- Album This song officially appears on the Wild Life LP.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Aug 06, 1971
Oct 03, 1971
Oct 05, 1971
Related interviews
Paul McCartney is like a man who has dodged the death sentence
Nov 20, 1971 • From New Musical Express
McCartney: I know I'm good. If I'm in the right mood I can write a solid gold hit
Nov 20, 1971 • From Disc And Music Echo
Apr 08, 1972 • From New Musical Express
You Gave Me The Answer - 'Wild Life' Special
Oct 29, 2018 • From paulmccartney.com
In and Out of Wings: Denny Seiwell On His Friendship with Paul McCartney and Wings’ Underr
Feb 12, 2019 • From Rock Cellar
You Gave Me The Answer - Celebrating 50 years of Wings and ‘Wild Life’
Jan 31, 2022 • From paulmccartney.com
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Song facts
“Love Is Strange” is the only song from 1971 Wings’ debut album, “Wild Life“, which was not written and credited to Paul & Linda McCartney. From Wikipedia:
“Love is Strange” was a crossover hit by American rhythm and blues duet Mickey & Sylvia, which was released in late November 1956 by the Groove record label.
The song was based on a guitar riff by Jody Williams. The song was written by Bo Diddley under the name of his wife at the time, Ethel Smith, and was recorded by Bo and Buddy Holly, among others. The guitar riff was also used by Dave “Baby” Cortez in his 1962 instrumental song “Rinky Dink“, also credited to Diddley. […]
We were in Scotland one summer, I was painting the roof and Linda’s got this reggae record, one of the Tighten Up records. We were just playing it and it was great music. We just loved it, so we started with a backing track.
Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles: Off The Record 2 – The Dream is Over: Dream Is Over Vol 2” by Keith Badman
It didn’t start out to be ‘Love Is Strange’. It started out as an instrumental and when we listened to it, that song came to mind.
Linda McCartney – Interview with Disc And Music Echo, November 1971
We got the band together and just started to play the reggae thing. We did the backing track and decided that ‘Love Is Strange’ would fit over it so we started singing over it and that’s how it ended up. Reggae is the newest and best beat around. There are more possibilities with reggae than anything at the moment.
Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles: Off The Record 2 – The Dream is Over: Dream Is Over Vol 2” by Keith Badman
From Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium, by Chip Madinger & Mark Easter:
[this cover] was originally recorded (July 24th) as a reggae-styled instrumental known to the band as “Half Past Ten”. After the band listened to the track, they had the realization that the melody to “Love Is Strange” would dovetail perfectly with the backing. […]
So “popular” was the song that it was scheduled to be the UK single from Wild Life, backed with ‘I Am Your Singer’ as Apple R 5932 in January 1972. The single master was prepared at EMI on December 23rd, however, clearer heads prevailed over the holidays and the disc’s release was cancelled as it was not the best way to introduce Wings to the 45 RPM market.
Another version says that Paul himself objected to this idea; and instead pushed to release “Give Ireland Back To The Irish” as the first’s Wings single.
Last updated on April 24, 2022
Lyrics
Baby, love is strange
Many many people, take it for a game
My sweet baby, love is strange
Yeah Yeah
Many many people, take it for a game
Yeah yeah love is strange
Love is strange
Many many people, take it for a game
Yeah yeah love is strange
Love is strange
Many people, they don't understand
They think that having love is
Like having money in the hand
My sweet baby, love is strange
Many many people, seem to take it for a game
Let me hear you sing it
La la la la Love is strange
La la la la Love is strange
La la la la Love is strange
La la la la Love is strange
Variations
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1971
4:51 • Studio version • A • Stereo
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Love Is Strange / I Am Your Singer
7" Single • Released in 1972
4:51 • Studio version • A1 • Stereo • Single Edit
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1993
4:51 • Studio version • A1993 • Stereo • 1993 remaster
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Peter Mew :
- Remastering
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Wild Life - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2018
4:50 • Studio version • A2018 • 2018 Remaster
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Steve Orchard :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Wild Life - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2018
4:24 • Rough mix • B
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Alex Wharton :
- Mastering
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Aug 06, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Wild Life - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2018
4:14 • Studio version • A1.2018 • Single Edit. 2018 remaster
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Steve Orchard :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
EP • Released in 2020
4:50 • Studio version • A2018 • 2018 remaster
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Steve Orchard :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 2022
4:51 • Studio version • A2022 • Stereo • 2022 half-speed mastering
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Miles Showell :
- Mastering
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
7" Single • Released in 2022
4:14 • Studio version • A1.2018 • Single edit
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Steve Orchard :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
Arizona Soundchecks 1990 Cactus Club Arizona 1986
Unofficial live • Released in 1993
1:52 • Live
Concert From "'Stranglehold' video shoot" in Amado, USA on Nov 04, 1986
Wild Life - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
4:54 • Studio version • A
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Denny Seiwell
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Tony Clark :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Chris Blair :
- Recording engineer assistant
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Oct 03, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 05, 1971
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
1:52 • Live
Concert From "'Stranglehold' video shoot" in Amado, USA on Nov 04, 1986
Live performances
“Love Is Strange” has been played in 1 concerts.
Latest concerts where Love Is Strange has been played
Nov 04, 1986 • USA • Amado • Half Way Station restaurant
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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