Paul McCartney/Wings-song by song thread

Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands Of Love/Power Cut (7/10)
As long as it’s not compared to that other medley he was part of 4 years earlier, it’s pretty satisfying. There are some drawbacks and I’m not as impressed at the ending as many but I’ll get to that at the end. The lyrics and repetition of them are the weakest part and I know these are meant to work together but all 4 have a lot of repeating of simple lyrics. I always make the joke that Paul was smoking a lot if he forgot he wrote a song “Hold Me Tight” 10 years earlier but I actually like this one as much as the older one.

Good melody here, and it gets better on “Lazy Dynamite”, a song where again the title seems odd this time because it doesn’t make a good metaphor for the woman who Paul asks “why do you hide that feeling in your heart”. I get it but it’s such a stretch. Still, my favorite song of the medley-great guitar solo by McCulloch/McCartney - some good soloing on all the tracks and of course on the end.

“Hands Of Love” again has a touch of country through its acoustic arrangement like “One More Kiss” and a few others from this era but it’s the weak link to me within this medley. Just seems like a toss away for the Mac - Linda sings well on co-lead for the choruses and they seem to enjoy the fun - love Paul’s mouth instrument imitations - this time it sounds like he’s imitating a clarinet - but still, I just can’t get into this one much.

“Power Cut” goes my way more - love the intro of piano and curling bass. The melody is another nice one and Paul sings well on “I may never tell you” and how each band member sings ‘miracle’ one after another following “there may be a miracle”. You hear Paul then Denny S then Linda then Denny L. But then we get to the repetitive “baby I love you so” that seems to go on and on - luckily the foursome come together in one guitar solo.

The reason why I’m not as impressed about this moment as some here, though it’s a great way to end the medley and album and I always love hearing it, is because Pete Townshend really did “Underture” and “Overture” on 'Tommy' remarkably well combining a whole bunch of songs into flowing creatures of their own. He did fantastic things on the title track of ‘Quadrophenia’ as well combining almost the entire album into one song. It’s one reason why Brian Wilson couldn’t finish ‘Smile’ as he tried to incorporate melodies that would work in multiple songs and vice versa to a highly complex degree.

Anyway, a solid and enjoyable ending to a transitional, softer, love themed album. ‘Red Rose Speedway’ is an improvement on ‘Wild Life’ but it’s inconsistent. Though it’s listenable, as you hear the songs over and over, the lyrical content shows itself to be swimming in shallow waters. It lessens a bunch of the songs here and while so-so lyrics don’t bother me, some of these are just consistently weak even with the little ambition they have in the first place. But the melody is around on a lot of the material here and it’s one of Wings more soothing albums.

Red Rose Speedway (7/10)

 

Respectfully disagree about labelling the medley bubblegum-pop. That ain t true
Not that I care much about musical labels but if the medley is bubble-gum then we should label -for instance most people of the early Beatles the same. Or Buddy Holly. Or hundreds of other people making catchy pop
The medley defense nicely contains catchy pop -music with lyrics about love. Just like most pop -music . That doesn’t t mean it s be bubblegum
Here comes some of the most famous but bubble-gum records . Some good stuff there but I could not see how the RRS medley fits in. If one likes it or not is another thought no
https://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/top-11-bubblegum-pop-songs/

 

Next one

The Mess

The live in Hague-version of this rocker was originally B-side of My Love

This song is one of many that got somehow lost when Pauls scrapped the idea of a double-album. Remember tihs was long before we could find obscure, unreleased tracks by clicking on the internet. So most of the great stuff Wings did live 1972 remained totally un-known to the audience. One of them -Soily-of corse became a staple during the WOA tour
A few-like the Mess became B-sides
Since I saw Wings play all these songs back in 1972 and really enjoyed them I was perplexed none of it were to be found on the album except My Love. Of course Hi,Hi.Hi as a single to.So these days it s good to have them on the deluxe Red rose speedway
I think the final album in that sense did not represent what Wings really were at the time-Live they were far edgier than shown on the album. With that said I love the album as it is

The Mess is a very good rocker with some rather tricky tempo-shifts and nice guitar. Great vocals from Paul. Actually I think Wings 72-73 represent a real peak for Paul as a vocalist
The lyrics are a bit odd but Ok and the song is obviously designed to be a live-track
A song that deserved a better destiny than a b-side. At least it got an official release

The Mess
I sailed away one night in june
I heard you say you would be back soon
But since that day it's been on long loon
Oh - sweet darling the mess I'm in

I spoke to jimmy with the big tattoo
Said had he seen any sign of you
He looked at me and then laughed at you
See just wait a minute, oh darling what a mess I'm in

When I want ya do I get ya
All I needed your number,
Will you give me your number

Oh sweet darling
Oh sweet darling
Oh - sweet darling what a mess I'm in
What a mess I'm in, since you left me
What a mess I'm in, oh yeah
Oh oh - oh oh wo - wo
Oh oh - oh wo, wo wo

When you're near me
Can you hear me
I can't see ya
I can feel ya
When you're near me
Can ya hear me

 

Giving the album a spin.

"Big Barn Bed." I like this but it defies categorization. What kind of song is this?
"My Love." My ears pricked up and paid attention to the vocals on this--he just kills it. Gorgeous '70's soul sound.

 

Damn. Can we do fewer than two songs in a 24 hour period?

 

Apparently not.

