My absolute favourite album ever. I cannot stand Warm & Beautiful so never play it. Always miss it out. I've had this album on cassette in 1976, on LP later in 1981 & then on CD in 1990. 16:31
This was a huge album in the US in 1976, they played Silly Love Songs on radio so much that it took many years before I enjoyed hearing it again. At the time I thought Wings at the Speed was a bit of a let down from Band on the Run and Venus & Mars. But I've had a change of heart on that since the remaster came out for Speed of Sound. Great revisit of this classic album, thanks for sharing.
Herbie was a brilliant bassist. He was also one of the musicians on Scott Walker’s “Scott 4” LP - one of my favorite albums. I remember the singles from this Wings album which were huge hits. My parents bought the single “Let ‘Em in” - I still love that song. Cheers.
I m a macca and Tintin fan like you. In my room where I listen to Paul I have a Tintin poster on the wall. Underrated track for me is San ferry Ann inspired by the french "ca ne fait rien". I have the gold DCC version of this album and yes the sound and production are beautiful. I also think of this as a morning record.
This album is my favorite of McCartney's along side with his first solo album. Great tunes and I agree that it is cohesive and a band album. Great sound and production like you mentioned. And I love the variety of different voices singing. They all have good singing voice. Linda not so much, but it's ok. Very good analysis, and the Floydian atmosphere in Note You Never Wrote is spot on. Great singin from Denny Laine. I think there is not but one bad song there. And we know which one it is. The cover leaves room for imagination, which may be a good thing or not, I think the strong material wins in the scales, but it is very dull and quite strange. San Ferry Ann is nice song, I don't think it's a filler or a lesser song. It belongs there and is a good song. Thank You Mr Heaton, and nice to see you back doing videos 🤗
Great call on the production of the album! As you pointed out, recorded superbly by Peter Henderson at Abbey Road/E.M.I. studios! Clear concise mix, great drum & bass guitar sounds. Vocals up front and sonically well placed. Not only did Henderson achieve great success with Supertramp, but did fine work with Rush, America, Jeff Beck and later with Macca on "Flaming Pie" & CHOBA B CCCP!
I'm about 5 years older than John, so my go to Wings albums were very much Band on the Run and Venus and Mars (which was just out when I saw them at the long gone Cardiff Capitol). At the time I wasn't so taken with SoS, but it has some great tracks, classic 70s McCartney, well worth digging out of the cupboard.
Nice to see the Tintin posters framed. Apart from Cook of the House, this is a fine album. Lovely inventive bass playing throughout and great warm production. The Note You Never Wrote is a classic Wings deep cut! The demo for Silly Love Songs on the archive is interesting as it shows how much of the arrangements McCartney has in his head so early on in the song's genesis.
all credit to paul he wanted wings to be a complete band with all members haven a chance on vocals shame this line up could not stayed together a bit longer other than that i brought the album in xmas 1976 still love the album till this day
I bought it as a teenager when it came out in 76. With hindsight I think it’s fairly lightweight Let em in being the best song. It’s a long way behind Band on the Run imo. Herbie Flowers was one of the musicians who used to jam with George at Friar Park in the 80s and 90s and can be seen in the video for the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea along with Jools Holland and others . ( can’t recall if he featured in the Concert for George? Even though I only watched it a few days ago)
I vividly remember the summer of '76, when SoS singles dominated AM radio in Canada. You could not escape Silly Love Songs and Let 'Em In. IRRC, the other singles fighting it out for top 5 that summer were Frampton's Show Me The Way, Elton's Don't Go Breaking My Heart and (gah!) Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band. (Was that song a thing in the UK?) Anyway, Venus and Mars is still the #1 Wings album for me, and London Town #2, but SoS is probably tied with BOTR for #3. What a run! (RAM is my fav. Macca solo, but it's not really a Wings album, is it?)
Very good John! I saw Paul McCartney. & Wings in Aberdeen in1975 my first concert as a 15 year old.I bought Wings at the Speed of Sound on my 16th B’day ? Have you got the Wings Live book 4:52 by Adrian Allan ? Well put together book.
It's another fine album from wings. My only problem with it is that I had wings over America before this, and several of the songs are superior on the live album. But it's still a very solid album with a couple of exceptions.
Hey. I never liked this album personally. But I also don't care for Rock Show. So I'm not surprised. Huge Mccartney fan though and always enjoy his music!!!
I remember buying it the day it was released and still have that copy. I was originally disappointed and the tracks I didn’t like haven’t improved. However, the tracks I liked have grown on me even more in the past 50yrs. I also saw Wings in London that year - top gig. I also saw them in ‘79 (including Cook of the House) which was a really disappointing effort compared to ‘76.
Hello John, firstly I like to say I had the privilege of seeing Herbie in concert three times as part of Jeff Wayne’s orchestra for the War Of The Worlds concerts. His iconic bass player riff as the cylinder opens !! I agree that this was Wings best engineered album in particular the bass and drum sound. I always felt that Paul submerged Joe’s dynamic drum sound on London Town in revenge for him leaving the band ! I particularly like the heavier drums on the live version of Time To Hide. Do you know if there’s a back story behind John Bonham’s involvement on the Beware My Love demo , like was Joe unavailable for any reason ? I’ve still got my original of this album, but updated it when the archive edition came out.
John I’m sorry but San Ferry Anne is a beautiful melody and the brass is simply gorgeous. Its simplicity is the stand out feature. It’s a shame it’s too short at 2:07. I’m not a fan of Warm and Beautiful. It’s like an old school assembly tune that we have to sing.
ATSOS has never been among my favorite Wings albums. It has it's moment and the production is top notch, but nearly half of the songs are fillers compared to McCartney usual standard.
I must disagree about "Cook of the House" since I have always really enjoyed it, always looked forward to the needle hitting that song. I gigged for many decades and always took audience requests and of all the Beatles solo albums this one has always gotten the most song requests. "Do Silly Love Songs!" Do "Let 'Em In!" "Do Warm and Beautiful!" It was one of my favorite albums growing up so I could oblige in almost every case. I must have done almost e ery song on this album. There were always requests for Beatles tunes (over the years I noticed Something slowly gaining and then surpassing requests for Yesterday) as well as songs like Imagine, Merry XMas \War is Over, My Sweet Lord. BUT for albums, songs from Speed of Sound outpaced everything else.
"Warm and Beautiful," - overlooked but very good. Perhaps "Cook of the house" - not so good. I loved "Time to Hide" and I guess "Silly Love songs" will always divide opinion.
Not much of an admirer of this album which to me ranks at the bottom of McCartney's discography, just above Broad Street but lower than New, Egypt Station, Pipes of Peace, Press to Play and Wild Life, all of which definitely touch the bottom, although all of them have gems among their mediocrity... and Speed of Sound has 3 good songs on it, namely Let 'em In, Silly Love Songs and Warm and Beautiful. But that's me in hindsight. When a teenager (except for New and Egypt Station which came out in my older years), I would lap it all up .
Hey John. Are you able to fact-check about Jimmy McCullough contemplating doing the unthinkable to Paul. These allegations are according to Denny Laine's Ex-wife JoJo.
I would say that is an imagined exaggerated version of what may have happened…it’s in Guilliano’s book by and described in so much detail you’d think she was there… pretty far fetched…to be taken with a large pinch of salt in my opinion
Always loved San Ferry Anne and Warm and Beautiful. Great album. Love Must Do Something About It and Time to Hide.
I love it! It was the first Wings album I bought with my own money when it first came out. I remember my father driving me to the record shop.
I love this album, so well played and and the sound production is great. And I think San Ferry Anne is a hidden gem.
My absolute favourite album ever. I cannot stand Warm & Beautiful so never play it. Always miss it out.
I've had this album on cassette in 1976, on LP later in 1981 & then on CD in 1990. 16:31
Beware My Love and San Ferry Anne are two of my favorite McCartney solo songs.
Joe English's vocals on "Must Do Something About It" are excellent, making it one of my favorite tracks on the album.
Loving the TinTin posters !!!
This was a huge album in the US in 1976, they played Silly Love Songs on radio so much that it took many years before I enjoyed hearing it again. At the time I thought Wings at the Speed was a bit of a let down from Band on the Run and Venus & Mars. But I've had a change of heart on that since the remaster came out for Speed of Sound. Great revisit of this classic album, thanks for sharing.
