Mrs. Vandebilt
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- Album This song officially appears on the Band On The Run (UK version) Official album.
Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“Mrs. Vandebilt” is a song by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings from the album Band on the Run. The track was not issued as a single in the UK or US, but was a single in Continental Europe and Australia.
Writing and recording
The opening lines of the song are taken from the catchphrase of English music hall performer Charlie Chester. Chester’s catchphrase was “Down in the jungle living in a tent, better than a bungalow, no rent”; the lyrics subsequently changed to “Down in the jungle living in a tent, You don’t use money you don’t pay rent”.
Howie Casey is featured with a saxophone solo.
The song was recorded during the album sessions in Lagos, Nigeria. The studio suffered a power outage during the session, but the recording continued with backup generators. Additional overdubs were later done in London.
The forced laughter that closed “Mrs Vandebilt” was influenced by Charlie Chester’s effects on his studio audience. Wings added more laughter in London’s AIR Studios after returning from Lagos, Nigeria. McCartney recalled: “The laughing? It started off in Africa. We were doing sort of daft laughs at the end. When we got back we eventually overdubbed this crowd of people who were laughing. It was great listening to the tapes, trying to select the little bit of laughter that we would use. Most of it was us, but we need a little bit to cushion it up. It was great listening to a roomful of people laughing in stereo. They were getting into all these laughing bits, and we were on the floor.”
Live performances
McCartney had not played the song live until a free concert on 14 June 2008 in Kyiv, Ukraine, on account of it receiving the most requests in a web poll. McCartney played the song in his concert for Quebec City, and then at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 25 September 2008, his first show in Israel. It became a fixture in his setlist, as he also performed the song in Halifax, the first show of his 2009 summer tour, as well as in his three July 2009 performances at the Citi Field in New York City. In addition, the song was featured in his Up and Coming Tour in 2010, his On the Run Tour in 2011-12, and most of his Out There Tour in 2013. It was dropped for the performances in Japan at the end of the latter tour in November 2013. […] […]
This was recorded during a power cut in Lagos. Suddenly everything went black, and eventually, we found ourselves doing it on EMI generator power, and just hoping the hum wouldn’t come over on the record. There’s a phrase on this track that is also on a song I wrote for Rod Stewart, one he’s just recorded. It fitted so well into this one, too, that I pinched it! So the phrase is in both songs.
Paul McCartney – From interview with Disc Magazine, 1973
Last updated on March 19, 2022
Lyrics
Down in the jungle living in a tent
You don't use money you don't pay rent
You don't ever know the time
But you don't mind
Ho Hey Ho . . .
When your light is on the blink
You never think of worrying
What's the use of worrying?
When your bus has left the stop
You'd better drop your hurrying
What's the use of hurrying?
Leave me alone Mrs Vandebilt
I've got plenty of time of my own
What's the use of worrying?
What's the use of hurrying?
What's the use of anything?
Ho Hey Ho . . .
What's the use of worrying?
What's the use of hurrying?
What's the use of anything?
Ho Hey Ho . . .
When your pile is on the wane
You don't complain of robbery
Run away don't bother me
What's the use of worrying?
What's the use of anything?
Leave me alone Mrs. Washington
I've done plenty of time on my own
What's the use of worrying?
What's the use of hurrying? (no use!)
What's the use of anything?
Ho Hey Ho...
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1973
4:41 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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
4:41 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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 1993
4:41 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Peter Mew :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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 1996
4:41 • Studio version • B • DTS Mix / Quadraphonic version
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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
Band On The Run (25th Anniversary)
Official album • Released in 1999
4:41 • Studio version • A1999 • 1999 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer, Remastering
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Greg Calbi :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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 2009
4:40 • Live • L1 • Could have been record on 17, 18 or 21 July 2009
- Paul McCartney :
- Executive producer
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Rusty Anderson • Abe Laboriel Jr. • Paul Wickens • Brian Ray
- Geoff Emerick :
- Audio mixing
- Paul Hicks :
- Audio mixing
- Jonas Westling :
- Additional engineering
- Richard Lancaster :
- Additional engineering
- John Henry :
- Recording engineer
Concert From the concert in New York, USA on Jul 17, 2009
Band On The Run - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2010
4:41 • Studio version • A2010 • 2010 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Sam Okell :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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 2016
4:41 • Studio version • A2010 • 2010 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Sam Okell :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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 2016
4:41 • Studio version • A2010 • 2010 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Sam Okell :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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 (Limited White LP)
Official album • Released in 2017
4:41 • Studio version • A2010
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Electric piano, Percussion (?), Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar (?), Percussion (?)
- Howie Casey :
- Sax
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Sam Okell :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- September 1-23, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
- Session Overdubs:
- 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
Bootlegs
On The Run - Bologna, Italy - November 26, 2011
Unofficial live
5:29 • Live
Concert From the concert in Bologna, Italy on Nov 26, 2011
On The Run - Bologna, Italy - November 27, 2011
Unofficial live
5:10 • Live
Concert From the concert in Milan, Italy on Nov 27, 2011
Unofficial live
4:57 • Live
Concert From the concert in Montreal, Canada on Jul 26, 2011
Together On Stage: "Adopt-A-Minefield"
Unofficial live • Released in 2001
1:40 • Radio show • "Wingspan Memorial Day Special"
Latest concerts where Mrs. Vandebilt has been played
Paul McCartney in Casual Conversation from LIPA
Jul 25, 2018 • United Kingdom • Liverpool • Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
Regina • Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field • Canada
Aug 14, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour
Winnipeg • Investors Group Field • Canada
Aug 12, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour
Aug 09, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour
Quebec City • Plains of Abraham • Canada
Jul 23, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour