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Red Rose Speedway

 
Album Review: Red Rose Speedway
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Red Rose Speedway

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Review

All right, he's made a record with his wife and a record with his pickup band where democracy is allegedly the conceit even if it never sounds that way, so he returns to a solo effort, making the most disjointed album he ever cut. There's a certain fascination to its fragmented nature, not just because it's decidedly on the softer side of things, but because his desire for homegrown eccentricity has been fused with his inclination for bombastic art rock à la Abbey Road. Consequently, Red Rose Speedway winds up being a really strange record, one that veers toward the schmaltzy AOR MOR (especially on the hit single "My Love"), yet is thoroughly twisted in its own desire toward domestic art. As a result, this is every bit as insular as the lo-fi records of the early '90s, but considerably more artful, since it was, after all, designed by one of the great pop composers of the century. Yes, the greatest songs here are slight -- "Big Barn Bed," "One More Kiss," and "When the Night" -- but this is a deliberately slight record (slight in the way a snapshot album is important to a family yet glazes the eyes of any outside observer). Work your way into the inner circle, and McCartney's little flourishes are intoxicating -- not just the melodies, but the facile production and offhand invention. If these are miniscule steps forward, consider this: if Brian Wilson can be praised for his half-assed ideas and execution, then why not McCartney, who has more character here than the Beach Boys did on their Brother records? Truthfully. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Big Barn Bed Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (3:48)
My Love (Lyrics) Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (4:11)
Get on the Right Thing Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (4:18)
One More Kiss (Lyrics) Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (2:32)
Little Lamb Dragonfly (Lyrics) Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (6:19)
Single Pigeon (Lyrics) Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (1:52)
When the Night Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (3:40)
Loup (1st Indian on the Moon) Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (4:22)
Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut Paul McCartney Paul McCartney & Wings (11:24)

Credits

Paul McCartney (Bass), Paul McCartney (Guitar), Paul McCartney (Keyboards), Paul McCartney (Vocals), Paul McCartney (Main Performer), Denny Laine (Guitar), Denny Laine (Keyboards), Denny Laine (Vocals), Henry McCullough (Guitar), Linda McCartney (Keyboards), Linda McCartney (Vocals), Hugh McCracken (Guitar), Denny Seiwell (Drums), David Spinozza (Guitar)
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Wikipedia: Red Rose Speedway
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Red Rose Speedway
Studio album by Paul McCartney & Wings
Released 4 May 1973 (UK)
30 April 1973 (US)
Recorded March - June &
September - October 1972 in Los Angeles and at Olympic Studios, Barnes
Genre Rock, Pop rock
Length 42:13
Label Apple/EMI
Producer Paul and Linda McCartney
Professional reviews
Paul McCartney & Wings chronology
Wild Life
(1971)		 Red Rose Speedway
(1973)		 Band on the Run
(1973)

Red Rose Speedway is Paul McCartney's fourth album release and second Wings album, officially credited to "Paul McCartney & Wings" upon its 1973 release, after the relatively weak commercial performance of the band's debut Wild Life, which had been credited only to the then-unknown Wings. The album was engineered by Alan Parsons.

Contents

Production

In early 1972, McCartney decided to expand Wings to a five-piece band by adding an additional guitarist, and to begin touring with the group. The group spent many months on the road across Europe, beginning with a tour of British universities, and continuing in the summer in bigger European venues - where Paul and wife Linda McCartney would encounter their first of several marijuana busts over the ensuing years. Both tours were bookended by Red Rose Speedway's long string of studio sessions, which started that March in Los Angeles and finished in London that October. Initially planned as a double album, Red Rose Speedway was held up a further six months before finally appearing as a single record. It featured a 12 page booklet stapled into the gatefold featuring pictures from the tour.

Despite not releasing an album in 1972, the first year of his professional career that McCartney had failed to do so, Wings managed to release three singles: "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" (banned by the BBC for political reasons), "Mary Had a Little Lamb" (an updated rendition of the nursery rhyme) and "Hi, Hi, Hi" (banned by the BBC for alleged sexual references, whereby B-Side "C Moon" received exposure).

