Contents
3 Personnel History
A document of the huge success of The Paul McCartney World Tour, Tripping the Live Fantastic encompasses McCartney's entire musical career from his famed Beatles hits to his recent hit album, Flowers in the Dirt, while also including some unique covers. Interspersed throughout the package are occasional soundcheck recordings as well. The title is an allusion to the phrase "tripping the light fantastic", meaning to dance or move to musical accompaniment, originally from the poem L'Allegro by John Milton.
Although some critics have described the album as being overly polished and slick, Tripping the Live Fantastic is still considered a generous and enjoyable memento from McCartney's first world tour in over a decade.
Despite reversing the famed Lennon/McCartney credits on Wings over America, McCartney left the credits for his Beatles songs contained on Tripping the Live Fantastic in their original form.
Tripping the Live Fantastic: Highlights!
Tripping the Live Fantastic: Highlights! is an abridged version of the double CD Tripping the Live Fantastic by Paul McCartney. Released in 1990, both packages document McCartney's highly successful Paul McCartney World Tour of 1989-1990.
Cutting out all of the soundcheck recordings and leaving merely the concert highlights (hence the album's title), this set is notable for the exclusive inclusion of "All My Trials", not found on the more complete Tripping the Live Fantastic set or on the US version, where it was replaced by "Put It There".
Not charting at all in the UK, Tripping the Live Fantastic: Highlights! reached #141 in the US on the Billboard 200 and, proving to be a sustained seller, went platinum, whereas the original set, which reached #26, failed to even go gold.
Live album by Paul McCartney
Released 29 October 1990
Recorded 26 September 1989 -
30 June 1990
Genre Rock
Length 2:18:20
Label Parlophone/EMI
Producer Paul McCartney,
Bob Clearmountain,
and Peter Henderson
Showtime
Paul McCartney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Showtime is a song by Paul McCartney that is rich in imagery and metaphor. The song is primarily about the fleeting nature of fame and success. The verse "A star tonight, but will she fade out in the morning light?" sets the tone for the song, suggesting that fame is fleeting and that we must cherish our successes while we have them.
The lyrics also hint at the emptiness of fame and success, with lines like "The crowd is roaring, but I don't hear a thing". McCartney suggests that fame can be isolating, and that it may leave its recipients feeling empty and unfulfilled. The chorus of the song - "Showtime! Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go... before you feel the pain" - reinforces this idea, suggesting that those who pursue fame must constantly move forward, or risk being left behind.
Overall, Showtime is a poignant meditation on the nature of fame and success. McCartney reflects on his own experiences as a performer, but also on the more general human desire for recognition and visibility. The song reminds us that fame is not all it's cracked up to be, and that there is a price to pay for chasing after it.
Line by Line Meaning
Ladies and gentlemen, let's have some fun
It's time to enjoy ourselves, so let's get ready for some entertainment
I'm your host, you're not the only one
I'll be the one leading this show, but I'm not the only one involved
Everybody's got to play their part
Each person involved in the show has a role to play and must do their part
And I know I can count on you from the very start
I'm confident that each person involved will give their best effort from the beginning
We've got music, we've got magic
We have both musical performances and various acts of magic during the show
And we'll see just how they intertwine
We'll witness how the music and magic will combine and complement each other on stage
When they work together, everything is just fine
When music and magic come together properly, the result is amazing
So hold on tight, it's gonna be quite a ride
Get ready for an exciting and thrilling show
A rollercoaster of emotions, you can't hide
The show will elicit various emotions from the audience that they can't avoid
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've been waiting for
The highlight of the show is about to be revealed, which the audience has been eagerly anticipating
The main attraction, here to explore
The most important and exciting part of the show is being presented now for everyone's enjoyment
We're gonna take you on an adventure, like never before
This performance will be an unforgettable experience, unlike anything the audience has ever seen
So sit back, relax, and let your mind soar
Sit down, get comfortable, and allow yourself to be captivated by the show and allow your imagination to soar
And that's a wrap, we hope you had fun
The show has come to an end, and we hope that the audience enjoyed themselves
Thanks for coming out and joining in the run
We appreciate the audience coming out and participating in the show
It's always a pleasure to entertain everyone
We take pleasure in entertaining people, and hope to do so again in the future
We'll see you all again, hopefully soon
We look forward to seeing the audience again soon, for more entertainment and enjoyment together
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind