Some people seem to take inordinate delight in downplaying Paul McCartney’s contributions to pop music, especially in his post-Beatles years. But I ask you: who can listen to “Coming Up”, “My Love” or “No More Lonely Nights” and say that Paul was past his prime when he coined these tunes? Forever doomed to be widely regarded as the cute, irreverent half of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting powerhouse, McCartney has always been capable of putting that perception to rest with his ballads. (C’mon, we are talking about the man chiefly responsible for “Hey Jude” and “Yesterday”.) Now, there are some tracks on here that do a lot to give McCartney’s solo portfolio that “cute, irreverent” label (I’m thinking “Band On The Run” and especially “Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey” – a song that some people refer to as “Hands Across The Water” – here), and a few that seem to go a bit far in trying to correct that perception (“Live And Let Die”) – but criticism of the lyrics aside, I still like just about everything on this collection.
It’s sad that Paul’s output and his chart-topping streak have come to a juddering halt in recent years – though I loved Flaming Pie – and this greatest hits disc is sorely in need of updating (thinking mainly of “The World Tonight” from Flaming Pie and “My Brave Face” here). But on its own, All My Best 
puts the lie to the notion that Paul didn’t go anywhere after the Fab Four fell apart. Corny as some of them may seem now, all of these songs are appealing, and serve as a reminder that they were, after all, written by one half of the most successful songwriting duo in chart history. They may not have been number one with a bullet, but they did at least have wings.
- Band On The Run (5:14)
- Jet (4:10)
- Ebony And Ivory (3:43)
- Listen To What The Man Said (3:57)
- No More Lonely Nights (4:41)
- Silly Love Songs (5:56)
- Let ‘Em In (5:11)
- Say Say Say (3:56)
- Live And Let Die (3:14)
- Another Day (3:43)
- C Moon (4:35)
- Junior’s Farm (4:23)
- Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey (4:42)
- Coming Up (3:31)
- Goodnight Tonight (4:21)
- With A Little Luck (3:14)
- My Love (4:09)
Released by: Capitol
Release date: 1987
Total running time: 72:40