One of my favourite albums well played 👏
Herbie was a brilliant bassist. He was also one of the musicians on Scott Walker’s “Scott 4” LP - one of my favorite albums.
I remember the singles from this Wings album which were huge hits. My parents bought the single “Let ‘Em in” - I still love that song.
Cheers.
I love the Tin Tin stuff in the background!
There is a movie from 1966 called San Ferry Ann featuring Wifred Brambell and Barbara Windsor,that may have been the inspiration for the song?
John, Paul did not write "Must Do Something About It" for Joe. Paul heard Joe singing it in the studio and then decided to let him sing it.
I m a macca and Tintin fan like you. In my room where I listen to Paul I have a Tintin poster on the wall. Underrated track for me is San ferry Ann inspired by the french "ca ne fait rien". I have the gold DCC version of this album and yes the sound and production are beautiful. I also think of this as a morning record.
The album shows Mr.McCartneys diversity again, Silly love songs and Let em in are pearls.
This album is my favorite of McCartney's along side with his first solo album. Great tunes and I agree that it is cohesive and a band album. Great sound and production like you mentioned. And I love the variety of different voices singing. They all have good singing voice. Linda not so much, but it's ok. Very good analysis, and the Floydian atmosphere in Note You Never Wrote is spot on. Great singin from Denny Laine. I think there is not but one bad song there. And we know which one it is. The cover leaves room for imagination, which may be a good thing or not, I think the strong material wins in the scales, but it is very dull and quite strange. San Ferry Ann is nice song, I don't think it's a filler or a lesser song. It belongs there and is a good song. Thank You Mr Heaton, and nice to see you back doing videos 🤗
Great call on the production of the album! As you pointed out, recorded superbly by Peter Henderson at Abbey Road/E.M.I. studios! Clear concise mix, great drum & bass guitar sounds. Vocals up front and sonically well placed. Not only did Henderson achieve great success with Supertramp, but did fine work with Rush, America, Jeff Beck and later with Macca on "Flaming Pie" & CHOBA B CCCP!
Don't Go Breaking My Heart kept Let 'Em In off the #1 spot.
I like the cover…I Love the album.
I'm about 5 years older than John, so my go to Wings albums were very much Band on the Run and Venus and Mars (which was just out when I saw them at the long gone Cardiff Capitol). At the time I wasn't so taken with SoS, but it has some great tracks, classic 70s McCartney, well worth digging out of the cupboard.
Nice to see the Tintin posters framed. Apart from Cook of the House, this is a fine album. Lovely inventive bass playing throughout and great warm production. The Note You Never Wrote is a classic Wings deep cut! The demo for Silly Love Songs on the archive is interesting as it shows how much of the arrangements McCartney has in his head so early on in the song's genesis.
Absolutely brilliant album…. Outside of Cook of the House… I wish we would’ve heard more of Joe English
He totally kills his vocals
all credit to paul he wanted wings to be a complete band with all members haven a chance on vocals shame this line up could not stayed together a bit longer other than that i brought the album in xmas 1976 still love the album till this day
I bought it as a teenager when it came out in 76. With hindsight I think it’s fairly lightweight Let em in being the best song. It’s a long way behind Band on the Run imo. Herbie Flowers was one of the musicians who used to jam with George at Friar Park in the 80s and 90s and can be seen in the video for the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea along with Jools Holland and others . ( can’t recall if he featured in the Concert for George? Even though I only watched it a few days ago)
A great Wings album, in the top 3 with BOTR and Venus. Wish they did more like it with the others singing and writing.
I vividly remember the summer of '76, when SoS singles dominated AM radio in Canada. You could not escape Silly Love Songs and Let 'Em In. IRRC, the other singles fighting it out for top 5 that summer were Frampton's Show Me The Way, Elton's Don't Go Breaking My Heart and (gah!) Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band. (Was that song a thing in the UK?)
Anyway, Venus and Mars is still the #1 Wings album for me, and London Town #2, but SoS is probably tied with BOTR for #3. What a run! (RAM is my fav. Macca solo, but it's not really a Wings album, is it?)
After Silly Love Songs, San Ferry is my favorite.
Very good John! I saw Paul McCartney. & Wings in Aberdeen in1975 my first concert as a 15 year old.I bought Wings at the Speed of Sound on my 16th B’day ?
