Paul McCartney/Wings-song by song thread

Mumbo 6/10
Bip Bop 6.5/10
Love Is Strange 7/10
Wild Life 7.5/10
Some People Never Know 8.5/10
I Am Your Singer 7/10
Tomorrow 8.5/10

Spoiler: That's about all folks!

Dear Friend 8/10

 

This is my favorite playlist so far as it sounds fresh and I love these songs! This album becomes The Beatles biggest political statement:

The Beatles Solo (1972) Wild Life In New York City (SHF), a playlist by Dr. Pepper on Spotify

Side One
"Well (Baby Please Don't Go)" (Walter Ward) Live (John)
"Miss O'Dell" (George)
" Bye Blackbird" (Ringo)
"Bip Bop" (Paul)
Give Peace A Chance (John)
Mumbo (Paul)
Instant Karma!(We All Shine On) (John)
Tomorrow" (Paul)

Side Two
"Beaucoups of Blues" (Ringo)
"John Sinclair" (John)
"I Live for You" (George)
"Love Is Strange" (Mickey Baker, Sylvia Vanderpool, Ethel Smith) (Paul)
"I Dig Love" (George)
"Night and Day" (Ringo)

Side Three
"New York City" (John)
"Wild Life" (Paul)
"Cold Turkey" (John)
"Deep Blue" (George)
Power To The People (John)
"Some People Never Know" (Paul)
"Blind Man" (Ringo)

Side Four
"Woman Is the n****r of the World" (John)
"Hear Me Lord" (George)
"Give Ireland Back To The Irish" (Paul)
"The Luck of the Irish" (John)
"Bangla Desh" (George)
"Dear Friend" (Paul)
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (John)
"Cold Turkey" (John) Live

 

Absolutely love I Am Your Singer, especially on Wings Over Europe. The live vocals are great! Tomorrow is FANTASTIC and totally underrated! One of the very best songs on Wild life.

 

More about Another Day...

There is a promo with the mono mix.

"In Eight Arms To Hold You, Chip Madinger states, "...the promotional version...was especially mixed to mono. Most of the differences lie in the level and placement of the instruments, and shows the effects of being treated with echo not heard on the stereo mix.""

Source: THE SOURCE - Paul McCartney "Another Day"

 

Next one
Daar Friend
Last song On Wild Life and imo one of the greatest thing Paul ever put on record
Many saw this sing as an answer to Lennons How do you sleeo. That s not possibke since the song was written and recorder before Lennons-at keast verslons of it. Anyway Paul himself says the song is aimed as a letter to John-obviosly reaching out.
It s a great melody and an absolutely gorgeous orchestral arrangement. Not to mention Dennys drums
Paul has made loadsof piano -driven ballads but this one doesn t sound like any of the others . In fact it doesn t sound like much anything else. Pauls vocals are great as well-not least the world-less parts
Absolutely top-tierMcCartney and a great way to end Wild Life even though Dear Friend stylisticalky differs from the rest of the album
Ok not really the end -there is the short heavy guitar-riff of Mumbo Link that concludes Wild Life-one of Paus most misunderstood albums ever.

 

The melody is great and I feel like this really came from Paul's heart. I like the orchestrations, but, again, I can't help but think that it goes on too long, which makes me dock it a little, and again I think the ramshackle style lets the song down a bit (espeically the drums seem unsubtle to me.) It's certainly very very memorable, though, even after one listen.

The fact that it's about John Lennon matters little to me nowadays, though it may have been an angle that interested me once upon a time.

4/5

 

McCartneys own words on Dear Friend
From paulmccartney.com, October 29, 2018:

And then with ‘Dear Friend’, that’s sort of me talking to John after we’d had all the sort of disputes about The Beatles break up. I find it very emotional when I listen to it now. I have to sort of choke it back. I’m not going to cry in front of all you lot though! [Paul gestures to the five of us in the room sitting on the edge of our seats, captivated by the story!] But, for me, it is a bit like that. I remember when I heard the song recently, listening to the roughs [remastering works-in-progress] in the car. And I thought, ‘Oh God’. That lyric: ‘Really truly, young and newly wed’. Listening to that was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s true!’ I’m trying to say to John, ‘Look, you know, it’s all cool. Have a glass of wine. Let’s be cool.’ And luckily we did get it back together, which was like a great source of joy because it would have been terrible if he’d been killed as things were at that point and I’d never got to straighten it out with him. This was me reaching out. So, I think it’s very powerful in some very simple way. But it was certainly heartfelt.

 

I've heard the album twice and you guys are certainly right about that: "Dear Friend" is the song that stands out from (and maybe above) the rest..

 

Based on the rough-mix included last year in WILD LIFE re-issue I think his vocals were pitched up. Anyway it's one of my favorite song of his.

 

The rough mix version of Wild Life is a very pleasant listening experience. Not the least the version of Tomorrow found there
Love this song and Pauls vocal delivery-pitched up or not

 

Tomorrow 4/5

Everything already said in this thread. "Tomorrow" feels like an alien on the "Wild Life" album. The song is amazing but the production is different from the other songs on the album and not very good. It does indeed sound muddy and I don't like the vocals-approach. Imagine that song recorded during the Abbey Road sessions!