In March 1973 "My Love", the only single release from Red Rose Speedway, was released. It became a UK Top 10 hit and McCartney's second US #1, as well as an enduring love song (written for Linda). It raised expectations for the album, which shot to #5 in the UK when it appeared and went to #1 in the US. Still, the critical reception was mixed.

Its cover design - with the cover shot by Linda McCartney - was by Eduardo Paolozzi, while the back cover of the album contains a Braille message of "We love ya baby" for Stevie Wonder.

The original CD version contained three bonus tracks: "I Lie Around", "Country Dreamer", and "The Mess". In 1993, Red Rose Speedway was remastered and reissued on CD as part of "The Paul McCartney Collection" series with "C Moon", "Hi, Hi, Hi", "The Mess" ("My Love"'s B-side) and "I Lie Around" ("Live and Let Die"'s B-side) as bonus tracks.

It is an interesting fact that there is a song by Paul McCartney called Hold Me Tight as part of a medley. In 1963 there was another song called Hold Me Tight by John Lennon and Paul McCartney on The Beatles' second LP album With The Beatles. That song was also mainly sung by Paul McCartney, who probably also wrote it.

Track listing

All songs by Paul McCartney.

  1. "Big Barn Bed" – 3:48
  2. "My Love" – 4:07
    • Paul McCartney - Electric Piano, Vocals
    • Linda McCartney - Backing Vocals
    • Denny Laine - Bass, Backing Vocals
    • Denny Seiwell - Drums
    • Henry McCullough - Electric Guitar
  3. "Get on the Right Thing" – 4:17
    • Paul McCartney - Bass, Piano, Electric Guitar, Vocals
    • Linda McCartney - Backing Vocals
    • Dave Spinozza - Electric Guitar
    • Denny Seiwell - Drums
  4. "One More Kiss" – 2:28
    • Paul McCartney - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
    • Linda McCartney - Electric Harpsichord
    • Denny Laine - Bass
    • Denny Seiwell - Drums
    • Henry McCullough - Electric Guitar
  5. "Little Lamb Dragonfly" – 6:20
    • Tracks 3 and 5 were recorded in late 1970 during the Ram sessions
    • Paul McCartney - Bass, Vocals
    • Linda McCartney - Dingers, Backing Vocals
    • Denny Laine - Backing Vocals
    • Denny Seiwell - Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
    • Hugh McCracken - Electric Guitar
  6. "Single Pigeon" – 1:52
    • Paul McCartney - Piano, Vocals
    • Linda McCartney - Vocals
    • Denny Laine - Bass
    • Denny Seiwell - Drums
    • Henry McCullough - Acoustic Guitar
  7. "When the Night" – 3:38
    • Paul McCartney - Piano, Vocals
    • Linda McCartney - Electric Bass Piano, Harmonies
    • Denny Laine - Acoustic Guitar, Harmonies
    • Denny Seiwell - Drums, Harmonies
    • Henry McCullough - Acoustic Guitar, Harmonies
  8. "Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)" – 4:23
    • Paul McCartney - Bass, Guitar, Moog, Chant
    • Linda McCartney - Organ, Chant
    • Denny Laine - Electric Guitar, Chant
    • Denny Seiwell - Drums, Chant
    • Henry McCullough - Electric Guitar, Chant
  9. Medley ["Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut"] – 11:16
    1. "Hold Me Tight"
      • Paul McCartney - Vocals, Piano, Bass
      • Linda McCartney - Backing Vocals
      • Denny Laine - Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
      • Denny Seiwell - Drums, Backing Vocals
      • Henry McCullough - Electric Guitar, Harmonies
    2. "Lazy Dynamite"
      • Paul McCartney - Vocals, Piano, Bass, Mellotron
      • Linda McCartney - Backing Vocals
      • Denny Laine - Harmonica
      • Henry McCullough - Electric Guitar
    3. "Hands of Love"
      • Paul McCartney - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
      • Linda McCartney - Vocals
      • Denny Laine - Electric Guitar
      • Denny Seiwell - Drums, Percussion
      • Henry McCullough - Percussion
    4. "Power Cut"
      • Paul McCartney - Vocals, Piano, Celeste, Mellotron
      • Linda McCartney - Electric Piano
      • Denny Laine - Electric Guitar, Vocals
      • Denny Seiwell - Drums
      • Henry McCullough - Electric Guitar, Vocals

"Double LP" Tracklisting

This is the tracklisting from the Acetates of the early incarnation of Red Rose Speedway. Most tracks left off the released version ended up on B-sides but some are still unreleased (except on bootlegs).

