- Album This song officially appears on the Venus and Mars Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Nov 05, 1974
Mixing "Magneto And Titanium Man", "Letting Go"
Mar 15, 1975 ?
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“Letting Go” is a song credited to Paul and Linda McCartney and originally released by Wings on the 1975 album Venus and Mars. The song was remixed and released as a single on 4 October 1975 in the United States, and on 18 October 1975 in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 41 in the UK, and a slightly better number 39 in the US.
The song was recorded late in 1974 at Abbey Road Studios, before the band went to New Orleans to record the bulk of Venus and Mars. It was one of only three songs recorded with short-term Wings’ drummer Geoff Britton before Britton quit the band (the others being “Love in Song” and “Medicine Jar“).
Like many of Paul McCartney’s songs of this period, the subject of “Letting Go” is his wife Linda. The singer describes himself in a relationship with a beautiful woman but he remains concerned about the relationship. McCartney biographer Peter Ames Carlin claims that the song “traced the thin line between love and obsession”, with “passion in all its unhinged, dangerous glory.” The song reflects McCartney’s recognition that he needed to give his wife more space to pursue her own interests, after Linda had given up her career as a photographer to join his band. The content of the lyrics varies between the verses and refrain, with the verses describing the subject and the refrain acknowledging the idea of “letting go.” The key is A minor at the start of the song, but the song ends in C minor.
The contrast in the lyrics is also reflected in the music, with the refrain using a descending note melody and having a darker sound than the verses, which have a melody that wavers up and down. The song uses a medium tempo, and the instruments include a guitar part described by Allmusic critic Donald Guarisco as “bluesy” and keyboards, plus a horn parts in an interlude as well as in the outro. “Letting Go” has more of a soul music feel than most of the songs on Venus and Mars, which are more pop music oriented. The single version is remixed and is approximately a minute shorter than the album track. The single also incorporates elements that were not included on the album track, such as an organ glissando at the beginning.
Authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter called “Letting Go” “one of the best songs on the LP.” Robert Rodriguez called it “a strong track topped with a full slab of brass” and noted that it was “one of the Wings’ onstage highlights.”[10] Authors Roy Carr and Tony Tyler described the song as one of the few “genuinely potent” tracks on Venus and Mars but with respect to the single declare that McCartney “should have taken his advice and let go. This seeks to be composedly heavy but merely succeeds in attaining a considerable degree of ponderosity.”[11] In the book The Rough Guide to the Beatles, Chris Ingham considered “Letting Go” to be “an inert sludge rocker,” calling it “a disastrous choice for a single.”[12]
The song was performed during the Wings over America tour in 1976, and was included on the live album Wings over America and on the concert film, Rockshow.[13][14] Larry Rohter of The Washington Post described the performance on Wings Over America as “rollicking” and “exciting.”[15] Ben Fong-Torres described McCartney’s live performance of the song as “reaching back for some of that Little Richard inspiration.”[16] McCartney played it again during his 2010 Up and Coming Tour.
“Letting Go” has been covered by Ian Mitchell on the album Garage Band Tribute To the Beatles.[17][18]
https://www.spin.com/articles/paul-mccartney-wings-letting-go-download/
On October 29th, in honor of the two albums’ rereleases, the legendary singer has released an extended, remastered rendition of the Venus and Mars classic “Letting Go,” which is exclusive to McCartney’s website and will not appear on the Venus reissue. In terms of differences, Wings fans will be pleased to discover that the latest version of “Letting Go” is about a full minute longer than the original, features an extra smattering of guitar solos, a more prominent bassline, and basically no horns. (Unless horns are your thing.)
Last updated on January 31, 2020
Lyrics
Ah she tastes like wine
Such a human being so divine
Oh she feels like sun
Mother nature look at what you’ve done
Oh I feel like letting go
Oh I feel like letting go.
Ah – she looks like snow
I want to put her in a Broadway show
Ah she’ll dance and dine
Like a lucifer she’ll always shine
Oh – I feel like letting go
Oh – I feel like letting go
Oh – I feel like letting go
Oh – I feel like letting go
Ah she sings it so
I want to put her on the radio
One day and there you are
Ladies and Gentlemen
A brand new star.
Oh I feel like letting go
Oh I feel like letting go
Officially appears on
Letting Go / You Gave Me The Answer
7" Single • Released in 1975
4:35 • Studio version • A1
- 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
Official album • Released in 1975
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
Official live • Released in 1976
4:34 • Live • L1
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Keyboard, Vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Keyboard, 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 Kansas City, USA on May 29, 1976
Official album • Released in 1993
4:35 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- 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
- Peter Mew :
- Remastering
- 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
Wings Over America - Archive Collection
Official live • Released in 2013
4:34 • Live • L1.2013 • 2013 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Keyboard, Vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Keyboard, 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
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
Concert From the concert in Kansas City, USA on May 29, 1976
Venus And Mars - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2014
4:35 • Studio version • A2014
- 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
Venus And Mars - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2014
3:36 • Studio version • Single edit
Venus And Mars (Limited Red & Yellow LP)
Official album • Released in 2017
4:35 • Studio version • A2014
- 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
Bootlegs
Unofficial live
4:40 • Live
Concert From the concert in Mexico City, Mexico on May 28, 2010
Unofficial live
5:22 • Soundcheck
Concert From the concert in Osaka, Japan on Nov 12, 2013
Unofficial live
5:52 • Live
Concert From the concert in Fort Worth, USA on May 03, 1976
Live performances
“Letting Go” has been played in 208 concerts and 13 soundchecks.
Latest concerts where Letting Go has been played
Jun 25, 2022 • United Kingdom • Pilton, Somerset • Worthy Farm
Jun 24, 2022 • 6pm • United Kingdom • Frome • Cheese & Grain
East Rutherford • Met Life Stadium • USA
Jun 16, 2022 • Part of Got Back Tour
Jun 12, 2022 • Part of Got Back Tour
Jun 08, 2022 • Part of Got Back Tour
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