Dear Friend 4.5/5

One of my favourites. What a great haunting piano ballad with fantastic ideas ... string section, horns, vibraphone. The lyrics are universal IMO and of course originally directed to John.
Normally a 5/5 but after listening to the White Album and Abbey Road remixes lately I have to say that I'm not satisfied with the drums and imagine Ringo playing the drums on "Dear Friend"

 

' Dear Friend ' is out of place on this album but... what a fine piece if work it is.
I hope someday soon McCartney plays a small club solo gig somewhere , skips the usual set list and performs some deep cuts like this one.

 

Mumbo 6/10
Bip Bop 6.5/10
Love Is Strange 7/10
Wild Life 7.5/10
Some People Never Know 8.5/10
I Am Your Singer 7/10
Tomorrow 8.5/10
Dear Friend 8/10

Spoiler: Ultimate Cheat Sidetrack

Night Out 10/10
This song absolutely would have been one of the ultimate punch to the face album openers! It's not the greatest complete song, but for what it's designed to do it's perfect.
Here is the Dr. Pepper sequencing of Red Rose and it makes it my favorite McCartney album of the 1970s!
Red Pepper Speedway - Paul McCartney and Wings, a playlist by Darrel Lantz on Spotify

 

Wings - Wild Life (ignoring the two short links)

Mumbo - A grooving rocker that does not go anywhere. It sounds like a glorified jam track. 2.0/5

Bip Bop - This hideous nonsense is the musical equivalent of placing a large bullseye on your back, then texting a rude message to the music critics. Although fans of this track will point out it did influence Kanye West on this 2018 release. 0.5/5


Love Is Strange - A pointless reggae cover of the classic which the Everly Brothers did the definitive version. 1.0/5

Wild Life - A nice McCartney ballad start, before those interesting keyboards, and then the bluesy riff. This reminds me of Christine McVie's pre-Fleetwood Mac Chicken Shack (especially the phasing vocal harmonies). A pretty decent groove, but sadly the song overstays its welcome. 2.5/5

Some People Never Know - To me this feels like it was influence by James Taylor, and a little bit of Paul Simon. A nice but inconsequential number, in need of a more focused arrangement. 3.0/5

I Am Your Singer - Oh no (terrible pun intended) Linda sings! Actually this is a nice piece of fluff. The highlight being the recorder/flute. 2.5/5

Tomorrow - At last a proper tune, with a proper melody. Albeit a little on the Gilbert O'Sullivan twee side. But why is this the worst produced track on the album. This could have been outstanding. I love the outro as well to finish the track. 4.0/5

Dear Friend - Out of nowhere Macca comes up with a deep track that sounds like it would have been perfect for a mythical late 1970 Beatles album to compliment's John's output circa his Plastic Ono Band LP. Obviously I'm well aware of the subject matter, so that musical choice may well have been deliberate. The only thing stopping it getting full marks is it does seem to meander a bit over its near six minute length. But then again this is a thoughtful moody piece full of depth absent from the rest of this album. 4.5/5


Sorry, I love Macca but for me this is near the bottom of his studio albums full of original material for me.

 

Agreed. It's a nice tune with a lovely melody that, like so much on this album, just kinda rambles. Another honorable near-miss.

 

Oh Woman Oh Why

Time to scream.... Paul's voice is so strong and his performance is fantastic. The lyrics demand an intense excitement for a dramatic moment. Every word is a powerful and rough appeal. The gun shots are impressive. The sounds of the guitars and drums are intense and the climax is louder.

Lyrics:

[Chorus]
Woman, oh why, why, why, why, why
What have I done?
Oh, woman, oh, where, where, where, where, where
Did you get that gun?
Oh, what have I done?
What have I done?

[Verse 1]
Well, I met her at the bottom of a well (Of a well)
Well, I told her I was trying to break a spell (Break a spell)
But I can't get by, my hands are tied
I don't know why I ever got her to try myself
'Cause I can't get by, my hands are tied

[Chorus]
Oh, woman, oh why, why, why, why, why
What have I done?
Oh, woman, oh, where, where, where, where, where
Did you get that gun?
Oh, what have you done?
Oh, woman, what have you done?

[Verse 2]
Well, I am fed up with your lying, cheating ways (Cheating ways)
But I get up every morning and every day (Every day)
But I can't get by, my hands are tied
I don't why I want her to try myself
'Cause I can't get by, my hands are tied

[Chorus]
Oh, woman, oh why, why, why, why, why
What have I done?
Oh, woman, oh, where, where, where, where, where
Did you get that gun?
Woman, what, hey, what have I done?
Oh, what have you done?
Woman what have I done?

