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- Album This song officially appears on the Band On The Run (UK version) Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
October 1973
Late October / Early November 1973
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“No Words” is a song written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine, and first released on 7 December 1973 on Band on the Run by Paul McCartney and Wings. The song was Laine’s first co-writing on a Wings album and his only writing credit on Band on the Run.
Background
The song was written before the release of Wings’ second album, Red Rose Speedway, but not recorded until the Band on the Run sessions.
Recording
The basic track was recorded in Lagos, Nigeria and was later completed in September in England. The orchestral arrangements, consisting of brass instruments and string quartets were made by Tony Visconti. Ian Horne and Trevor Jones, two of Wings’ roadies, sang backing vocals on the track although their parts are buried in the mix. Otherwise, the vocals consist primarily of Laine and Paul and Linda McCartney all singing together, with Laine and Paul McCartney each taking a solo spot.
The song’s verses are in the key of A major. The key moves to the dominant, E major, for the refrain.
The lyrics express the singer’s desire for a woman who he fears may not be only interested in him. The refrain consists of the single line “No words for my love.” Music author Vincent Benitex interprets the song’s ending on a dominant key rather than the tonic as reflecting the singer’s uncertain situation. Robert Rodriguez described “No Words” as being the only song on Band on the Run that came close to being the type of “silly love song” that predominated McCartney’s albums of the time.
Live performances
The only time the song was performed live by Wings was in 1979 during their final tour. […]
That’s one I did with Denny – he had half and I kind of finished it. A McCartney/Laine composition – sounds good, doesn’t it? That’s a favourite of mine, I think it grows on you. And it really works as a record.
Paul McCartney – From interview with Disc Magazine, 1973
Writing with [Paul] wasn’t a chore. Nothing negative. He’d come up with an idea and so would I. I wasn’t as prolific, but that’s beside the point. I wasn’t thinking at the time. I had bits. But he was always encouraging me to put bits together, so we did. And that became “No Words,” my song on the Band On The Run album.
Denny Laine – From CultureSonar interview, December 24, 2018:
Last updated on March 19, 2022
Lyrics
You want to give your love away
And end up giving nothing
I'm not surprised, that your black eyes
Are gazing.
You say that love is everything
And what we need the most of
I wish you knew, that's just how true
My love was.
NO WORDS FOR MY LOVE
You're burning love, sweet burning love
It's deep inside,
You mustn't hide, your burning love
Sweet burning love, your burning love.
You want to turn your head away
And someone's thinking of you
I wish you'd see, it's only me,
I love you.
NO WORDS FOR MY LOVE
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1973
2:35 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizer (?), Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards, Shaker (?)
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Vocals
- Tony Visconti :
- Orchestration
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Jones :
- Backing vocals
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Beaux Arts Orchestra :
- Strings
- Ian Horne :
- Backing vocals
- 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: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1973
2:35 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizer (?), Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards, Shaker (?)
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Vocals
- Tony Visconti :
- Orchestration
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Jones :
- Backing vocals
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Beaux Arts Orchestra :
- Strings
- Ian Horne :
- Backing vocals
- 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: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1993
2:35 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizer (?), Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards, Shaker (?)
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Vocals
- Tony Visconti :
- Orchestration
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Jones :
- Backing vocals
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Beaux Arts Orchestra :
- Strings
- Ian Horne :
- Backing vocals
- Peter Mew :
- Remastering
- 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: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1996
2:35 • Studio version • B • DTS Mix / Quadraphonic version
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizer (?), Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards, Shaker (?)
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Vocals
- Tony Visconti :
- Orchestration
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Jones :
- Backing vocals
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Beaux Arts Orchestra :
- Strings
- Ian Horne :
- Backing vocals
- 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: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Band On The Run (25th Anniversary)
Official album • Released in 1999
2:35 • Studio version • A1999 • 1999 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizer (?), Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards, Shaker (?)
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Vocals
- Tony Visconti :
- Orchestration
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer, Remastering
- Trevor Jones :
- Backing vocals
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Beaux Arts Orchestra :
- Strings
- Ian Horne :
- Backing vocals
- Greg Calbi :
- Remastering
- 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: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Band On The Run - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2010
2:36 • Studio version • A2010 • 2010 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizer (?), Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards, Shaker (?)
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Vocals
- Tony Visconti :
- Orchestration
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Jones :
- Backing vocals
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Beaux Arts Orchestra :
- Strings
- Ian Horne :
- Backing vocals
- 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: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Band On The Run (Limited White LP)
Official album • Released in 2017
2:36 • Studio version • A2010
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizer (?), Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards, Shaker (?)
- Denny Laine :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Vocals
- Tony Visconti :
- Orchestration
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Jones :
- Backing vocals
- Monday :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Swettenham :
- Assistant engineer
- Beaux Arts Orchestra :
- Strings
- Ian Horne :
- Backing vocals
- 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: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Bootlegs
Unofficial live • Released in 1998
3:18 • Live
Concert From the concert in Glasgow, United Kingdom on Dec 17, 1979
Unofficial live • Released in 2005
Live
Concert From the concert in Liverpool, United Kingdom on Nov 24, 1979
Unofficial live • Released in 2005
Live
Concert From the concert in Liverpool, United Kingdom on Nov 25, 1979
Live performances
“No Words” has been played in 18 concerts.
Latest concerts where No Words has been played
Concert For The People of Kampuchea
Dec 29, 1979 • United Kingdom • London • Hammersmith Odeon
Glasgow • Apollo Centre • United Kingdom
Dec 17, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
Glasgow • Apollo Centre • United Kingdom
Dec 16, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
Newcastle upon Tyne • City Hall • United Kingdom
Dec 14, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
Birmingham • Odeon Cinema • United Kingdom
Dec 12, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
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