Paul McCartney & Wings - One Hand Clapping (2024)

Growing up listening to my Mom's 78s made it easy for me to like Paul McCartney's excursions into what John Lennon often referred to as his "granny music." Despite his semi-frequent visits to the sounds of his father's generation anyone who believes that McCartney can't rock is flat out wrong, and One Hand Clapping - Wings' live, in the studio, double album - proves it.

These sessions were recorded over four days at Abbey Road studios while Band on the Run was riding high on the charts. They were slated to be released as a documentary with an accompanying LP, but neither officially happened. Some tracks turned up later on bootlegs and a few others were included on repackaged McCartney records, but 2024 was the first time they were released together as a complete set.

McCartney, his wife Linda, and Denny Laine were the only permanent members of Wings. The other seats were filled by an ever-changing cast, and for these sessions the new members were Jimmy McCulloch on electric guitars and drummer Geoff Britton.

We all know that McCartney is a perfectionist in the studio, but on One Hand Clapping Wings is a much looser outfit than their original records would make one believe. Maybe it's because they were performing live even though there was no audience present.

The title track is an instrumental jam session that opens the set and it's bluesier than almost anything McCartney ever wrote. Wings played the hits: "Live and Let Die," "Band on the Run," "Jet," "My Love," "Hi, Hi, Hi," and "Junior’s Farm." Their take of "Maybe I’m Amazed," is tougher than the original. There were a few lesser-known tracks: "Soily," "C-Moon," and "Sally G." "Wild Life" never sounded so soulful."

McCartney played brief, solo arrangements of three Beatles' classics. You'll hear "Let It Be" on harmonium, and "The Long and Winding Road" and "Lady Madonna" together as a medley on piano. They're the only Beatles tunes on the setlist and are reeled off quickly. He plays all three in a quick 3:15 combined.

There are a couple of very old chestnuts. The legend adds an old-time horn section to "Baby Face," a track that is so old it was recorded by Al Jolson, and it's a song that may have made Lennon cringe. "Blue Moon of Kentucky" was originally recorded by Bill Monroe in 1945 and later by Elvis Presley for Sun Records.

Laine sings his only lead vocal on his 1965 Moody Blues' hit, "Go Now." The remainder features McCartney and Wings at the peak of their early and mid-70s popularity and demonstrates how good this sometimes critically derided band could be.

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