Wings at the Speed of Sound

Paul McCartney, Wings | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 12, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol/Emi/Sbk/Chrysalis
• ASIN: B000006N4L
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,604 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Much Here Besides the Singles, May 22, 2001

By 

Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wings at the Speed of Sound (Audio CD)

With all the hoopla surrounding the Paul McCartney & Wings media blitz and the release of the two-disc Wingspan anthology, maybe it's time to take another look at the original albums. Wings at the Speed of Sound was released in advance of the band's triumphant U.S. tour and the album stayed at No. 1 for seven weeks. Its first single, "Silly Love Songs," hit No. 1 and stayed there five weeks. But it's no Band on the Run. Heck, it isn't even a Venus & Mars.

"Let 'Em In": A pleasant enough song. The single went Top 10 and sold a million copies.

"The Note You Never Wrote": A fairly tepid ballad--nice guitar solo though.

"She's My Baby": The kind of song McCartney could write in his sleep and probably did.

"Beware My Love": One of the highlights of the album. A strong vocal from Paul helps propel this rocking number. [This should have made the Wingspan set list.]

"Wino Junko": This is Jimmy McCulloch's chance to shine on a tune he wrote. He doesn't.

"Silly Love Songs": This is the song where McCartney answers his critics. And you know what? It's a terrific song!

"Cook of the House": You know your album is in trouble when this slight rocker with lead vocal by wife Linda is better than most of the other tracks here.

"Time to Hide": Denny Laine provides this mid-tempo rocker.

"Must Do Something About It": Here's another keeper. Lovely melody. Nice guitar accompaniment.

"San Ferry Anne": Nothing really memorable here. Some nice moments, but sounds unfinished.

"Warm and Beautiful": Mostly just Paul and his piano. A nice, but insignificant ballad.

Bonus Tracks:

"Walking in the Park with Eloise": A toe-tapping dance hall number with some nice Chet Atkins-style picking and barrelhouse piano on this instrumental.

"Bridge on the River Suite": This is a moodier instrumental with a jazz feel. Both of these songs were originally released under the pseudonym The Country Hams.

"Sally G": This was originally released as the b-side to "Junior's Farm" and charted for one week at No. 39 in early 1975. A fun if not spectacular country romp complete with pedal steel.

Overall, it's no surprise that only three of these tracks made it onto the concert disc Wings Over America: the two hits and "Beware My Love." With a handful of exceptions, once McCartney left the Beatles he was mainly a singles artist. Sure, I still bought everyone of them. However, most fans will be more than content with his hits collections. The individual albums are for completists like myself. [But, hey, I also bought Lennon's Life with the Lions and Wedding Album.]

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Far form Paul's best, July 15, 2000

By 

Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wings at the Speed of Sound (Audio CD)

This was a huge hit in 1976 when it was released, I can still remember the gigantic display at "Gemco" when it came out. "Silly Love Songs" and "Let 'em In" were in constant rotation airplay on FM radio stations that summer.

But this record has not held up particularly well with the passage of time. Most of the lyrics are insipid and facile, hardly worthy of the genius who produced "Eleanor Rigby" and "For No One." What was Paul thinking when he allowed Linda to sing the ridiculous (though admittedly catchy) "Cook of the House," complete with sizzling bacon canned sound effects?

"Beware my Love" is a good rocker with bite. Had the rest of the album been done with a similar hard edge, it would have been much better and less cloying and adolescent.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wings fly high in 1976, April 18, 2001

By 

C.H. (Beach Park, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wings at the Speed of Sound (Audio CD)

Released prior to Wings' mega successful American tour, this album (and it's two singles) sailed to the top of the charts. Less focused than "Band On The Run" or "Venus And Mars", we still have some interesting material here. Besides the commercially successful singles "Let 'Em In" and "Silly Love Songs", we have the invigorating rocker "Beware My Love" (why was that a B-side?) as well as some interesting tracks by the other members. Denny Laine scores with his composition "Time To Hide", as well as providing lead vocal on the McCartney track "The Note You Never Wrote". Jimmy McCulloch contributes "Wino Junko", another dope song which pales in comparison with it's cousin "Medicine Jar" from "Venus And Mars". Drummer Joe English sings a wonderful lead on "Must Do Something About It", but Linda's vocal on "Cook Of The House" is, well, if you can't say anything nice...