[POLL] Wings Over America: Which Tracks Are That Song's Definitive Version

So @Oatsdad said this in an At The Speed Of Sound thread...

And it got me, a guy who likes to quantify things, thinking, which tracks on Wings Over America do the denizens of SH.TV really think are the definitive version of that song?

There are a limited number of poll choice slots available, so I left out the Beatles' songs (reason: seriously? Plus, seems like that could unleash a hell storm unlike any other).

Choose as many as you like. I probably should have left Soily off, so that one's a gimme.

 

Venus & Mars/Rockshow
Spirits Of Ancient Egypt
Call Me Back Again
Richard Cory
Magneto And Titanium Man
Go Now
My Love
Silly Love Songs

now a small list of definitive versions of other tracks:

Jet (studio version or perhaps one of the later live renditions with a bit more power)
Let Me Roll It ("Paul Is Live", it just has the right vibe to it)
Medicine Jar (studio, because of the backing vocals)
Maybe I'm Amazed ("One Hand Clapping", McCartney deluxe reissue)
Live And Let Die ("Paul Is Live")
Picasso's Last Words (studio version, worst version is in the movie, where Denny is too stoned to do it justice)
Bluebird (studio version)
You Gave Me The Answer (studio version)
Band On The Run (studio version all the way, with an honorable mention to 1979 and 90's live renditions)
Hi Hi Hi (studio version, live versions feel too rushed)
Soily ("One Hand Clapping", the song itself sounds much more powerful on there)

 

Let me first of all, just say... "Hi Hi Hi"!!!!!!!! First & foremost, & without question..."Hi Hi Hi" was a terrific little single, but here, with it's new live arrangement, it becomes an absolutely transcendent song!!!!!
I'm still choosing, & this could take awhile to go over (what a pleasure) but that's the one that I wanted to highlight (Hi Hi Hi lite) the most!!

 

Venus and Mars/Rock Show
Medicine Jar
Maybe I'm Amazed
Call Me Back Again
Magneto and Titanium Man
Time to Hide
Beware My Love

Time to Hide and Beware My Love by many, many miles.

Would have voted for Letting Go if the bass playing wasn't so boxy and uninspired.

 

I voted for Maybe I'm Amazed, Time To Hide and Soily, the latter mainly because - until recently - it was the ONLY version. I was tempted to add Letting Go and Listen To What The Man Said to this list because the live versions really are fabulous but, in the end, I think I prefer the studio takes. I should say that I'm perhaps a little different to most here in that Wings Over America was the first Wings album I bought. It served as a fabulous "best of" taster and so these versions are my first introduction to most of the songs that appear on it. In the case of Letting Go, I have to say that I was initially underwhelmed when I finally heard the studio take because it just seemed so restrained in comparison to the wild live take. But I've come to really love that restrained groove.

 

My first choice was not available as an option: Blackbird

 

Thank you for saving me some typing.

 

I wish that I could be...John Denver (Oh oh yeah! I can't WAIT!)

 

Every song now has at least 1 vote.

 

definitive Wings version 'Go Now' pretty much everything else was done better elsewhere

 

I voted for so many I can t remember which ones. An honourable mention to Call me back again though.
Yeah I know the Beatles stuff were not included
But
There is no greater version of the Long and winding road than the one included on WOA

 

Only 'Call Me Back Again' and 'Let Me Roll It'

 

Sure there is. The one on Let It Be is superior.

What McCartney did wrong is to take an amazing Richard Hewson orchestral arrangement and replaced it with a boring horn arrangement (if you can even call that an arrangement). And he did that for no good reason. He could have easily taken the same arrangement and had the horns play that. The strings are what makes the song what it is. I get that McCartney doesn't like the choir but the orchestra and the melody it plays is stunning and McCartney ruined the best part of the song.

 

Guess which ones I chose!

 

The version of Long And Winding Road on Broadstreet is better than all the rest!

It's much more jazzy and soulful, absolutely fantastic vocal delivery!

I totally agree that Call Me Back Again is even better on WOA, so is My Love, and yes Hi Hi Hi absolutely smokes on WOA!

I can't leave out Rockshow, and now that I think about it, so is Medicine Jar, Spirits Of Ancient Egypt, and Magneto and Titanium Man is an all out rocker!

OK now I've got to listen to WOA, thanks guys!

 

Only Soily for me...and that's because no finished studio version exists..I know nobody agrees with me here but.....and as far as Maybe I'm Amazed, no live performance beats the original studio version by Paul..I even prefer his guitar solo to Jimmy McCulough's..and Paul's vocal on the studio version is unmatchable..

 

I tried voting for none of them, but it won't let you.
It's not a very good live album to begin with, and I don't think any of the songs compare to the studio versions.
Let Me Roll It comes close, but still no.

 

Venus and Mar/Rock Show, Maybe I'm Amazed, Magneto, Picasso's Last Words were my choices.

I also would have picked the Long and Winding Road.

 

The definitive "Maybe I'm Amazed" is on a Faces album.

 

I think the Lady Madonna version on the bonus Wings Over America remaster sold at Best Buy is better than the one on the original WOA...more jazzy feel to the horns. Of course not as good as the Beatles single.

 

I ended up picking 11, including "Soily" which seems unfair. Really like "Go Now" on this, but I have to say the original Moody Blues performance is one of those rare songs which seems better because it sounds worse.

The other ten are as follows:

"Venus And Mars"/"Rock Show" - the second song references going on tour, so it's perfect to kick off the album. Plus it is magnificently raucous.
"Jet" - I think Paul's over-the-top vocal, which seems to go out of sync at times, really suits this song marginally better than the studio version. And the band is amazing on it.
"Medicine Jar" - I think the interplay of the backing vocals and Jimmy's lead singing is shambolic in a good way, and the guitars crunch like piledrivers.
"Maybe I'm Amazed" - The opening piano gives me chills just thinking about. And it gets better from there.
"Magneto And Titanium Man" - A funny power-pop song in studio, but what a thumping anthem it turns into on stage. Backing vocals sell it for me.
"Let 'Em In" - Just for Denny's "happy birthday America" at the end and nifty snare drum work throughout. Paul's vocal also has a warmth lacking on Speed Of Sound.
"Time To Hide" - Denny's vocal and Jimmy's guitar totally smoke here, and I love Joe English's opening beat which sets an ominous mood.
"Beware My Love" - Whoever gave prominence to Linda's backing vocal on this particular track was very smart, because it gives it an extra charge.
"Letting Go" - The horn section really comes to life here, pushing the song into a different, more vital direction than it has in the studio.
"Hi Hi Hi" - Really great Paul lead vocal on this, much better than he was on the studio. I think you can hear him really pushing himself throughout this album, whereas often in the studio he settled too much for being cute.

I probably should have added "Call Me Back Again," I love Paul's work on the playout...

 

I vote for:

Venus and Mars / Rock Show
Let Me Roll It
Maybe I'm Amazed

 

Don t agree- the horn -arrangement on LAWR is a great one but what-imo-makes the WOA the best version are Pauls gorgeus vocals-one of his best ever imo

 

10 years ago I would've voted for almost all but I've come to prefer certain studio versions more (Maybe I'm Amazed, Let Em In). Still though, I voted for every song off Venus and Mars and a good portion of the other Wings tracks. I'm not sure if that speaks to the quality of these versions (great as they are) or Wings' less than energetic productions at times....