Album This song officially appears on the Band On The Run (UK version) Official album.
Timeline This song was officially released in 1973
Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1973, when Paul McCartney was 31 years old)
This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:
From Wikipedia:
“Jet” is a song by Paul McCartney and Wings from their album Band on the Run. Supposedly written about a jet black Labrador that McCartney owned, the song was the first British and American single to be released from the album. The song peaked at number 7 in both the British and American charts on 30 March 1974, also charting in multiple countries in Europe. It has been released on numerous compilation albums, and has since become one of the band’s most well-known tracks.
Along with “Helen Wheels” and “Junior’s Farm“, “Jet” is another McCartney song where his primary inspiration for composing the song arose in daily life.
Background
Reviewers have reported that the subject of the song is McCartney’s Labrador Retriever dog named “Jet“. McCartney has also substantiated this claim.
However, in a 2010 interview on the UK television channel ITV1 for the program Wings: Band on the Run (to promote the November 2010 CD/DVD re-release of the album) McCartney explained that Jet was the name of a pony he had owned, although many of the lyrics bore little relation to the subject; indeed, the true meaning of the lyrics has defied all attempts at decryption.
The song’s use of the word “suffragette” was described by McCartney as “crazy” and “silly“, not having any deep inspiration.
Recording
Whereas most of the Band on the Run album was recorded in Lagos, Nigeria, “Jet” was recorded entirely at EMI Studios in London after the group’s return (according to engineer Geoff Emerick in his book Here, There and Everywhere). Instrumentation used in the song includes electric guitars, bass, Moog, drums, piano, horns and strings. A closer listening reveals the Moog is used for the bass line during the verse and is simply Linda holding the root note.
Release and reception
“Jet” was released as the debut single from Band on the Run in January 1974 (although in some countries, the Non-UK/US single “Mrs. Vandebilt” was released first). The single was a Top 10 hit for Paul McCartney and Wings, peaking at number 7 in both America and Britain. The single was backed with “Let Me Roll It” in Britain. When first released, in America the single’s B-side was “Mamunia“, another track from Band on the Run, but it was soon replaced with the British B-side.
“Jet” has been released on multiple compilation albums, including Wings Greatest (1978) and All the Best! (1987).
Prominent music critic Dave Marsh named the song number 793 in his list of the 1001 greatest singles ever made. He referred to it as a “grand pop confection” that represented the only time McCartney approached the “drive and density” of his tenure with the Beatles. Writer Graham Reid has described it as a power pop “gem“.
Paul McCartney has since said that the soft rock band The Carpenters were fans of “Jet“.
I remember Richard and Karen Carpenter ringing me up to tell me about ‘Jet’ – they were like the last people on Earth I thought who’d like ‘Jet’! But they were like, ‘Oh, great record, man!’ So, you know, it was actually resonating with people. — Paul McCartney, Clash
We’ve got a Labrador puppy who is a runt, the runt of a litter. We bought her along a roadside in a little pet shop, out in the country one day. She was a bit of a wild dog, a wild girl who wouldn’t stay in. We have a big wall around our house in London, and she wouldn’t stay in, she always used to jump the wall. She’d go out on the town for the evening, like Lady And The Tramp. She must have met up with some big black Labrador or something. She came back one day pregnant. She proceeded to walk into the garage and have this litter… Seven little black puppies, perfect little black Labradors, and she’s not black, she’s tan. So we worked out it must have been a black Labrador. What we do is if either of the dogs we have has a litter, we try to keep them for the puppy stage, so we get the best bit of them, and then when they get a bit unmanageable we ask people if they want to have a puppy. So Jet was one of the puppies. We give them all names. We’ve had some great names, there was one puppy called Golden Molasses. I rather like that. Then there was one called Brown Megs, named after a Capitol executive. They’ve all gone now. The people change the names if they don’t like them.
Paul McCartney, Paul McCartney: In His Own Words
I make up so much stuff. It means something to me when I do it, and it means something to the record buyer, but if I’m asked to analyze it I can’t really explain what it is. ‘Suffragette’ was crazy enough to work. It sounded silly, so I liked it.
Paul McCartney, Paul McCartney: In His Own Words
I was up in Scotland and it was a nice day, and I was on this little farm up there. So one day I just took my guitar out into the countryside and up this big mountain. And I find this beautiful little spot and I’m just making up a song. And what came to mind was we had a little pony for the kids, it was called Jet. A little black pony. So I thought, “OK, [sings] Jet!” and just shouted that and struck an A chord. “Jet!” So I got a little rhythm going.
Then I just started to think of this thing of when Linda and I had first got married, you know, I had her father to deal with. He was a great man, a lovely man, but he definitely was a father figure. He could be a little bit serious, a little bit restrictive, so this whole idea came into my mind, “Jet, your father was a Sergeant Major.” I started going off down that track of [sings] ‘Jet, I can almost remember the funny faces. That time you told him that you were going to be marrying soon.’ And I just made it up.
It’s largely fictional. Then it gets to the chorus, I go for some reason – and I really have no idea where this popped from – I do this ‘Ah, mater.’ And ‘mater’ is Latin for ‘mother.’ I don’t know why I stuck that in. Maybe it’s just a word I liked. It just developed and by the time I came down off that mountain with my guitar I had the song finished.
