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Released in 1973

No Words

Written by Paul McCartney • Denny Laine

Last updated on February 18, 2023

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)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interview

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:

[Paul’s] drumming style is very idiosyncratic and recognizable.

“I think he got a lot of his style playing with Ringo, because Ringo’s a very basic drummer. He doesn’t overplay. He doesn’t try to show off and put in too many fills. So Paul just had that same approach to drumming. It’s all about having a good feel and working with the vocal. I remember on No Words, Paul forgot one of his drum entrances and came in a measure too late. But we left it in and kind of built the arrangement around that.” 

Denny Laine – From Guitar World, January 30, 2023

You mentioned No Words, which is one of my favorites from the album. What do you recall about writing it?

“Paul was always trying to get me to write more. I didn’t, because he was very prolific, so I kind of left it up to him. On Band on the Run, he said, ‘Have you got anything?’And I said, ‘I’ve got these two different ideas,’ thinking it might be two separate songs. Paul said, ‘Let’s join them together.’ Then he added the last part, the ‘your burning love’ section.

“You can do that with Paul. It’s hard to keep him out of a song once he gets going. [Laughs] He’ll always come up with something that works.”

Denny Laine – From Guitar World, January 30, 2023

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

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “No Words”

Live performances

“No Words” has been played in 18 concerts.

Latest concerts where “No Words” has been played

See all concerts where “No Words” has been played

Going further

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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