Have you got the Wings Live book 4:52 by Adrian Allan ? Well put together book.
It's another fine album from wings. My only problem with it is that I had wings over America before this, and several of the songs are superior on the live album. But it's still a very solid album with a couple of exceptions.
Hey. I never liked this album personally. But I also don't care for Rock Show. So I'm not surprised. Huge Mccartney fan though and always enjoy his music!!!
14:21 NAME DROP 😂......BEWARE MY LOVE ...WOO WOOO WOOO WOOOOOO
It is a good album, and I agree, John, that it is well produced, however I like previous and subsequent Wings albums more.
Larry Graves very astute when ranking PM albums and songs.
There is a village near Henley called Pishill and George and his musician friends called themselves the Pishill Artists with typical George humour
I remember buying it the day it was released and still have that copy. I was originally disappointed and the tracks I didn’t like haven’t improved. However, the tracks I liked have grown on me even more in the past 50yrs. I also saw Wings in London that year - top gig. I also saw them in ‘79 (including Cook of the House) which was a really disappointing effort compared to ‘76.
Always thought that Linda's song should have been 'Seaside Woman'. A far stronger song.
Hello John, firstly I like to say I had the privilege of seeing Herbie in concert three times as part of Jeff Wayne’s orchestra for the War Of The Worlds concerts. His iconic bass player riff as the cylinder opens !!
I agree that this was Wings best engineered album in particular the bass and drum sound. I always felt that Paul submerged Joe’s dynamic drum sound on London Town in revenge for him leaving the band !
I particularly like the heavier drums on the live version of Time To Hide.
Do you know if there’s a back story behind John Bonham’s involvement on the Beware My Love demo , like was Joe unavailable for any reason ?
I’ve still got my original of this album, but updated it when the archive edition came out.
John I’m sorry but San Ferry Anne is a beautiful melody and the brass is simply gorgeous. Its simplicity is the stand out feature.
It’s a shame it’s too short at 2:07.
I’m not a fan of Warm and Beautiful. It’s like an old school assembly tune that we have to sing.
John, when you were listing the highlights from Herbie Flowers career, you missed out Grandad by Clive Dunn.
Great review!!! ~~/)~~
ATSOS has never been among my favorite Wings albums. It has it's moment and the production is top notch, but nearly half of the songs are fillers compared to McCartney usual standard.
I must disagree about "Cook of the House" since I have always really enjoyed it, always looked forward to the needle hitting that song.
I gigged for many decades and always took audience requests and of all the Beatles solo albums this one has always gotten the most song requests. "Do Silly Love Songs!" Do "Let 'Em In!" "Do Warm and Beautiful!" It was one of my favorite albums growing up so I could oblige in almost every case. I must have done almost e ery song on this album. There were always requests for Beatles tunes (over the years I noticed Something slowly gaining and then surpassing requests for Yesterday) as well as songs like Imagine, Merry XMas \War is Over, My Sweet Lord. BUT for albums, songs from Speed of Sound outpaced everything else.
"Warm and Beautiful," - overlooked but very good. Perhaps "Cook of the house" - not so good. I loved "Time to Hide" and I guess "Silly Love songs" will always divide opinion.
Space Oddity not Space Odyssey.
Not much of an admirer of this album which to me ranks at the bottom of McCartney's discography, just above Broad Street but lower than New, Egypt Station, Pipes of Peace, Press to Play and Wild Life, all of which definitely touch the bottom, although all of them have gems among their mediocrity... and Speed of Sound has 3 good songs on it, namely Let 'em In, Silly Love Songs and Warm and Beautiful. But that's me in hindsight. When a teenager (except for New and Egypt Station which came out in my older years), I would lap it all up .
Hey John. Are you able to fact-check about Jimmy McCullough contemplating doing the unthinkable to Paul. These allegations are according to Denny Laine's Ex-wife JoJo.
I would say that is an imagined exaggerated version of what may have happened…it’s in Guilliano’s book by and described in so much detail you’d think she was there… pretty far fetched…to be taken with a large pinch of salt in my opinion
do something new what about 2024 music try al kemi by dayme orocena or prelude to ecstasy by the last dinner party -
A weak effort by Macca. A few decent songs but too fluffy and lightweight.