To say Paul McCartney is always in tune with his surroundings as a lyricist may be both obvious, and an understatement, but for the sake of today’s Ted Tocks feature, that will serve as the thesis. The best part is, it will not be difficult to prove my stance. Let’s escape with the music and enjoy ‘Band on the Run’ by Paul McCartney and Wings.
The ‘Band on the Run’ album was released on this day in 1973. The record had a general concept of breaking free from the shackles created by over a decade in the music business. Inspiration for the title came from a statement made by George Harrison during one in a long line of epic meetings between Apple lawyers and the Beatles. Harrison was implying that he and his bandmates were being held prisoner by the endless legalities that emanated from the Beatles profound success and the resulting financial implications of every decision. George just wanted to get back to the music. Paul McCartney agreed. He stored that statement in his vault of lyric ideas.
A few years later the seed had germinated. By 1973, one of the major factors that split up the Beatles as a band, and fractured their friendships was resolved. George, John and Ringo severed their business partnership with Allen Klein. This triggered McCartney’s vision that a song referencing the theme of prisoners and escape would be a strong notion.
I thought it would be a nice way to start an album. It’s a million things … all put together. Band on the run – escaping, freedom, criminals. You name it, it’s there.”
Paul McCartney
There was definitely some symbolism at play as the lyrics to ‘Band on the Run’ flowed from Paul McCartney’s creative mind to the page. He drew from his days as a Beatle, and the continued pressure to produce quality music as his career continued to soar. This became the catalyst that propelled Paul McCartney and Wings.
It was symbolic: “If we ever get out of here … All I need is a pint a day” … [In the Beatles] we’d started off as just kids really, who loved our music and wanted to earn a bob or two so we could get a guitar and get a nice car. It was very simple ambitions at first. But then, you know, as it went on it became business meetings and all of that … So, there was a feeling of “if we ever get out of here”, yeah. And I did.”
Paul McCartney
Nevertheless, McCartney is on record as stating that ‘Band on the Run is not a concept album.
The basic idea about the band on the run is a kind of prison escape. At the beginning of the album the guy is stuck inside four walls, and eventually breaks out. There is a thread, but it’s not a concept album.”
Paul McCartney
One other observation that served as an inspiration for Paul was the continued perception that musicians who had been busted for marijuana possession were criminals who needed to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. The prevailing attitude in the conservative society back in this era frustrated McCartney to no end. He found himself gravitating to what has been referred to as the ‘desperado’ image of bands like the Byrds, thanks to Gram Parsons’ influence, and by extension the Eagles, who took the country rock genre to unprecedented commercial success.
We’re not criminals. We just would rather do this than hit the booze – which had been a traditional way to do it. We felt that this was a better move.”
Paul McCartney
Debates related to why alcohol is promoted as a socially acceptable drug to the masses, while the naturally occurring marijuana and all its derivatives is still seen as taboo, rage on. Perhaps the message contained within ‘Band on the Run’ was best expressed by music critic Robert Christgau, who offered this summary.
…(It is) about the oppression of rock musicians by cannabis-crazed bureaucrats”.
Robert Christgau
Clearly, McCartney’s mind was swirling with ideas when he wrote ‘Band on the Run’. As snippets of lyrical passages emerged, he opted to combine parts of three pieces he was working on, in order to create one song. This is represented in the ballad introduction, then the shuffling rock suite, and then the country influenced close.
Within the lyrics of ‘Band on the Run’ one can see the combination of influences that Paul McCartney drew from to create yet another musical masterpiece.
Stuck inside these four walls
Paul and Linda McCartney
Sent inside forever
Never seeing no one nice again,
Like you, mama
You, mama…
You…
If I ever get out of here
Thought of giving it all away
To a registered charity.
All I need is a pint a day
If I ever get out of here
(if we ever get out of here)
Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash
As we fell into the sun
And the first one said to the second one there,
“I hope you’re having fun.”
Band on the run, band on the run
And the jailer man,
And sailor Sam
Were searching everyone
For the band on the run, band on the run.
For the band on the run, band on the run.
Well, the undertaker drew a heavy sigh
Seeing no one else had come
And a bell was ringing in the village square
For the rabbits on the run.
Band on the run, band on the run
And the jailer man,
And sailor Sam
Were searching everyone
For the band on the run, band on the run.
Yeah, the band on the run
The band on the run
Band on the run
Band on the run
Well, the night was falling
As the desert world began to settle down
In the town they’re searching for us everywhere
But we never will be found
Band on the run, band on the run
And the county judge, who held a grudge
Will search for ever more.
For the band on the run
Band on the run
Band on the run
Band on the run
Speaking of a ‘Band on the Run’, things were not easy for the songwriter and his team that included his wife Linda and the great Denny Laine, when they set to recording in in the fall of 1973. They headed for Lagos, Nigeria. In August, guitarist Jimmy McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell had both left the band due to musical differences and concerns related to Linda’s increased role in the band. Wings were clipped to a trio, but in true Paul McCartney fashion, he just contributed musical parts wherever his talent was required.
I was on drums and guitar a lot, mainly because the drummer decided to leave the group the night before and one of the guitar players decided not to come! So, we got that solo element into an otherwise ‘produced’ album.”
