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Track list
Disc 1
1.
Written by Bryan Ferry
4:50 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
2.
Written by Paul McCartney
3:28 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
3.
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
2:37 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
4.
Written by Paul McCartney
3:45 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
5.
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
6:18 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
6.
Written by Paul McCartney, Roger McGough
4:19 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
7.
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
3:30 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
8.
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
2:51 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
9.
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
5:36 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
10.
The Man Who Found God on the Moon
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
6:32 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
11.
Bonus track on 1992 CD reissue
1.
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
3:54 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
2.
Written by Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney / McGear
3:47 • Studio version
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Peter Tattersal :
- Engineer
About
From Wikipedia:
McGear is the second solo album by English singer Mike McGear, released in 1974.
History
The album was a collaboration between McGear and his older brother Paul McCartney, who produced the record. All tracks on the album are performed by McCartney’s band Wings, although all lead vocals are sung by McGear (McCartney can be heard singing the ending of “What Do We Really Know?“, on “Givin’ Grease A Ride” and occasional yells and harmony vocals on other tracks). At the time, McGear had just left his group Grimms, and McCartney was waiting for his Apple Records contract to expire. Because of Apple contract issues, McCartney was originally not credited as a performer.
Although the original intent had just been to record a single (“Leave It“), the project mushroomed into an entire album before the single was released. The album was recorded at Strawberry Studios, except for “Leave It“, which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios. “Leave It” reached #36 in the UK singles chart.
The front cover shows Mike captured like Gulliver, surrounded by little black and white people. Included in the people are pictures of the band members, as well as a childhood picture of Paul and Mike.
When Warner Brothers signed McGear and Badfinger to quite a bit of fanfare, coinciding with McCartney’s Apple contract nearing expiration, there was quite a bit of rumour at the time suggesting that Warners was trying to interest McCartney in signing with them.
Re-release
In 1991, McGear was re-released by Rykodisc in the U.S. with a previously unreleased version of the song “Dance The Do” as a bonus track (a different mix had been issued as a stand-alone single on UK Warner Bros). In 1992, McGear was re-released by See For Miles Records in the U.K. with two bonus tracks, “Dance The Do” and “Sweet Baby,” which had been the B-side of “Leave It.” The liner notes quote McGear as saying that “Sweet Baby” had originally been named “All My Lovin’” but “some other group had already done one with that name.“
Last updated on August 2, 2023
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McGear fits in beautifully between Band on the Run and Venus and Mars in McCartney's catalogue. It's sharp, bright, melodic and I would say superior to Venus and Mars. While Paul is everywhere on the album, writing, producing, playing, singing it's still brother Mike's album as he infuses the tracks with humour and character all his own. A wonderful album, well worth tracking down.
Thanks Jim for your views on McGear, indeed an underrated effort by the McCartneys imo !
I simply love the two mcgear albums. I am looking forward to the the ressue.
Tomorrow, my good chums Peter Wadsworth (The Strawberry Archive) and Liam Newton (author of ’10cc: The Worst Band in the World’) and I will be baking, restoring and digitising a 1974 reel-to-reel tape from Strawberry Studios in Stockport marked simply ‘Paul McCartney’. It purports to be Paul’s sound effects reel for his brother’s album… We’ll keep you posted! Video and audio coming to YouTube very, very soon. Cheers, Sean.
Wow that sounds amazing! Can't wait to hear that! Thanks Sean
In 2019, Eclectic Records released an Expanded edition of “McGear”, as a double CD/DVD package. Well worth chasing up.