Band on the Run
Studio - Paul McCartney and Wings / Parlophone/EMI / 07 Dec 1973
Disc 1
Album Notes |
Band on the Run is one of those rare albums that spans a magically self-contained world. From the unfolding promise of its title track – itself a pocket symphony of dawning optimism and thrilling new horizons – this is music that takes us places. Is it a ‘concept album'? Not exactly. There is no continuous narrative nor any hidden pattern. The beauty of Band on the Run is simply that it feels complete. Released in late 1973, Band on the Run was Paul's fifth album since the break up of The Beatles and it triumphed both critically and commercially. The album topped the US chart three separate times, won a Grammy and went on to sell more than seven million copies. In the UK, it was the biggest selling studio album of 1974 and spent a miraculous 124 weeks on the chart. Its success has endured and in 2000 the album was included in Q magazine's list of Greatest British Albums Ever, as well as Rolling Stone magazine's 500 greatest albums of all time list. It was re-released in March 1999 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its release in multiple configurations and again in 2011, as part of the Paul McCartney Archive collection featuring the remastered album, rare bonus audio and video content, all within special exclusive packaging.
Performed by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney & Denny Laine |
RELATED TEXT AND MEDIA
Left to right: Christopher Lee, Paul and Clement Freud, 1973
Did you know?
The Grammy award-winning album was recorded in Lagos and became Wings most successful album. Band on the Run was the top selling album in the UK in 1974 and reached no.1 in the US on 3 separate occasions. It went on to sell 7 million copies world-wide.
'Band On The Run' billboard promo, 1973
Paul caught off guard, taken during 'Band On The Run' recording sessions, Lagos, Nigeria, 1973
Denny Laine, Linda and Paul- Mrs Vandebilt and Bluebird single cover, 1974
The 'Band On The Run' recording sessions, Lagos, Nigeria, 1973