Previous album Jan 30, 1976 • "The Beatles Tapes from the David Wigg Interviews" by The Beatles released globally
Article Mar 24, 1976 • Paul and Linda McCartney visit Neil Young backstage
Concert Mar 25, 1976 • Netherlands • Rotterdam
Album Mar 25, 1976 • "Wings At The Speed Of Sound" by Wings released in the UK
Album Mar 25, 1976 • "Wings At The Speed Of Sound" by Wings released in the US
Concert Mar 26, 1976 • France • Paris
This album was recorded during the following studio sessions:
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
5:13 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Piano, Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Military drum (?) Jimmy McCulloch : Bass Howie Casey : Flutes, Horns Joe English : Drums Thaddeus Richard : Flutes, Horns Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Steve Howard : Flutes, Horns Tony Dorsey : Flutes, Horns
Session Recording: Feb 03, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
4:29 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Electric piano (?), Flute (?), Mellotron (?), Producer Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Tambourine (?) Denny Laine : Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Flute (?), Vocals Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Joe English : Drums, Percussion, Tambourine (?) Tony Clark : Recording engineer Mark Vigars : Assistant engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer Fiachra Trench : String arrangement
Session Recording: Oct 14, 1975 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3:07 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar (?), Electric piano, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Bass (?) Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar (?) Joe English : Drums Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Session Recording: Jan 07, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
6:32 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar (?), Bass, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Vocals Denny Laine : Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Piano Jimmy McCulloch : Acoustic guitar (?), Electric guitar Joe English : Drums Tony Clark : Recording engineer Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer (intro & outro)
Session Recording: Oct 17, 1975 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Recording: Jan 23, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Jimmy McCulloch, Colin Allen
5:28 • Studio version • A
Performed by : Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Jimmy McCulloch • Joe English Paul McCartney : Producer Jimmy McCulloch : Lead vocals Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Session Recording: Jan 13, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
5:57 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Mellotron (?), Percussion (?), Piano (?), Producer, String conductor, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Tambourine (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Piano (?) Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar (?) Howie Casey : Horns Joe English : Drums, Percussion (?) Thaddeus Richard : Horns Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Steve Howard : Horns Tony Dorsey : Horns, String arrangements
Session Recording: Jan 16, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
2:46 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Double-bass, Mellotron, Piano, Producer Linda McCartney : Vocals Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar Howie Casey : Horns Joe English : Drums Thaddeus Richard : Horns Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Steve Howard : Horns Tony Dorsey : Horns
Session Recording: Feb 04, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Denny Laine
4:32 • Studio version • A
Performed by : Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Jimmy McCulloch • Joe English Paul McCartney : Producer Denny Laine : Lead vocals Howie Casey : Horns Thaddeus Richard : Horns Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Steve Howard : Horns Tony Dorsey : Horns
Session Recording: Jan 27, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3:44 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Bass, Producer, Shaker (?) Linda McCartney : Tambourine (?) Denny Laine : Acoustic guitar (?) Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Joe English : Drums, Percussion (?), Shaker (?), Vocals Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Session Recording: Jan 05, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
2:10 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass, Producer, Vocals Denny Laine : Acoustic guitar Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar Howie Casey : Horns Joe English : Drums Thaddeus Richard : Horns Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Steve Howard : Horns Tony Dorsey : Horns
Session Recording: Jan 30, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3:26 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Piano, Producer, Vocals Jimmy McCulloch : Slide guitar Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer, Assistant recording engineer Pete Henderson : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Fiachra Trench : String quartet arrangement, Two tenor horns arrangement
Session Recording: Feb 02, 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Overdubs: January - March 1976 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: January - March 1976 • 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
From Wikipedia:
Wings at the Speed of Sound is the fifth album by Wings and was recorded and issued in 1976 in the midst of a large world tour as the follow-up album to the popular Venus and Mars. It is the band’s only album where every member sings lead on at least one song.
History
After a series of concerts in Australia in November 1975, Wings took a break from the tour to spend the holidays with their families and in January 1976 booked time at Abbey Road Studios in London to record Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was the first time McCartney had recorded an album in England since Red Rose Speedway. Due to the tour commitments, Wings was not afforded the opportunity to record in another different and exciting locale, preferring to work in a familiar environment. By the end of February, the album was complete, and Wings went back on the road.
Around the time of the studio sessions for Wings at the Speed of Sound, McCartney was facing criticism for Wings simply being a vehicle for himself. He encouraged each of the band members to contribute a song during the sessions, though this would become one of the reasons for the criticism of the album. McCartney had previously attempted to create a democratic album in Red Rose Speedway, though it would be rejected by his record label.
Engineer Peter Henderson later commented, “I remember one of my first engineering jobs, working with Paul McCartney on Wings at the Speed of Sound — he’d do two vocal takes and ask, ‘Which is the better one?’ And when he played guitar, he’d really lean into it and give it everything he got.” Two tracks (“The Note You Never Wrote” and “Warm and Beautiful”) were arranged by Fiachra Trench.
Recording
The album was recorded at Abbey Road in two different sessions: first sessions took place in August/September and October 1975, with work resuming in January–February 1976. During the playback of “Must Do Something About It”, Paul heard drummer Joe English sing the song and decided to have him taking the lead vocal. In “Cook of the House”, McCartney handled double-bass, while “Silly Love Songs” was arranged in a disco-style, in a similar fashion to Al Green’s “Sha La La”.
Release and reception
Wings at the Speed of Sound was released in late March 1976 and received somewhat lukewarm critical reviews. Rolling Stone’s reviewer saw this record as something of a concept album, describing it as “A Day with the McCartneys“. The introduction, “Let ‘Em In“, is sometimes perceived as an invitation for the listener to join the McCartneys on this fantasy day, with explanation of their philosophy (“Silly Love Songs“), a lunch break (“Cook of the House“), and a chance to get to know McCartney’s friends (Denny Laine in “The Note You Never Wrote“, Jimmy McCulloch in “Wino Junko“, etc.).
The album went to number 2 in the United Kingdom (and was the 4th best-selling album of 1976). It became McCartney’s most successful American chart album, spending seven unconsecutive weeks at number 1 throughout the summer (and blocking the Beatles’ then-new compilation Rock’n’Roll Music, which reached number 2).
Much of the album’s success can be attributed to its two smash singles. “Silly Love Songs”, a response to his critics and one of McCartney’s biggest hits, followed the album in April, and became one of 1976’s biggest-selling singles. This was followed in July with “Let ‘Em In”, which also scaled the singles charts. Amid all this, Wings finally went to North America for the Wings Over America Tour, playing McCartney’s first shows there in ten years (after The Beatles’ last tour in 1966) to euphoric reaction; a few selections from Speed of Sound were included.
Wings band member Denny Laine covered “Time to Hide” and “The Note You Never Wrote” in 1996 on his album Wings at the Sound of Denny Laine.
Further releases
In 1993, Wings at the Speed of Sound was remastered and reissued on compact disc as part of ‘The Paul McCartney Collection’ series; added as bonus tracks were “Walking in the Park with Eloise” by the Country Hams, its B-side “Bridge on the River Suite”, and the Wings track “Sally G” (the B-side to their single “Junior’s Farm”) – all were recorded in Nashville in 1974.
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