[Outro]
Oh!
Oh woman, why? Baby, baby
Woman, why?
Baby baby baby baby
Woman why?
Woman oh why?
Oh woman, oh why, oh why, oh why?
Oh

Credits:

Produced by Paul McCartney
Written by Paul McCartney
Bass, Electric guitar, Percussion, Shaker, Gun Shots, Vocals by Paul McCartney
Backing Vocals by Linda McCartney
Drums, Percussion, Shaker by Denny Seiwell
Electric guitar by Hugh McCracken
Recording Tim Geelan
Recording assistant Ted Brosnan
Mixed by Dixon Van Winkle
Label: Apple Records
Release Date: February 19, 1971
Recorded at CBS Studios / A&R Studios
Length: 4:32 minutes

 

About Oh Woman Oh Why...

There is a mono mix. The gun shots are louder than the stereo mix.

 

Oh Woman Oh Why - 5/5
Great under appreciated song.

 

Dear Friend is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! One of the best songs of McCartney's entire career! Oh Woman Oh Why is a smoking rocker! Always wished McCartney had performed it live! Two of my very favorites!

 

Dear Friend is a fine composition in need of some editing and a producer.

Once again, a curious song to finish off an album that is ostensibly presenting Paul’s new rock band.

I don’t think Wild Life is misunderstood at all. It is an album a bit short on ideas and a bit long in presenting these ideas. I do think Paul did not have a clear idea as to what he wanted to present artistically around this time. The next three singles following WL underscore this confusion pretty clearly.

 

Interesting trivia: "Tomorrow" utilizes the exact same chord progression as "Yesterday."

 

Next one
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Pauls reaction to the bloddy Sunday incident manifested in this-much maligned single. New Northern ireland guitarist Henry McCullough are reported to have had some doubts about this song. Heavily critized for being naive it was also banned in the UK.
Personally I think this a rather effective stomper with a simple message that I believe was an honest reaction. At the time Paul also had made up with and spent some time with Lennon who also can have influenced this one.
Paul have never been good at these kind of political message songs but imo this is one of his better efforts in this genre
The topic made it only a minor chart hit in UK and USA but it went to nr one in England and Spain. It was a good livenumber I can tell who saw Wings perform it live 1972

 

B-side of Ireland
Paul took up the jamaican tradition and put an instrumental versiin of the A-side there

 

Chart positions for the Wings first and most controversial single
t (1972) Peak
position
Australian Go-Set National Top 40[57] 18
Canadian RPM Top 100[58] 46
Irish Singles Chart[59] 1
Japanese Oricon Singles Chart 31
Spanish Singles Chart 1
UK Singles Chart[60] 16
US Billboard Hot 100[61] 21
US Cash Box Top 100[44] 38
US Record World Singles Chart[44] 36

 

Dear Friend (9/10)
What everyone calls a coming to terms of friendship with his longtime songwriting partner John Lennon, but what I call more ambiguity like “Some People Never Know”. He wants to forgive and forget, he wants the music to sound heavenly – big, airy and positive but there’s still some tension in his words. He wants to know why the relationship is what it was at that point. After Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep?”, I’ve read that Paul spoke with his father and his father told him to be the bigger person and eventually John and Paul patched it up over the phone. But still, I don’t view this as an apology or a friendship song at all- it’s a ‘why?’ song. This could use some editing but the orchestra is beautiful and Paul sounds magnificent with some great falsetto singing at moments and a real heartfelt approach. If only he had more lyrics. So much of the album is pretty faceless lyrically, and this could have really been a strong lyrical moment but the words that are used are pretty good anyway. The piano has a sadness to it that really brings out the emotion in this big finale. The only thing about the song that may be weak is that it’s stuck on this album and its sound is not really what this album is about. It doesn’t seem to belong with the others sonically.

[Mumbo Link]
An odd way to finish, Paul’s electric guitar from “Mumbo” goes haywire for a minute of experimentation before wrapping up quickly and linking to whatever's to come in the future.

WILD LIFE (4/10)
According to McCartney, the first half is supposed to rock and the second is the softer side but it doesn’t seem to be relevant considering the patchy album’s raw production. Influenced by Dylan’s recording style, Paul tried to capture the songs while they were still fresh yet they never felt whole to begin with. Many go on too long yet have a spacious amount of room for more elements. While Paul can do minimalist, it’s not effective here yet it probably was all intentional anyway. This would put the spotlight on the new band and there’s nothing here to sneeze at. Any tight playing would be offset by the many times ragged vocal harmonies and many times the songs groove without interplay or soloing. They just continue on almost uneventfully. Denny Seiwell doesn’t drum much better than Paul sounding stiff at times and decent other times. Denny Laine stands out in no way vocally or instrumentally, being used more like a background man to fill out sound. Linda does well more often than one might think but she’s stiff and simplistic in her playing due to no fault of her own. Paul- give Linda a break and give her some time to learn for goodness sake. It’s a shame Linda had to go through this and I’m glad she started liking it later on. Paul himself keeps his basslines and piano work mostly simple like his arranging and production with very little guitar soloing-just about none. It’s transitional, and stands out as of one of Paul’s oddest albums.