- UK release date:
- May 27, 1975
- US release date:
- May 27, 1975
Timeline
More from year 1975
Related sessions
This album has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Nov 05, 1974
Nov 07, 1974
Nov 13, 1974
Venus And Mars sessions at Sea-Saint Studios
January 16th - February 24th, 1975
Recording "Venus And Mars - Reprise"
Jan 22, 1975
Recording "Spirits Of Ancient Egypt"
Jan 23, 1975
Recording "You Gave Me The Answer"
Jan 24, 1975
Recording "Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People"
Jan 25, 1975
Jan 29, 1975
Venus And Mars sessions at Wally Heider Studios
February - March 24th, 1975
Recording "Medicine Jar", "Call Me Back Again"
Feb 03, 1975
Recording "You Gave Me The Answer"
Feb 04, 1975
Feb 05, 1975
Recording "Magneto And Titanium Man"
Feb 14, 1975
Recording "Magneto And Titanium Man"
Feb 17, 1975
Recording "Spirits Of Ancient Egypt"
Feb 18, 1975
Overdubs for "Venus And Mars", "Rock Show"
Feb 26, 1975
Feb 27, 1975
Mar 02, 1975
Overdubs for "Listen To What The Man Said"
Mar 03 to Mar 06, 1975
String overdubs for Venus And Mars album
Mar 10, 1975
Overdubs for "Call Me Back Again"
Mar 10, 1975
Mixing "Magneto And Titanium Man", "Letting Go"
Mar 15, 1975 ?
Mar 19, 1975
Mar 20, 1975
Mixing "You Gave Me The Answer"
Mar 21, 1975
Mar 22, 1975
Mixing "Venus And Mars (Reprise)"
Mar 24, 1975
Mixing "Spirits Of Ancient Egypt"
Mar 25, 1975
Related albums
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Hide track details
Track list
Disc 1
1.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
1:19 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Electric guitar, Finger cymbals, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Piano
- Denny Laine :
- Moog, Sitar
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- 12-string guitar, Electric guitar
- Joe English :
- Drums
- Tony Dorsey :
- Clarinet
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 29, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Feb 26, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- February 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
2.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
5:33 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Hand bells, Mellotron, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Hand bells, Moog, Organ
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Hand bells
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Drums, Electric guitar, Hand bells, Moog
- Joe English :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Hand bells, Percussion
- Allen Toussaint :
- Electric guitar, Piano
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Kenneth Williams :
- Congas
- Ken Lexton :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 27, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Recording:
- Feb 05, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Feb 26 and Mar 06 and Mar 07, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 20, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
3.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3:07 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Hand bells, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Hand bells, Moog
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- 12-string guitar
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Geoff Britton :
- Drums, Milk bottles
- Sid Sharp Strings :
- Bass, Celli, Viola, Violins
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer (overdubs & strings)
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- Nov 07, 1974
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- January - February 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Feb 27 and Mar 10, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios & Sunset Sound Recorders Studio, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 19, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
4.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
2:19 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Joe English :
- Backing vocals, Drums
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Michael J Pierce :
- Clarinet
- Vito Platomone :
- Clarinet
- Carlos Klejman :
- Violin
- Russell Joseph Bobrowski :
- Violin
- Ronald B. Benko :
- Trumpet
- John K. Branch :
- Viola
- Harold Joseph Ballam :
- Bassoon
- Bernard S. Richterman :
- Cello
- Session Recording:
- Jan 24, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Recording:
- Feb 04, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 06, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 21, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
5.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3:21 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Electric guitar, Moog, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Clarinet
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Joe English :
- Drums
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 27, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Recording:
- Feb 14, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 15, 1975 ?
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
6.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
4:35 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Organ
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Geoff Britton :
- Drums
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer (overdubs)
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Clyde Kerr :
- Trumpet
- John Longo :
- Trumpet
- Michael Pierce :
- Alto sax
- Alvin Thomas :
- Alto sax
- Carl Blouin :
- Baritone sax
- Session Recording:
- Nov 05, 1974
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Feb 06, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 15, 1975 ?
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
7.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
2:07 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Guitar, Mellotron, Moog, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Piano
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- 12-string guitar
- Geoff Britton :
- Cymbals
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Ken Lexton :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 22, 1975 and Feb 06, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 10, 1975
- Studio :
- Sunset Sound Recorders Studio, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 14, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 24, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
8.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3:01 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Gismo, Moog, Producer
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Organ, String machine
- Denny Laine :
- Electric guitar, Vocals
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Backing vocals
- Joe English :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Gong
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Backing vocals, Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Ken Lexton :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 23, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Jan 18, 1975 and Jan 20, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 17, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 25, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
9.
Written by Jimmy McCulloch, Colin Allen
3:38 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Producer
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Organ
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Congas
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar, Vocals
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Geoff Britton :
- Drums
- Joe English :
- Backing vocals
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer (overdubs)
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- Nov 13, 1974
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Feb 03, 1975 and Feb 06, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 02, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 22, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
10.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
5:01 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Clarinet, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Mellotron flutes
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Joe English :
- Drums
- Steve Howard :
- Trumpet
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Clyde Kerr :
- Trumpet
- John Longo :
- Trumpet
- Michael Pierce :
- Alto sax
- Alvin Thomas :
- Alto sax
- Carl Blouin :
- Baritone sax
- Session Recording:
- Feb 03, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 10, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 26, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
11.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3:55 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Clarinet, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Moog, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Bongos, Electric guitar
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Joe English :
- Drums, Percussion
- Sid Sharp Strings :
- Cello, Violas, Violins
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Dave Mason :
- Electric guitar
- Tom Scott :
- Saxophone
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 31, 1975 and Feb 20, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 03 to Mar 06, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 10, 1975
- Studio :
- Sunset Sound Recorders Studio, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 26, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
12.
Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
4:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Celeste, Piano, Producer, Strings arrangement, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Joe English :
- Drums
- Sid Sharp Strings :
- Bass, Cello, Violas, Violins
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 25, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 10, 1975
- Studio :
- Sunset Sound Recorders Studio, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 12 and Mar 14 and Mar 18, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 27, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
13.
Written by Tony Hatch
1:16 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Producer, Strings arrangement
- Linda McCartney :
- Organ
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Lead guitar
- Joe English :
- Drums
- Sid Sharp Strings :
- Bass, Celli, Violas, Violins
- Gayle Levant :
- Harp
- Tony Dorsey :
- Strings arrangement
- Alan O'Duffy :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Biff Dawes :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jan 31, 1975
- Studio :
- Sea-Saint Recording Studio, New Orleans, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- Mar 10, 1975
- Studio :
- Sunset Sound Recorders Studio, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Overdubs:
- February 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Mar 27, 1975
- Studio :
- Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, USA
About
From Wikipedia:
Venus and Mars is the fourth album by Wings. Released as the follow-up to the enormously successful Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings’ string of success and would prove a springboard for a year-long worldwide tour. It was Paul McCartney’s first post-Beatles release on the Capitol Records label.
Background and recording
After recording Band on the Run as a three-piece with wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine, McCartney added Jimmy McCulloch on lead guitar and Geoff Britton on drums to the Wings lineup in 1974. Having written several new songs for the next album, McCartney decided upon New Orleans, Louisiana as the recording venue, and Wings headed there in January 1975. Before the departure to New Orleans, Wings had recorded three songs at Abbey Road Studios in London in November 1974: “Letting Go”, “Love In Song” and “Medicine Jar”, all overdubbed later at Sea Saint Studios between January and February.
As soon as the sessions began, the personality clash that had been evident between McCulloch and Britton during Wings’ 1974 sessions in Nashville became more pronounced, and Britton — after a six-month tenure — quit Wings, having only played on three of the new songs. A replacement, American Joe English, was quickly auditioned and hired to finish the album.
The sessions proved to be productive, not only finishing the entire album, but also several additional songs, including two future McCartney B-sides, “Lunch Box/Odd Sox” and “My Carnival“. McCartney also decided to link the songs together much like the Beatles had on Abbey Road to give the album a more continuous feel.
John Lennon, often in a nostalgic mood during his Lost Weekend period, had told May Pang (his then girlfriend) that they would visit the McCartneys during the recording sessions for Venus and Mars, and considered writing with him again. Lennon’s planned visit never happened due to his reunion with Yoko Ono.
Wings’ interpretation of the theme to Crossroads, a British soap opera, was sometimes used to end the show in place of the regular theme tune, usually when there was a cliffhanger ending with a hint of sadness involved.
Releases
Preceded by the single “Listen to What the Man Said” in May 1975, Venus and Mars appeared two weeks later to decent reviews and brisk sales. The album reached number 1 in the United States, the United Kingdom and worldwide (as did “Listen to What the Man Said” in the US) and sold several million copies during the 1970s, with sales now estimated at over 10 million, even if the reaction was less than what had greeted Band on the Run a year earlier.
Two additional singles, “Letting Go” and “Venus and Mars/Rock Show” were released. Although the latter almost reached the US Top 10, it didn’t chart at all in the UK.
In September, Wings began what would be their year-long Wings Over the World tour in the UK, with concerts in Australia, Europe, the US and Canada to follow. Songs from Venus and Mars featured heavily in the concert setlist.
In 1993, Venus and Mars was remastered and reissued on CD as part of “The Paul McCartney Collection” series with “Zoo Gang” (a UK television theme that was the UK B-side of “Band on the Run” in 1974), “Lunch Box/Odd Sox” (B-side of “Coming Up” in 1980), and “My Carnival” (“Spies Like Us“‘ B-side in 1985) as bonus tracks. In 2007, Venus and Mars was reissued in digital form on iTunes with these bonus tracks plus the 6-minute-plus “party mix” of “My Carnival“.
The album was first issued on compact disc by Columbia Records in 1983, although early pressings were pressed in Japan by CSR Compact Disc, which was etched in the inner ring. This CD was one of the first pressed at CBS/Sony’s Digital Audio Disc Plant in Terre Haute, Indiana CD pressing plant. The Columbia McCartney Discs are prized by audiophiles for their mastering. In 1993, Venus and Mars was remastered and reissued on CD as part of “The Paul McCartney Collection” series with “Zoo Gang” (a UK television theme that was the UK B-side of “Band on the Run” in 1974), “Lunch Box/Odd Sox” (B-side of “Coming Up” in 1980) and “My Carnival” (“Spies Like Us”‘ B-side in 1985) as bonus tracks. In 2007, the album was reissued in digital form on iTunes with the same bonus tracks, plus the extended “party mix” of “My Carnival”.
The album was also originally released in 4-channel quadraphonic. In 1996 the quadraphonic version of the album was issued on compact disc in the DTS 5.1 Music Disc format.


Last updated on August 13, 2022
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Wait who plays piano on Call Me Back Again. I'm pretty sure it is Paul.
Hi Alexander - you're right, Paul plays piano on Call Me Back Again - adding the mention. Thanks !
The pianos on Magneto and Titanium Man and Call Me Back Again are electric
Thanks TurbanGuy4k, will update accordingly !