Wild Life

Album This song officially appears on the Wild Life LP.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1971
Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1971 (Paul McCartney was 29 years old)

Master release


Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions


First rehearsals for Wings

July 20-22, 1971



Wild Life mixing #1

Aug 06, 1971


Wild Life mixing #5

Oct 15, 1971




Related interviews


Wings First Flight

May / June 1972 ? • From McCartney Productions


You Gave Me The Answer - 'Wild Life' Special

Oct 29, 2018 • From paulmccartney.com


Related articles


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Song facts

Wild Life” is a track of Wings’ debut and eponym album, “Wild Life“, released in December 1971. It was inspired by a safari Paul McCartney did in Kenya in November 1966, with Mal Evans and Jane Asher.

“Wild Life”, you know, you have to think about that!  The first song we’ve done which is us, you know, saying something as you say, is “Wild Life” and that just say you know that um, nature’s alright!  you know, that um, the wild state is a good state!  So why are we getting rid of it?  And animals are in zoos instead of just actually sort of running, you know like they’re supposed to.  We tend as animals, human animals, to be in a bit of a zoo, too.  We sit here, nine floors up!  Once I was in a game park in Africa just doing the tours through it, taking a drive through it and there’s a big sign at the entrance that just says remember, you know, all you people in motorcars, the animals have the right of way, and I liked that, you know, I liked the thought that somewhere they have the right of way over you.

Paul McCartney – From a Wings interview, late 1971 ?

‘Wild Life’ was to do with me having gone on safari and actually seeing that sign that I sing about: ‘The animals have the right of way’. Which really impressed me. You just realise the sort of dignity and strength of wild animals because here they’ve got the right of way. Whereas we’re all so full of our own importance. It’s kind of nice, you know. You’re just a guy in a Land Rover. You don’t matter so much! So that was why I wrote that song. Man, you know, we’re the “top species”, and yet we’re the ones who eff it up, which is not right. 

Paul McCartney – From paulmccartney.com, October 29, 2018

We didn’t stand up for millions of causes and stuff, like conservation, but the first song we did saying something was ‘Wild Life’ and that just said that nature was all right. The wild state is a good state so why are we getting rid of it? Let’s not. The animals are in zoos, instead of just running, like they are supposed to. Once I was in a game park in Africa, just doing the tour through and there was a big sign at the entrance and it said, ‘All you people in motor cars, remember the animals have the right of way.’ I liked that. I like that somewhere the animals have a right of way over you.

Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles: Off The Record 2 – The Dream is Over: Dream Is Over Vol 2” by Keith Badman

[Wild Life] is “the McCartneys making a statement about something which is important to them”

Paul McCartney’s spokesman – From Disc And Music Echo – November 13, 1971

Wild Life” was played live during the 1972 Wings Over Europe Tour and 1973 UK Tour. It was rehearsed for the 1975 / 1976 Wings Over The World Tour, and for the 1989 / 1990 Paul McCartney World Tour. A snippet of it can also be heard on One Hand Clapping.


Last updated on May 3, 2022

Lyrics

The word "Wild" applies to the words "You" and "Me"

While taking a walk
thru an African park one day
I saw a sign say "The animals have the right of way"

Wild life, whatever happened to
Wild life, the animals in the zoo?

You're breathing so hot.
A lot of political nonsense in the air.
You're making it hard for the people who live in there.
You're moving so fast,
But, baby, you know not where.

Wild life, (wild life), what's gonna happen to,
Wild life, (wild life), the animals in the zoo?

You'd better stop,
There's animals ev'rywhere,
And man is the top, an animal too,
And, man, you just got to care.

Wild life, (wild life), what's gonna happen to,
Wild life, (wild life), the animals in the zoo?

You're breathing a lot
Of political nonsense in the air.
You're making it hard for the people who live in there.

Wild life, what's gonna happen to
Wild life, the animals in the zoo?
Whatever happened to?
Wildlife.

Variations


A Stereo version • From "Wild Life"

A1993 1993 remaster • From "Wild Life (1993)"

A2018 2018 Remaster • From "Wild Life - Archive Collection"

A2022 2022 half-speed mastering • From "Wild Life (50th Anniversary)"

B Rough mix • From "Wild Life - Archive Collection"

L1 Live version • The Hague • Congresgebouw • Netherlands • Aug 21, 1972 • From "Wings Over Europe"

Officially appears on


Wild Life

LP • Released in 1971

6:42 • Studio versionA • Stereo

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Backing vocals, Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 15, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Wild Life (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

6:42 • Studio versionA1993 • Stereo • 1993 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Backing vocals, Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 15, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Oobu Joobu - Ecology

Official album • Released in 1997

6:42 • Studio versionA1993

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Backing vocals, Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 15, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Wild Life - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2018

6:40 • Studio versionA2018 • 2018 Remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Backing vocals, Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Alex Wharton :
Remastering
Steve Orchard :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 15, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Wild Life - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2018

6:36 • Rough mixB

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Backing vocals, Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Alex Wharton :
Mastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Aug 06, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Wings Over Europe

Official album • Released in 2018

5:18 • LiveL1

Performed by :
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartneyDenny LaineHenry McCulloughDenny Seiwell
Paul McCartney :
Producer
Alan Parsons :
Recording engineer
Alex Wharton :
Mastering
Steve Orchard :
Mixing engineer
Jeremy Gee :
Recording engineer assistant
Graham Fleming :
Recording engineer assistant

Concert From the concert in The Hague, Netherlands on Aug 21, 1972


Wild Life (50th Anniversary)

LP • Released in 2022

6:42 • Studio versionA2022 • Stereo • 2022 half-speed mastering

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Backing vocals, Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Miles Showell :
Mastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 15, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon

Videos

Live performances

“Wild Life” has been played in 34 concerts.

Latest concerts where Wild Life has been played


BBC Radio 4 Mastertapes

May 28, 2016 • United Kingdom • London • BBC Maida Vale Studios • Radio show






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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Jan van der Pütten 4 years ago

Oh Paul
Can't tell you, how glad i am to find this Internet Project. I am listening to you (+ 3 you know) since 63 I think. I'm German 73 years. Thank you for all the years, many days and maybe more nights. Have hoped to see you 4.6. in Hannover, but than came Corona. Hope later on. Excuse my bad English.


The PaulMcCartney Project 4 years ago

Thanks for the kind words, Jan. Hopefully, the European dates will be moved in 2021 ! Cheers.


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