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Bill Pence

The Boys of Dungeon Lane – Paul McCartney
****

This is the twentieth solo album by Paul McCartney, and his first since 2020’s McCartney III. The album is named after a road in the Liverpool suburb of Speke. As a boy, McCartney used to wander down Dungeon Lane to look at birds.
The album was produced by Andrew Watt (Rolling Stones) and McCartney. McCartney handled most of the lead and backing vocals along with playing most of the instruments. The album also featured Ringo Star on lead vocals, drums, and tambourine, Andrew Watt on acoustic and electric guitar, synths, and tape loops, Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri on background vocals and Mike Davis on trumpet. Orchestration and arrangements were by Ben Foster and Giles Martin.
The album offers varied musical styles from love song ballads to rockers. About half of the songs has McCartney nostalgically looking back on his life.
Overall, the album is a wonderful collection of songs about hope, love, living for now and remembering the past. It’s a sonic treat that sounds better with each repeated listening, and my favorite album of 2026 thus far.

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Here are a few brief comments about each of the fourteen songs:

As You Lie There –  This song was written by McCartney. It features a spoken word introduction over acoustic  guitar in which he recalls looking up at a girl’s window as he walks past and wondering if she likes him. This song is based on a real-life experience about a girl named Jasmine that McCartney liked, but only met once. It is the most musically creative song on the album, and picks up with drums, guitar, a screaming vocal on the chorus, and a “Come Together” sounding guitar mid-song.

Lost Horizon – This mid-tempo song was written by McCartney. It was written in the early 2000’s that McCartney had not only lost but forgotten. The song addresses sounds that can take him back to the lost horizon. You’ve got to live for now and make every moment count. The song features some nice guitar.

Days We Left Behind – This song was written by McCartney, who described it as very much a memory song for him. It was the first song released in advance of the album. The song includes memories of Liverpool, and includes a bit in the middle about John Lennon and Forthlin Road which is the street McCartney lived on. Dungeon Lane is near there.

Ripples on a Pond – This upbeat pop song is a love song to McCartney’s wife Nancy. The song was written by McCartney. He is in love and blessed.

Mountain Top – This song was written by McCartney. He has described the song as being about a girl going off for the weekend to a music festival to trip out. The song references magic mushrooms, includes a memorable chorus, tape loops, a Moog Synthesizer an unexpected frantic ending, and a brief spoken word by wife Nancy at the end.

Down South – This upbeat acoustic song was written by McCartney and recalls the days when McCartney and George Harrison would go hitchhiking. He sings that the hitchhiking was a good way to gеt to know George before they learned to twist and shout. The song features a nice guitar solo.

We Two – This mid-tempo love song was written by McCartney and Andrew Watt. The drums stand out on this song, which also features a guitar solo.

Come Inside – This song was written by McCartney and Andrew Watt. It’s the most straight-ahead rocker on the album, and will sound good in concert, but is lyrically the weakest song on the album.

Never Know – This love song was written by McCartney and Andrew Watt. The song was written in Los Angeles. McCartney has said that the guitar riff is his attempt to a bit of dreamy LA sound. His backing vocals remind one of the Beach Boys’ sound. The song features a Mellotron, tape loops and a recorder (woodwind).

Home to Us – This joyful song was written by McCartney and Andrew Watt. It is the first true duet between McCartney and Ringo Starr, with the two sharing lead vocals, with Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri on backing vocals. The song is about the Liverpool of their childhood.

Life Can Be Hard – This song was written by McCartney during the COVID pandemic. The song features a jazzy arrangement, and is optimistic. Life can be hard, but that’s when we start to put it together again.

First Star of The Night – This song was written by McCartney while on tour in Costa Rica. There was a day off and it rained all day, so he had time to write a song. This song of hope talks about the comfort found in seeing the first star of the night revealing its light. He knows his little world is still alright. McCartney’s bass is a highlight.

Salesman Saint – This song was written by McCartney. McCartney’s dad was a cotton salesman and his mom was a midwife. The song is set during World War, and is a tribute to his parent’s resilience. They couldn’t take anymore, but they had to carry on. The song features trumpets and muted horns that remind one of Glenn Miller and McCartney’s dad’s own band that played in the Liverpool jazz clubs. The song features excellent arrangements by Ben Foster and Giles Martin.

Momma Gets By – This piano ballad was written by McCartney. The song is written from the perspective of the son of a couple. The woman is married to a man who seems a bit lazy. He is complicated and has silly faults, but she loves him with all of her heart and soul. The song features strings and an acoustic guitar solo.

Favorite songs:
As You Lie There
Lost Horizon
Days We Left Behind
Down South
Come Inside
Home to Us
Salesman Saint
Momma Gets By

In Christ Alone – Sing! Hymnal at the Piano
****

This album contains twelve instrumental hymns beautifully arranged and played on the piano by Keith Getty. These hymns are among those that inspired Getty in writing “In Christ Alone”. Each is a mark of excellence in composition and poetry. Each track provides a quiet yet expressive background for devotion, meditation, and pleasurable listening. The album was produced by Nathan Nockels.

I’ve enjoyed listening to this album a lot while reading, checking email, walking, riding in the car, etc.

The hymns that are included are:

    Running to a Runaway – Phil Wickham

This week’s song of the week is “Running to a Runaway”, from Phil Wickham’s Essential Worship song session. The song was written by Wickham and Paul Duncan. Watch the video for the song here.

I cried to the mountain
From the shadows of my wilderness
“The rivers of my hope are running dry”
Praying for a light to break the sky
I cried to the Heavens
From a weary heart with nothing left
“I need You like I need the air I breathe
Even in the darkness, I believe”
You’re my Defender when my enemies are everywhere
The One who finds me where I am, but doesn’t leave me there
My song of rescue when I have reached the end

I called Your name

You heard my cry
And led me out into the light
A Savior with a soul to save
You were running to a runaway
What a God You are
What amazing grace
How You chased me down
When I lost my way
A love that I could not escape
You were running to a runaway

I cried to the Father
Reaching for a stronger hand than mine
I know I never should’ve wandered off alone
I should never be this far from home
But You won’t rest until You bring me back where I belong
There at the table by Your side like I was never gone
Hallelujah, what amazing love

I called Your name
You heard my cry
And led me out into the light
A Savior with a soul to save
You were running to a runaway
What a God You are
What amazing grace
How You chased me down
When I lost my way
A love that I could not escape
You were running to a runaway

A runaway, a runaway
You were running to a runaway
A runaway, runaway

‘Cause I called Your name
And You heard my cry
You led me out into the light
A Savior with a soul to save
You were running to a runaway
What a God You are
What amazing grace
How You chased me down
When I lost my way
A love that I could not escape
Oh, You’re running to a runaway

You were running to a runaway, runaway, runaway
I should’ve known that You’d be running to me

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