Paul McCartney
Personnel issues were not the only problem. While visiting Nigeria, Paul and Linda were robbed at knifepoint by muggers, who evidently had no idea who their victim was or what their thievery had yielded. They made off with the demos of ‘Band on the Run’.
It was stuff that would be worth a bit on eBay these days, you know? But no, we figured the guys who mugged us wouldn’t even be remotely interested. If they’d have known, they could have just held on to them and made themselves a little fortune. But they didn’t know, and we reckoned they’d probably record over them.”
Paul McCartney
This meant heading back to the studio and recording everything from memory. The first two parts were completed in Lagos, while the third part was done at AIR studios in London where they enlisted the services of Tony Visconti. McCartney was enamoured with his work doing arrangements for T. Rex, so he was brought on to write music for the 60-piece orchestra on the title track and a handful of other songs on the album. Oddly, Visconti was not credited for his contributions until the 25th anniversary package was released in 1998.
By the time ‘Band on the Run’ was released in December, McCartney was content with letting word of mouth sell the album but Capitol Records promoter Al Coury convinced him to release a couple of singles to accelerate the process. The result of this decision became immediately evident as both the singles and the album, became immensely popular worldwide. McCartney gives full credit for this decision to Al Coury.
Al Coury, promotion man for Capitol Records, released ‘Jet,’ which I wasn’t even thinking of releasing as a single, and ‘Band on the Run’ too. He single-handedly turned ‘Band on the Run’ around.”
Paul McCartney
How popular is ‘Band on the Run’ in the lexicon of the Paul McCartney catalogue of music?
Well, a Rolling Stone poll of his legion of fans determined it resides at #4, behind only ‘Maybe, I’m Amazed’, ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Yesterday’.
Part of the timelessness of ‘Band on the Run’ is evident in how well it translates to the live experience.
I wrote it as a story to sum up the transition from captivity to freedom. When the tempo changes at (sings), ‘The rain exploded with a mighty crash,’ I do that in my concert and that always feels like a freeing moment.”
Paul McCartney
Watch this video and you can sense how much Paul McCartney enjoys performing. This is Paul McCartney and Wings in 1976.
It should come as a surprise to no one that ‘Band on the Run’ has been covered by numerous artists over the years. This is common for virtually every hit by the Beatles and any ex-Beatle. The treat at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box for music fans is the quality of these covers, along with the range of artists that choose to take a shot at recording Sir Paul.
For one of the first looks at ‘Band on the Run’ we go back to Richie Havens in 1974 who does a cool job with the arrangement. Richie is a treasure. When he sings this, it is a plea for ‘Freedom’.
Over the years Denny Laine became inextricably linked to Paul McCartney. One can argue whether this is a positive or negative perception, but the truth is, their work together resulted in some great recordings. This is from Laine’s 1996 album ‘Denny Laine Performs the Hits of Wings’.
The number of musicians that Paul McCartney has influenced over his sixty-year career likely numbers into the millions. Somewhere near the top would be the Foo Fighters, who recorded ‘Band on the Run’ for the 2007 album ‘Radio 1 – Established 1967’ which was a collection of cover songs commemorating 40 years of BBC Radio 1. The goal was to focus on one song from every year between 1967 and 2007. Some quality listening here.
But wait…There’s more. Here is Dave Grohl, in 2010, playing the Whitehouse. He stands on stage before a couple of his heroes. This is why music matters.
The story behind this performance is as follows.
In June of 2010, Paul McCartney was honoured with the third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress. The award is offered in the name of George and Ira Gershwin, who in some ways set the standard for song writing, perhaps only exceeded by Paul McCartney and his partner John Lennon. The Gershwin’s manuscript collection resides in the Library of Congress.
Four years later Heart opted to cover ‘Band on the Run’ on the tribute album cleverly titled ‘The Art of McCartney’. Somehow, whenever Ann and Nancy Wilson cover a song, they manage to put their own stamp on the piece. That is a compliment to their excellence.
The best way to conclude this post is with some additional Paul McCartney presentations. First, here he is on the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City. This was the brainchild of David Letterman and his team in an effort to commemorate the Beatles famous rooftop concert. This is a ton of fun and had to be shared.
At the age of 80 Paul McCartney is still going strong. Earlier this year he performed at the Glastonbury Festival. When ‘Band on the Run’ came around he was joined on stage by, who else, but Dave Grohl. This was extremely significant because it marked Grohl’s first public performance following the tragic and untimely loss of his friend Taylor Hawkins.
A couple of months later Paul McCartney joined Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters on the stage at Wembley Stadium to pay tribute to Hawkins. He played the Beatles classics ‘Oh Darling’ and ‘Helter Skelter’. Between songs he told this story.
So, Dave rang me up one day and he said, Taylor has written this song called ‘Summer (Sunday) Rain’ and he said ‘we’d like you to drum on it’. This group has got like two of the best drummers in the world, and they wanted me to drum on it. So, I did. Quite a memory.”
Paul McCartney
Here is ‘Sunday Rain’. Note the Beatles influence.
It is here where music represents an unbreakable bond between friends.
When friends are close at hand there is no need to run.
Ted Tocks Covers 