Paul McCartney&Wings - Band on the Run (Full album 1973)

“Band on the Run” is the third studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released in December 1973. It was McCartney's fifth album after leaving the Beatles in April 1970. Although sales were modest initially, its commercial performance was aided by two hit singles – "Jet" and "Band on the Run" – such that it became the top-selling studio album of 1974 in the United Kingdom and Australia, in addition to revitalising McCartney's critical standing. It remains McCartney's most successful album and the most celebrated of his post-Beatles works.

The album was mostly recorded at EMI's studio in Lagos, Nigeria, as McCartney wanted to make an album in an exotic location. Shortly before departing for Lagos, drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist Henry McCullough left the group. With no time to recruit replacements, McCartney went into the studio with just his wife Linda and Denny Laine. McCartney therefore played bass, drums, percussion and most of the lead guitar parts. The studio was poor quality and conditions in Nigeria were tense and difficult; the McCartneys were robbed at knifepoint, losing a bag of song lyrics and demo tapes. After the band's return to England, final overdubs and further recording were carried out in London, mostly at AIR Studios.
In 2000, Q magazine placed “Band on the Run” at number 75 in its list of the "100 Greatest British Albums Ever". In 2012, it was listed at 418 on Rolling Stone's revised list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". A contemporary review by Jon Landau in Rolling Stone described the album as being "with the possible exception of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band, the finest record yet released by any of the four musicians who were once called the Beatles". It was McCartney's last album issued on the Apple record label. In 2013, “Band on the Run” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

 

“Band on the Run” este al treilea album de studio al trupei de rock anglo-americane Paul McCartney and Wings, lansat in decembrie 1973. A fost cel de-al cincilea album al lui Paul McCartney dupa despartirea de Beatles in 1970. Desi vanzarile initiale au fost modeste, ele au fost ajutate de cele doua hit-single-uri “Jet” si “Band on the Run”- astfel incat albumul a devenit cel mai vandut in 1974 in Marea Britanie si Australia, concomitant cu imbunatairea criticilor musicale la adresa lui Paul. Ramane cel mai bun album al lui McCartney si realizarea post Beatles cea mai sarbatorita.
Cele mai multe inregistrari de pe album sunt facute in Lagos, Nigeria, deoarece McCartney a vrut sa realizeze un album intr-un loc exotic.Cu putin timp inainte de a pleca spre Lagos, bateristul Denny Seiwell si chitaristul Henry McCullough au parasit grupul. Fara a avea timp sa faca inlocuiri, McCartney a intrat in studio cu sotia sa Linda si cu Danny Laine. De aceea McCartney a trebuit sa cante la bas, tobe, percutie si cea mai mare parte din chitara conducatoare. Studioul era de calitate slaba si conditiile din Nigeria erau dificile, situatia fiind tensionata; sub amenintarea cutitului au fost jefuiti, pierzand astfel o geanta cu texte si inregistrari demo ale cantecelor. Dupa revenirea in Anglia ce a mai ramas de completat la inregistrari s-a facut la AIR Studios.
In 2000, Q Magazine a plasat “Band on the Run” pe locul 75 in clasamentul celor mai bune 100 de albume britanice din toate timpurile. In 2012 a fost plasat pe locul 418 in clasamentul revistei Rolling Stone al celor mai bune 500 de albume din toate timpurile. O cronica contemporana a lui Jon Landau in Rolling Stone Magazine spune despre album ca fiind “cu exceptia lui John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band, cea mai frumoasa realizare a unuia din cei patru muzicieni care au format candva Beatles”. A fost ultimul album al lui McCartney lansat sub marca Apple. In 2013, “Band on the Run” a fost introdus in Grammy Hall of Fame.

 

List of tracks

Side 1

1.       "Band on the Run"           5:12

2.       "Jet"                                  4:09

3.       "Bluebird"                         3:23

4.       "Mrs. Vandebilt"               4:40

5.       "Let Me Roll It"                 4:51

Side 2

6.       "Mamunia"                                                      4:51

7.       "No Words"                                                     2:35

8.       "Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)"          5:49

9.      "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five"            5:28

 

Personnel

Band members

Paul McCartney – lead and backing vocals; bass, acoustic and electric guitars; piano, keyboards; drums, percussion

Linda McCartney – harmony and backing vocals; organ, keyboards; percussion

Denny Laine – harmony and backing vocals; co-lead vocals ("No Words" and "Picasso's Last Words"); acoustic and electric guitars; percussion

Additional personnel

Howie Casey – saxophone on "Jet",[29] "Bluebird" and "Mrs. Vandebilt"

Ginger Baker – percussion on "Picasso's Last Words"

Remi Kabaka – percussion on "Bluebird"

Ian Horne, Trevor Jones (two of Wings' roadies) – backing vocals on "No Words"

3 uncredited session musicians – saxophones on "Jet"[29]

Tony Visconti – orchestrations

Geoff Emerick – sound engineer