Mary Had A Little Lamb / Little Woman Love (UK)

Track list

Side 1

1. Mary Had A Little Lamb

   Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney

   3:32 • Studio version • A • Stereo

   Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass (?), Percussion, Piano, Producer, Recorder (?), Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Maracas (?), Moog (?), Vocals Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar Henry McCullough : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Mandolin Denny Seiwell : Backing vocals, Drums, Percussion, Recorder (?), Xylophone (?) Heather McCartney : Backing vocals Glyn Johns : Recording engineer Mary McCartney : Backing vocals Phil Ault : Assistant recording engineer

   Session Recording: Mar 27, 1972 • Studio Olympic Sound Studios, London

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

Side 2

1. Little Woman Love

   Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney

   2:09 • Studio version • A • Stereo

   Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Percussion (?), Piano, Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Producer Denny Seiwell : Drums, Percussion Tony Clark : Mixing engineer Tim Geelan : Recording engineer Ted Brosnan : Assistant recording engineer Milt Hinton : Double bass John Leckie : Assistant mixing engineer

   Session Recording: Nov 13, 1970 • Studio CBS Studios, New York City

   Session Overdubs: Jan 21, 1971 • Studio A&R Studios, New York City

   Session Mixing: Nov 10, 1971 • 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

“Mary Had a Little Lamb / Little Woman Love” was Wings’ second non-album single (Wings’ first non-album single was “Give Ireland Back To The Irish“, released in February 1972).

Originally scheduled for the 5th, the Wings’ single ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’/‘Little Woman Love’ is released in the UK. Described by Paul and Linda as “A song for spring to make people happy,” its EMI release number comes exactly 1,000 singles after The Beatles’ début ‘Love Me Do’ in October 1962. (The American release takes place on May 29.)

From Badman, Keith. The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After The Break-Up 1970-2001 . Music Sales. Kindle Edition.

The illustrations used on the front and back sleeves, as well as on the 7″ disc, were created by Clara Miller Burd (1873-1933).

Anecdote: the Parlophone catalogue number (R 5949) is exactly one thousand higher than the Beatles’ first Parlophone single “Love Me Do” which was R 4949.

Mother Goose helped write the “A” side; the nursery rhyme we all know and love gets a bouncy treatment. Flip is a “Lady Madonna”-ish rocker. Both will fly.

From Cashbox Magazine – June 17, 1972

Wings’ ‘Little Lamb’

OUT tomorrow (Friday) is a new single follow-up to Paul McCartney’s “Give Ireland Back To The Irish.” By Paul’s Wings group, the topside is titled “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” described by Paul and wife Linda as “A song for Spring to make people feel happy.” The flip is a bluesy rocker with rolling piano and Paul shouting the vocals.

From Melody Maker, May 6, 1972

BOLAN SLIPS AS McCARTNEY RIPS

WINGS “Mary Had A Little Lamb” (Apple). After the highly controversial “Give Ireland Back To The Irish”, the McCartneys return with a highly commercial song which incorporates the traditional nursery rhyme as lyrics. Whereas “Ireland” heavily featured Henry McCullough’s aggressive lead guitar and hardly featured the likes of Linda, “Mary” has the latter’s piano up—front as the main rhythm instrument, while Henry tastefully accents the production on mandolin. The single comes complete with a coloured label. Wings will have no trouble findin radio play with this one.

From New Musical Express, May 6, 1972

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