1977, Welsh singer Shirley Bassey covered the song on her album You Take My Heart Away. • In 1995, American rock band The Replicants covered the song on their self-titled album, with Maynard James Keenan on vocals. • In a 1995 appearance on Late Show with David Letterman, Soul Asylum lead singer Dave Pirner uses a trumpet to interpolate the horn break in “Silly Love Songs” with his band's “Misery” before the show's musical director Paul Shaffer intervened. • In 1996, rock group Red House Painters performed the song on their album Songs for a Blue Guitar. • Wings band member Denny Laine covered "Silly Love Songs" on his album Wings at the Speed of Denny Laine. • In 1998, American singer Stevie B recorded a version for his album Right Here, Right Now. • In 2001, the song was sampled in the song 'Elephant Love Medley' for the musical Moulin Rouge! • In 2011, the song is featured in the Valentine's Day episode of Glee, which is also titled after the song. The song was performed by Darren Criss (who plays Blaine Anderson), while all-male a cappella group Beelzebubs sang the background vocals. • In 2015, John Pizzarelli recorded the song on his album Midnight McCartney. ==See also==