Famous Groupies

Written by Paul McCartney

Album This song officially appears on the London Town Official album.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1978

Master release


Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions


"London Town" sessions #2

May 1 to May 31, 1977


"London Town" sessions #4

October 25 to December 1, 1977

Related interviews


Wings' Linda Speaks

Mar 25, 1978 • From Record Mirror

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Lyrics

All stand back, let the people see
Take a snap of the famous groupies for me

Behold the famous groupies
They are alike as two peas
And where the other goes, the other goes
But though the famous groupies
Are only paid in rupees
Nobody knows what the famous groupies know
And nobody goes where the famous groupies go

There was a bongo player
Who kept an extra layer
Of Dunlopillo mattress in his van
But when the famous groupies
Arrived with their twin snoopies
Nobody saw which way the poor boy ran
Nobody does it like a famous groupie can

All stand back, let the people see
Take a snap of the famous groupies for me

There was a lead guitarist
Who lived in Epping Forest
And all he ever wanted was to blow
When the girls were with him
He never lost his rhythm
And nobody knows what the famous groupies know
Nobody goes where the famous groupies go

There was the classic story
Of a roadie nicknamed Rory
Who used to practice voodoo on the side
When the famous twosome
Suggested something gruesome
All that they found was a crater two miles wide
Which left the music business absolutely horrified


Ladies and gentlemen, those magnificent examples of
female pulchritude and luminosity, direct from their
global perambulations to the very boards of this
supremely magnificent proscenium arch –ladies and
gentlemen; I give you FAMOUS GROUPIES!

Officially appears on


London Town

Official album • Released in 1978

3:36 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar (?), Bass, Electric guitar (?), Mellotron, Percussion, Producer, Slide guitar (?), Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?)
Jimmy McCulloch :
Electric guitar, Slide guitar (?)
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Joe English :
Drums
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Pete Henderson :
Assistant engineer
Steve Churchyard :
Assistant engineer

Session Recording:
May 13, 1977
Studio :
Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin Islands

Session Overdubs:
November 1977
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


London Town (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

3:36 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar (?), Bass, Electric guitar (?), Mellotron, Percussion, Producer, Slide guitar (?), Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?)
Jimmy McCulloch :
Electric guitar, Slide guitar (?)
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Joe English :
Drums
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Pete Henderson :
Assistant engineer
Steve Churchyard :
Assistant engineer

Session Recording:
May 13, 1977
Studio :
Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin Islands

Session Overdubs:
November 1977
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon

Bootlegs


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.10

Unofficial album

3:37 • Studio version


London Town Roughs And Demos

Unofficial album • Released in 1991

3:35 • Studio version


Water Wings

Unofficial album • Released in 1999

3:44 • Rough mix • From Stereo 1978 Test Pressing Acetate - With Rough Different Mix


Water Wings

Unofficial album • Released in 1999

3:37 • Studio version


London Town Sessions

Unofficial album • Released in 2003

3:37 • Outtake


Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

Going further


Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.

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