"McCartney & Wings Say Goodnight Tonight" ENTER DISCO WATERS 1978--1979--POLL:

I loved it when I first heard it - I was 9 or 10 years old and I think it was one of my brothers that bought the single which he would have exchanged it for something... I never had money then, but was given the right amount and 'allowed' to buy the occasional single if it was still in the charts - otherwise it was seen as old or out-of-date or something. I would get told off for buying one and then swapping for 3 that I had wanted for months; I thought I was getting the better end of the bargain (and I was.) That's older people for you. It was almost always one of my grandmothers that would let me have the cash to buy one and this is something that you never forget. Anyway, I discovered this great b-side too which I often enjoy as much as GT. This is easily one of my favourite Wings couplings and probably a top 10 track of theirs - certainly top 20. I did get the 12" and play that every few months of so, in favour of the 7". Great memories!

 

This was hit a huge in my part of the world.

Released just one month after the "George Harrison" album, from which "Blow Away" got some airplay but not that much.
Once "Goodnight Tonight" came out, it was all over the radio and it seems that "Blow Away" was never heard again...
The 12" single was the first version available here, the US version on Columbia. Plain white cover with only a sticker.
I didn't quite understand why a 12" single would have to play at 33 rpm instead of 45 rpm (exactly like the only other 12" single I had owned until then, the Rolling Stones' "Miss You").
The 7" single only appeared about a week or so later (with a Parlophone label logo similar to the one on the Beatles singles), featuring the "MPL basement" picture cover. We had read that Paul had signed with Columbia Records, but I didn't know it was just for the US, so I was kind of amazed to see the record was with EMI when I was actually expecting the record to come from CBS!

Then again the 12" single, imported from the UK, started to appear, with the gorgeous sleeve and beautiful inner sleeve. And now it would play at 45 rpm, which was much more exciting.

Very exciting times for a 16 year old Macca/Beatles fan.

On the other hand, when "Back To The Egg" was released a few months later, very few songs from it where played on the radio, except during the week the album came out. During the summer, "Goodnight Tonight" was still in heavy rotation, while I would have to listen to the radio a lot to hear "Getting Close" or "Old Siam, Sir". "Rockestra Theme" would have a second life, though, when at the time it became the song played as the opening on the daily radio programme "Chlorophylle" on the Europe 1 radio channel.

 

Nope. Just vinyl. Wiki claims its on iTunes, but I can't find it, unless it came and went.

 

Exactly how do the 7" and 12" versions differ? Do they emanate from the exact same take, but the 12" mix is just longer? (Or, if you want to look at it differently, is the 7" just an edited down version of the 12" version?) Or is the 12" version a completely different take? Or are there musical elements that differ between the two (even in the parts of the 2 versions that are otherwise identical---if there are identical parts).

 

Was a great record when it came out, and still is. Regardless of whether it's 'disco' or any other genre.

 

The 7" is just the single. The 12" long version has elements not included in the 7" mainly just a few extra notes on a synthesizer. Most likely not even played by Paul, but whoever was in charge of editing the mix together. It is in no way a different recording. Just bits and pieces edited/repeated to be longer, as as mentioned, a few added synth notes that add NOTHING to the song and actually sound dumb.


Skip to 5:28

 

So is everything the same (between the 7" and 12" mixes) up to 5:28 (except for the synth sounds)?

 

No. 5:28 is just when the synth start.

WAIT, I forgot there is a WHOLE verse cut from the single that's in the 12" lol
(Starts at 2:42)

So yes, I guess there ARE major differences.

 

If you change your mind again, I'm going to send you a copy of DRIVING RAIN...

 

Ha! You don't scare me. I'm a hard core McCartney fan. I actually LIKE Driving Rain... Well, MOST of it... er... SOME of it.

 

Correct, I haven't seen the 12" on cd. Unless on import cd.

 

Agreed

 

Enjoy both sides of the single much more than anything on Back to the Egg

 

Good song! Always have liked it.

But FWIW, in my opinion, "Silly Love Songs" is a disco song as well, so Macca actually "went disco" in 1976.

 

Silly Love Songs has a straight up rock and roll beat. It may have disco elements, but it is NOT disco.

 

Silly Love Songs could be my favorite thing he did between For No One and London Town

 

Just rediscovered it again via Pure McCartney. His voice and bass playing is awesome on it, fun tune. Like!

 

He hasn't totally forgotten Goodnight Tonight!

--And with John Paul Jones, no less.

I agree, he should do it live, swap it out with Coming Up.

 

And lest we forget, for the collectors.

The UK 12" (and other countries too, just not USA) sport this nifty inner sleeve.

I only recently found out about this. I'm going to have to pick one up.

There can't be too many 12" singles that have a picture cover AND a picture inner sleeve, right?

A Minor Wings Find »

 

Don't know if it's a great song, but it is definitely a fantastic recording. I love the video as well.

I discovered recently that the (marvelous) bass part was VERY reminiscent of the Bill Withers' hit "Lovely Day" which was released in 1977. Paul said in an interview that he wrote Goodnight Tonight after spending a night at a disco club… So it kind of fits. Naughty Paul !

 

Amazing Withers tune. Destroyed this 45 vinyl.

 

Paul invented disco rock in 1975.

 

Also discussed here:

Wings - Goodnight Tonight (12" Disco Single) on CD? »

 

THANKS

 

Great tune. Have the archive box as well. You could say he pioneered the genre.