 

Well I try but someone here)) started the system with spoilers which means some songs are discussed in advance
Not that I mind though
A little bit of freewheeling and a non-linear approach can be fun.
But I will wait a while now for the next one coming after the Mess. That s a very explosive song so much I can tell you

 

Sure. Count me out, though. .

 

The Mess 2.5/5

100% co-sign. What I like is the performance, the band is really tight and Paul delivers good vocals.
The song itself does nothing for me though, not really bad but an average rocker.
I'm glad that it wasn't included on RRS - "Smile Away" and "Eat At Home" kind of devalued the "Ram" album for me and I guess that would have been similar here.

Paul was capable of writing much, much better rockers and very soon we'll discuss them.

 

No -it s a great album but it s not part of Pauls discography

 

"The Mess" was also a bit of a disappointment to me.

I read a review of the single (My Love/The Mess) in a Beatles' book written by Roy Carr saying that "My Love" was crap and the b side was soooo much better.

It really sparked my interest in the song. But this was the mid 1980s and the single was nowhere to be found.

Finally, around 1993, the McCartney Collection CDs came out and I quickly bought RRS attracted by the bonus trackas. I would finally get to hear "The Mess"! The quest for the Holy Grail was over...

Anyway, not bad but it certainly did not meet the expectations of the mythological status the song had acquired in my imagination.

 

As for the song itself, "The Mess" has a Who vibe IMO -- especially the opening section with the power chords riff.

 

The Mess is a good rocker-ecspecially the live-version. It s not a great one though-like Hi,Hi,Hi

 

Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands Of Love/Power Cut 7.5/10
Not fully realized, but still pretty good.

The Mess 8.5/10
Gave it an extra point or two because it rocks.

Spoiler: The other almost forgotten live track!

Best Friend 7.5/10

Weakest of the three live songs considered for inclusion in the Red Rose double album, but still a pretty fun track!

 

To me the best medley Paul has put together since Abbey Road Side Two is Hunt You Down/Naked/C-link from Egypt Station it really rocks!

10/10!

 

I love that one. In fact I think it a a better song compared with The Mess. I love the boogie/rockabilly vibe of Best friend

 

Don't sugar coat it..tell us how you really feel.

 

That ' s the mess we're in but I'm in no hurry

 

That s a stunning track. Love it. But....compared to both the Abbey road and RRS medley it doesn t contrapunctual mix up the songs.

 

Give Ireland Back to the Irish

A political statement. A powerful and demanding song.

Lyrics:

[Chorus]
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Don't make them have to take it away
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Make Ireland Irish today

[Verse 1]
Great Britain you are tremendous
And nobody knows like me
But really what are you doing
In the land across the sea

[Bridge 1]
Tell me how would you like it
If on your way to work
You were stopped by Irish soldiers
Would you lie down, do nothing?
Would you give in, or go berserk?

[Chorus]
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Don't make them have to take it away
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Make Ireland Irish today

[Verse 2]
Great Britain and all the people
Say that all people must be free
Meanwhile, back in Ireland
There's a man who looks like me
[Bridge 2]
And he dreams of god and country
And he's feeling really bad
And he's sitting in a prison
Say, should he lie down, do nothing?
Should he give in or go mad?

[Chorus]
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Don't make them have to take it away
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Make Ireland Irish today

[Chorus]
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Don't make them have to take it away
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Make Ireland Irish today

Credits:

Produced by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney
Written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney
Bass, Electric Guitar (?), Vocals by Paul McCartney
Backing Vocals, Keyboards by Linda McCartney
Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar by Denny Laine
Electric Guitar by Henry McCullough
Drums by Denny Seiwell
Label: Apple Records
Release Date: February 25, 1972
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios / Island Studios, London, UK
Length: 3:44 minutes

Paul's own words:

Wingspan 2002:

"Give Ireland Back to the Irish was written after Bloody Sunday. British soldiers had fired at a crowd of demonstrators and there were deaths. From our point of view, looking at it on the TV news, it was the first time people questioned what we were doing in Ireland. lt was so shocking. I wasn’t really into protest songs – John had done that – but this time I felt that I had to write something, to use my art to protest. I wrote Give Ireland Back to the Irish, we recorded it and I was promptly phoned by the chairman of EMI, Sir Joseph Lockwood, explaining that they wouldn’t release it. He thought it was too inflammatory. I told him that I felt strongly about it and that they had to release it, and he said, ‘Well, it’ll be banned’. And of course it was – the BBC could not play it. But it was number one in Ireland, and in Spain for some reason. It was just on of those things you have to do in life because you believe in the cause. And protest was in the context of the times.

I knew Give Ireland Back to The Irish wasn’t an easy route, but it just seemed to me to be the time. I had to say something. All of us in Wings felt the same about it. But Henry McCullough’s brother, who lived in Northern Ireland, was beaten up because of it. They thugs found out that Henry was in Wings."

Source: Give Ireland Back To The Irish (song)

 

Give Ireland Back to the Irish (Version)

A nice instrumental song.

Credits:

Produced by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney
Written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney
Bass, Electric Guitar (?) by Paul McCartney
Keyboards by Linda McCartney
Electric Guitar by Denny Laine
Electric Guitar by Henry McCullough
Drums by Denny Seiwell
Label: Apple Records
Release Date: February 25, 1972
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios / Island Studios, London, UK
Length: 3:44 minutes

 

About Give Ireland Back to the Irish...

The USA sleeve has the band member and the lyrics of the song...

 

About Give Ireland Back to the Irish...

Rehearsal + Interview

 

About Give Ireland Back to the Irish...

ICA Rehearsal 1972