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Tuesday, April 23, 2024

“One Hand Clapping” announced

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Last updated on November 29, 2024

On April 16, 2024, Universal Music Canada issued an official press statement announcing the release of Paul McCartney and Wings’ live studio project “One Hand Clapping,” originally recorded in 1974, for streaming and physical media. However, this statement was promptly retracted. The official announcement was made on April 23, 2024, with the release date scheduled for June 14, 2024.

Throughout the years, select tracks from “One Hand Clapping” had been officially released (for instance on the “Band On The Run Archive Collection” in 2010 and the “Venus And Mars Archive Collection” in 2014), but this marked the first time a close-to-complete setlist was made available.

The sessions for “One Hand Clapping” were recorded on film, and the restored footage was released in cinemas, with a limited number of screenings beginning on September 26, 2024.


From Paul McCartney.com, April 23, 2024:

Paul McCartney & Wings
⁠One Hand Clapping 
⁠Live studio sessions from 1974 newly-mixed and available for the first time
Out 14th June 2024

The wait is over: with the June 14 release of One Hand Clapping, one of the most bootlegged live albums in musical history will finally receive a proper release. In August 1974, when Band on the Run was enjoying a seven-week consecutive #1 stint at the top of the UK album charts, Paul McCartney and Wings headed to Abbey Road Studios for the filming of a video documentary and possible live studio album – One Hand Clapping. Despite overwhelming demand for newly recorded material from the biggest band in the world at that time, One Hand Clapping was never officially released.

Filmed and recorded over four days and directed by David Litchfield, the release of One Hand Clapping is a historic moment for Paul McCartney fans.  Over the years, various parts of One Hand Clapping have been bootlegged with varying degrees of success.  Some of the material has also appeared on official McCartney releases. However, the June 14 release of One Hand Clapping, which features the original artwork designed for the project, including a TV sales brochure for the unreleased film at the time, is the first time the audio for the film—plus several additional songs recorded off-camera–have been officially issued.

One Hand Clapping showcased Wings‘ new line-up, fresh off their return from Nashville where they recorded the classic single Junior’s Farm. Following the sudden departure of Denny Seiwell and Henry McCullough the previous year on the eve of recording the Wings masterpiece Band on the Run, Paul, Linda and Denny Laine were now joined by guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton. Additionally joining the band in the studio were orchestral arranger Del Newman and saxophonist Howie Casey, who had previously played with Paul in Hamburg and would go on to join the Wings touring band.

Opening with an instrumental jam that would become the One Hand Clapping theme song, the album features live-in-studio renditions of Wings mega-hits Live and Let Die, Band on the Run, Jet, My Love, Hi, Hi, Hi, Junior’s Farm, Paul’s much loved solo song Maybe I’m Amazed, reworked extracts of Beatles classics Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road and Lady Madonna, the Moody Blues hit Go Now with Denny Laine singing,and a Paul solo piano version of the Harry Akst/Benny Davis Tin Pan Alley classic Baby Face. 

One Hand Clapping will be released in multiple formats including an online exclusive 2LP + 7” package featuring an exclusive vinyl single of previously unreleased solo performances recorded on the final day of the sessions in the backyard of Abbey Road studios. These include the unreleased track Blackpool, The Beatles’ iconic Blackbird, Wings B-side Country Dreamer, and cover versions of Eddie Cochran’s Twenty Flight Rock (the first song Paul played to John Lennon when they met in 1957) and Buddy Holly’s Peggy Sue and I’m Gonna Love You Too.

One Hand Clapping serves as a celebration of the enduring legacy of Paul McCartney and Wings. It captured a moment when Wings had found and defined their signature sound – just as Paul had shaped popular culture the decade before with The Beatles, he was doing it once again in the 70s with Wings.  This recording gives an insight into the inner workings of the band as they work and play together in the studio.  It also underscores Paul’s incredible talent as a live performer:  Fifty years on, Paul is still performing many of these songs in packed stadiums across the world.

One Hand Clapping by Paul McCartney and Wings:

Paul McCartney: vocals, bass, piano, electric piano, Hammond organ, celeste, harmonium, acoustic guitar
⁠Linda McCartney: Moog, electric piano, Mellotron, tambourine, backing vocals
⁠Denny Laine: vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
⁠Jimmy McCulloch: electric guitar, backing vocals
⁠Geoff Britton: drums
⁠Featuring Tuxedo Brass Band and Howie Casey
⁠Orchestra conducted by Del Newman 
⁠Produced by Paul McCartney 

Available in various formats:

2LP/2CD/Digital
⁠Online Exclusive: 2LP +7”


From One Hand Clapping Online Exclusive 2LP + 7″ + Crewneck – Paul McCartney Official Store – One Hand Clapping design printed on Forrest Green coloured Crewneck. Merchandise available as pre-order exclusives only, while supplies last. 50 years after their initial recording, the sessions for Wings One Hand Clapping will be released for the very first time. Discs 1 and 2 are newly mixed with 12 tracks that didn’t appear in the original film. “The Backyard” bonus 7″ features 5 previously unreleased solo acoustic tracks recorded in the backyard of Abbey Road. The package includes original artwork, plus a TV sales brochure created for the film. Limited to 4 per customer.
From One Hand Clapping 2LP + T-Shirt – Paul McCartney Official Store – One Hand Clapping design printed on ivory coloured T-Shirt. Merchandise available as pre-order exclusives only, while supplies last. 50 years after their initial recording, the sessions for Wings One Hand Clapping will be released for the very first time. Discs 1 and 2 are newly mixed with 12 tracks that didn’t appear in the original film. The package includes original artwork, plus a TV sales brochure created for the film. Limited to 4 per customer.
From One Hand Clapping 2CD + Poster – Paul McCartney Official Store – Limited Edition hand-numbered edition of 250 print, featuring the One Hand Clapping sleeve illustration. Merchandise available as pre-order exclusives only, while supplies last. 50 years after their initial recording, the sessions for Wings One Hand Clapping will be released for the very first time. Discs 1 and 2 are newly mixed with 12 tracks that didn’t appear in the original film. The package includes original artwork, plus a TV sales brochure created for the film. Limited to 4 per customer.
From One Hand Clapping Online Exclusive 2LP + 7″ – Paul McCartney Official Store – 50 years after their initial recording, the sessions for Wings One Hand Clapping will be released for the very first time. Discs 1 and 2 are newly mixed with 12 tracks that didn’t appear in the original film. “The Backyard” bonus 7″ features 5 previously unreleased solo acoustic tracks recorded in the backyard of Abbey Road. The package includes original artwork, plus a TV sales brochure created for the film. Limited to 4 per customer.
From One Hand Clapping 2LP – Paul McCartney Official Store – One Hand Clapping 2LP – 50 years after their initial recording, the sessions for Wings One Hand Clapping will be released for the very first time. Discs 1 and 2 are newly mixed with 12 tracks that didn’t appear in the original film. The package includes original artwork, plus a TV sales brochure created for the film. Limited to 4 per customer.
From One Hand Clapping 2CD – Paul McCartney Official Store – One Hand Clapping 2CD – 50 years after their initial recording, the sessions for Wings One Hand Clapping will be released for the very first time. Discs 1 and 2 are newly mixed with 12 tracks that didn’t appear in the original film. The package includes original artwork, plus a TV sales brochure created for the film. Limited to 4 per customer.
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