Wild Life

Paul McCartney, Wings

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some People Never (Will) Know..., April 30, 2004

By 

winkingtiger ";oD" (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wild Life

Here is an album many people seem unsure about liking; it's been that way since it was released in the early 70's. I think it's well worth checking out because, unlike Macca's later work, every song on this disc has something going for it. Usually, I don't like to go song by song through an album because it makes the review too long, but this album has few songs, and they are so different from each other it really seemed the best way, so:

MUMBO: Mumbo Jumbo, Paul mixes up some magic with his first Wings lineup on this opening garage-rocker. I think he was very pleased to be playing with a band again, and he cuts loose with a paint-peeling vocal and some great grunge guitar. People who had criticized Paul for being 'soft' might have been comforted by this one.

BIP BOP: Yeah, it's got a childish lyric, he wrote it for his kids! I personally love Paul's acoustic bluesy numbers, this one is very reminiscent of '2 Legs' on 'Ram', the album before this. Surreal and cool.

LOVE IS STRANGE: The great story behind this number can be read in another review below. This is a great reggae-style cover of the old Mickey And Sylvia number, with some crazed slide guitar from Sir Paul. Fun and charming.

WILD LIFE: Another rocker with the Wings lineup. This is probably my least favorite song on the album, but I still enjoy the strange backing vocals and the lyrics (an early foray into animal rights) especially where McCartney sings 'Aminals' instead of 'Animals'!

SOME PEOPLE NEVER KNOW: My favorite track. Triunphant, lyrical, melodic, this song is what we expect from Macca, and what he delivers here. Very much like the better cuts from 'Ram', Paul has it all working here. And to those who complain about the out-of-tune guitars, remember, they didn't have electronic tuning in those days. And Paul may have had one or two low-alcohol lagers while recording 'Wild Life'...

I AM YOUR SINGER: Extra-charming ballad from Paul And Linda. We've all heard the complaints about Linda, but I honestly think the contrast between her 'hard' American voice, and Paul's 'soft' English voice, can work really well, as it does here. Paul also does some great guitar here, love that vibrato twang!

TOMORROW: A nice piano popper with vocals so high-pitched, I'd swear Paul sped up his voice. Try singing along and you'll see what I mean. This song is like a somewhat more rockin' 'Another Day' with a great bluesy 'Oh Darling!' end bit...lovely!

DEAR FRIEND: Woo-hoo...creepy, haunted, jazzy, spectral, shadowy...this is Paul at his most creepy and melancholic (who thought he had it in him?) . A sad letter of loss and confusion to John Lennon, Paul mournfully noodles on piano while horns, drums, and other things come in and out. The song seems to end and restart and is very hypnotic. One of a kind stuff and very very good.

But what about those extra tracks eh? 'IRISH" was banned by the BBC and is tremendous rocked-out fun, nice to see Paul be political for once. 'Mama's Little Girl' is a neat little acoustic number, reminiscent of 'Mother Nature's Son'. 'Little Woman Love' is some sexy, New Orleans-style pianobilly (a personal fave)...and then there's 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'. What can I say, the guy had children to amuse AND a sheep farm, OK? Give him a Wee Break!

So, don't be afraid, get 'Wild Life' and live it up with Paul, Linda, & all the gang...

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wildly Inconsistent, October 1, 2003

By 

BigAnt (Ashburn, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wild Life

Paul McCartney once said that to like Wild Life, you had to be a fan of his. I'm a major fan of his but I still can't totally get into this album.

This is the first Wings album, released in late 1971. They should have waited and produced a better album, but Paul wanted to see if he could record an album in two weeks. He could but not a good one...

Still, even though much of it ("Dear Friend," "I Am Your Singer") isn't good, there is one brilliant song on it ("Some People Never Know"), and another pretty good one ("Tomorrow").

All in all, I'd agree with Paul in that it's just for fans. That doesn't guarantee that you'll like it but at least it makes you have one more album for your McCartney collection.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wow, how time changes everything!, June 5, 2001

By 

K. L. Uminski "Tiny Bubbles" (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild Life

I first owned this vinyl album in the 70's. I was in high school and it was NOT my favorite McCartney album, but I bought it for my collections.

Some 20 years later, as I finally got around to replacing my McCartney vinyl with CD's, I wasn't sure that I would buy, Wild Life. It just wasn't a "must have."

When the remasters came out with the bonus tracks, I figured it would be worth it just to have "Give Ireland Back to the Irish." Well, was I in for a surprise. Maybe its because I am in my 30's now, as Paul was when he wrote and recorded this album with his group, but it speaks to me now more than ever. "Tomorrow" has become one of my favorite tracks from the band (and with its inclusion on Wingspan, it must one of Paul's favorites too.) I am not offended by the lyrics to "Bip Bop" and find singing "Mary had a Little Lamb" along with my niece truely fun! Who knew home spun, simple music would appeal to me in my young adulthood? Maybe I had too many hormones ragin in high school.

Finally, as stated above Give Ireland Back to the Irish is on of Paul's best, most fun songs. Yeah, I know its political, but it also happens to be a great rocker!