So it’s this crazy little song. Really, if you break it down, it’s about a little black pony and some marital troubles and a Latin mother [laughs] jumbled all into one. Now there’s a case where people can make up their own mind as to what they think that means.
Paul McCartney, interview by Niles Rodgers, January 2021
Jet, Jet,
Jet I can almost remember their funny faces
That time you told them that you were going to be marrying soon
And Jet I thought the only lonely place was on the moon
Jet Jet Jet
Jet was your father as bold as the sergeant major
How come he told you that you were hardly old enough yet
And Jet I thought the major was a lady suffregette
Jet Jet Jet
Ah Mater want Jet to always love me
Ah Mater want Jet to always love me
Ah Mater . . . much later
Jet
And Jet I thought the major was a lady suffragette
Jet Jet
Ah Mater want Jet to always love me
Ah Mater want Jet to always love me
Ah Mater . . . much later
Jet with the wind in your hair
Of a thousand laces
Climb on the back and we'll go for a ride in the sky
And Jet I thought
that the major was a little lady suffragette
Jet-Jet-Jet
And Jet you know I thought
you was a little lady suffragette
Jet
A little lady
My little lady . . . yes
Official album • Released in 1973
4:09 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Late October / Early November 1973 • Studio Kingsway Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1973
4:09 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Late October / Early November 1973 • Studio Kingsway Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
7" Single • Released in 1974
4:09 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Late October / Early November 1973 • Studio Kingsway Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Band On The Run (Quadraphonic version)
Official album • Released in 1974
4:09 • Studio version • B • DTS Mix / Quadraphonic version
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Early 1974 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official live • Released in 1976
4:15 • Live • L1
Paul McCartney : Bass, Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Keyboard, Vocals Denny Laine : Electric guitar, Vocals Jimmy McCulloch : Electric guitar, Vocals Howie Casey : Saxophone Joe English : Drums, Vocals Thaddeus Richard : Saxophone Mark Vigars : Assistant mixing engineer Phil McDonald : Mixing engineer, Overdubs recording Steve Howard : Percussion, Trumpet Tony Dorsey : Tambourine, Trombone Jack Maxson : Recording engineer Tom Walsh : Assistant recording engineer
Concert From the concert in Cincinnati, USA on May 27, 1976
Official album • Released in 1978
4:11 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Late October / Early November 1973 • Studio Kingsway Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1987
4:07 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Late October / Early November 1973 • Studio Kingsway Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1987
4:09 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Late October / Early November 1973 • Studio Kingsway Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1987
4:09 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Moog (?), Piano (?), Producer, Vocals Linda McCartney : Backing vocals, Keyboards, Moog (?) Denny Laine : Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Piano (?) Tony Visconti : Orchestration Howie Casey : Sax Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Pete Swettenham : Assistant engineer Beaux Arts Orchestra : Strings
Session Recording: October 1973 • Studio AIR Studios, London, UK
Session Mixing: Late October / Early November 1973 • Studio Kingsway Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official live • Released in 1990
4:02 • Live • L2
Performed by : Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Robbie McIntosh • Hamish Stuart • Paul Wickens • Chris Whitten Paul McCartney : Producer Eddie Klein : Assistant engineer Matt Butler : Assistant engineer Peter Henderson : Producer Bob Clearmountain : Mixing engineer, Producer Jeff Cohen : Recording engineer Geoff Foster : Assistant engineer Scott Hull : Assistant engineer George Cowan : Assistant engineer Paul Rushbrook : Assistant engineer
Concert From the concert in London, United Kingdom on Jan 17, 1990
Unofficial live
3:59 • Live
Concert From the concert in Hamburg, Germany on Oct 03, 1989
Unofficial live
4:32 • Live
Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 23, 1976
Unofficial live
4:30 • Live
Concert From the concert in Seattle, USA on Jun 10, 1976
Driving USA Super Tree Volume 13 - Uniondale, NY 21 April 2002
Unofficial live
4:33 • Live
Concert From the concert in Uniondale, USA on Apr 21, 2002
Live at The Palace - Auburn Hills, Detroit MI May 1, 2002
Unofficial live
4:26 • Live
Concert From the concert in Detroit, USA on May 01, 2002
1974
1979 • Directed by Jack Prestty
Concert Dec 10, 2009 in Paris
Concert Aug 18, 2010 in Pittsburgh
Concert Oct 26, 2010 in London
Concert Nov 21, 2010 in Sao Paulo
Concert May 12, 2015 in New York City
“Jet” has been played in 481 concerts and 26 soundchecks.
Santiago • Estadio Monumental • Chile
Oct 11, 2024 • Part of Got Back Tour
Buenos Aires • River Plate Stadium • Argentina
Oct 06, 2024 • Part of Got Back Tour
Buenos Aires • River Plate Stadium • Argentina
Oct 05, 2024 • Part of Got Back Tour
Montevideo • Estadio Centenario • Uruguay
Oct 01, 2024 • Part of Got Back Tour
Curitiba • Estádio Couto Pereira • Brazil
Dec 13, 2023 • Part of Got Back Tour
The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present
"Jet" is one of the songs featured in the book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present," published in 2021. The book explores Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, his time with the Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. It pairs the lyrics of 154 of his songs with his first-person commentary on the circumstances of their creation, the inspirations behind them, and his current thoughts on them.
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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