  1. "Big Barn Bed"
  2. "My Love"
  3. "When the Night"
  4. "Single Pigeon"
  5. "Tragedy"
    • Unreleased
  6. "Mama's Little Girl"
    • Later released as the B-side of the January 1990 "Put It There" CD single
  7. "Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)"
  8. "Country Dreamer"
  9. "Night Out"
    • Unreleased
  10. "One More Kiss"
  11. "Jazz Street"
    • An 8 minute unreleased instrumental
  12. "I Lie Around"
  13. "Little Lamb Dragonfly"
  14. "Get on the Right Thing"
  15. "The Mess"
    • Originally a studio recording - a live recording was taken from the 1972 "Wings Over Europe" tour and was issued as the B-side of "My Love" in 1973

Personnel

Wings

Additional musicians

Chart positions and certifications

Year Country Chart Position Weeks Certification (if any) Sales/shipments
1973 United States The Billboard Pop Albums 1 (3 weeks) 31[1] Gold[2] 500,000+
1973 Australia Kent Music Report 1 (3 weeks)
1973 Norway VG-lista (Top 20) 4[3] 16
1973 United Kingdom UK Albums Chart (Top 50) 5 16[4] Gold [5] 100,000+
1973 Japan Oricon Weekly LP Albums Chart (Top 100) 13 18[6] 50,000+[7]

References

  1. ^ "Paul McCartney US Album Chart listings". Billboard (magazine). http://homepage1.nifty.com/tuty/after_beatles_paul_albumchartaction_usa.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-01. 
  2. ^ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Paul Mc Cartney". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Paul%20MC%20Cartney&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=50. Retrieved 2008-06-16. 
  3. ^ "norwegiancharts.com Wings - Red Rose Speedway". VG-lista. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?key=9582&cat=a. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
  4. ^ "Paul McCartney UK Album Chart listings". UK Albums Chart. http://homepage1.nifty.com/tuty/after_beatles_paul_albumchartaction_uk.htm/. Retrieved 2008-07-01. 
  5. ^ "The BPI Platinum Awards Content - WINGS - RED ROSE SPEEDWAY". http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=25811. Retrieved 2008-07-08. 
  6. ^ "Paul McCartney Japanese Album Chart listings". Original Confidence. http://homepage1.nifty.com/tuty/after_beatles_paul_albumchartaction_japan.htm/. Retrieved 2008-07-01. 
  7. ^ "Yamachan Land (Japanese Chart Archives) - Albums Chart Daijiten - The Beatles" (in Japanese). Original Confidence. http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/album/al_beatles.html. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 

External links

Preceded by
1967-1970 by The Beatles		 Billboard 200 number-one album
June 2, 1973 - June 22, 1973		 Succeeded by
Living in the Material World by George Harrison
Preceded by
Hot August Night by Neil Diamond		 Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
July 9, 1973 - July 29, 1973		 Succeeded by
Goats Head Soup by The Rolling Stones
v • d • e
Paul McCartney
Studio albums
With Wings
With The Fireman
Live albums
Compilations
Soundtracks
Experimental albums
Classical albums
Tours
Filmography
A Hard Day's Night · Help! · Magical Mystery Tour · Yellow Submarine · Let It Be · James Paul McCartney (1973) · Wings Over the World (1979) · Concert for Kampuchea (1980) · Rockshow (1980) · Back To The Egg (1981) · Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984) · Get Back (1991) · Paul Is Live - The New World Tour (1993) · In The World Tonight (1997) · Live at the Cavern Club (1999) · Wingspan (2001) · Back in the U.S. (2002) · Paul McCartney in Red Square (2003) · Between Chaos and Creation (2005) · Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road (2005) · The Space Within US (2006) · The McCartney Years (2007) · Good Evening New York City (2009)
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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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