Nicky WoulffePaul McCartney is now 65 years threading the boards in the world we call Rock-and-Roll. First as a member of the Quarrymen which would eventually become The Beatles, and then Wings…
The Post Beatles Era
After The Beatles, Paul McCartney would record two very personal albums. McCartney and Ram which both did very well from a sales perspective. But it was not until the end of 1971 that his Wings career would begin with Wings Wildlife which did well in England and the USA.
The album while critically acclaimed did not really have outstanding songs on it —bar two: “Dear Friend” and “Tomorrow”. The first was an ode to John Lennon and their friendship.
By 1972 Wings had done a huge tour of the universities in the UK and the band were receiving a lot of attention from the music media and on their second album “Red Rose Speedway” . McCartney penned the rather beautiful “My Love” for his wife Linda who was now a full time member of Wings along with Denny Laine, Denny Siewell, and Henry McCullough. McCullough had laid down the now legendary guitar riff for “My Love” which is still included in the McCartney set list up to this day.
Band On The Run, The Masterpiece
Band On The Run was released in December of 1973 and had been recorded in Lagos, Nigeria, and would have its final remix in Air Studios in London. The remix of the album was handled by Geoff Emerick and Tony Visconti. By the time Band On The Run was set for release, Paul McCartney knew he had made a very special album.
The songs on Band On The Run have defiantly stood the test of time. Songs like “Jet”, “Bluebird” and the wonderful ”Picasso’s last word” would put Wings as a band into another division. The sales of the album would prove that. The accolades continued to roll in for Band On The Run throughout the year of 1974. The question was now: what’s next?
Venus And Mars and Wings At The Speed Of Sound
Paul had realised after the Band On the Run project, that the band needed a fuller sound for ongoing work to begin. Especially for a follow-up album to the monster that was Band On The Run. So he brought in drummer Geoff Britton and guitarist Jimmy McCulloch. The band retreated to Nashville to rehearse and record the album Venus and Mars in New Orleans.
The album would continue the success for Wings with hits like “Listen to What the Man Said” and the brilliant “Letting go”. The album topped the charts in both the USA and England in 1975. Then it was all systems go to record Wings At The Speed Of Sound as Joe English came in to replace Geoff Britton on the drum stool.
The album, like its predecessor Venus and Mars, topped the American charts. It was the fourth Wings album to do so. The album biggest single, “Silly Love Songs”, would also be a number one in the States. While “Let’Em In” also did very well in the chart. It would later be covered by soul legend Billy Paul who recored an amazing version of the song.
Wings over America was released in 1976 and was also a huge success for Wings. This was Wings at their very best in a live context. The band performs some of Wings’ biggest hits along with a number of Beatles tunes such as “Lady Madonna”, “Black Bird”, and the “Long and Winding Road”.
Bringing The Curtain Down On Wings
Paul McCartney would record two more albums with Wings: London Town and Back To The Egg in 1979 which would be Wings’ final album. Both Albums had their moments. Tracks like “With A Little Luck“ and “Girlfriend” stood out from the London Town album. And Back To the Egg gave us memorable songs like “Getting Closer” and “Old Siam, Sir”. At this time Wings had probably run its course and Paul was ready for a new challenge in his recording life. He then set off on a rather successful solo career.
Paul McCartney’s music was celebrated on an album released in 2014 called The Art of McCartney where the best singers in the world gathered to record his songs. Artist’s such as Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Heart, Willie Nelson and B.B. King gathered to sing Beatles and McCartney material.
I will end this piece with the words of Paul McCartney,
“We’re all just these human beings, wanting love.
And I always hoped that Wings would reflect that kind of love.
I was very proud it did.
