Paul Mccartney - Wingspan: Hits and History

While his fellow ex-bandmates busied themselves with various high-profile projects (John Lennon with Imagine and a series of high-profile media events; George Harrison with All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangla Desh), Paul McCartney climbed into a van with his wife and a few journeyman players and gigged at university student unions for what amounted to spare change. Of course, by 1976 they were one of the biggest draws in rock, having the last laugh--if not necessarily the final word. Gathering the cream of their recorded output on a generous double-disc sampler-cum-TV-special-soundtrack seemed a promising effort at historical revisionism, but Wingspan itself is a distinct misnomer: fully 17 of the 40 tracks here hail from various pre- and post-Wings McCartney solo albums. Completely overlooked are unheralded B-sides such as "Oh Woman, Oh Why," "Little Woman Love," "Country Dreamer," "The Mess," "Walking in the Park with Eloise," "Sally G," and "Girl's School"--some of McCartney the bandleader and solo artist's scrappiest and most interesting work. All the expected hits are here and more, ranging from spunky rockers and hook-rich bubblegum to syrup-drenched ballads. What's lacking is a fresh and less myopic perspective. --Jerry McCulley

Disc 1:
side one
1. Listen to What the Man Said [Venus and Mars + Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
2. Band on the Run [Band on the Run + Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
3. Another Day [Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
4. Live and Let Die [Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
5. Jet [Band on the Run + Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda

side two
6. My Love - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
7. Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
8. Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
9. C Moon - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda

Disc 2:
side three
10. Hi, Hi, Hi [Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
11. Let 'Em In - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
12. Goodnight Tonight [Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
13. Junior's Farm [Single][Alternate Take] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
14. Mull of Kintyre [Single] - Paul McCartney, Laine, Denny


side four
15. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
16. With a Little Luck [DJ Edit] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
17. Coming Up [Live] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
18. No More Lonely Nights [Give My Regards to Broad Street + Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul

Disc 3:
side a
1. Let Me Roll It - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
2. The Lovely Linda - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
3. Daytime Nightime Suffering [B-Side Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
4. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
5. Helen Wheels [Single + Us Band on the Run] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
6. Bluebird [Band on the Run] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda


side b
7. Heart of the Country - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
8. Every Night - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
9. Take It Away [Tug of War + Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
10. Junk - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
11. Man We Was Lonely - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
12. Venus and Mars/Rock Show [Single Edit] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda


Disc 4
side c
13. Back Seat of My Car [Ram + UK Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
14. Rockestra Theme [Back to the Egg] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
15. Girlfriend - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
16. Waterfalls/ [DJ Edit] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
17. Tomorrow [Wings Wild Life] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda


side d
18. Too Many People - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
19. Call Me Back Again [Venus and Mars] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
20. Tug of War [Tug of War + Single] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul
21. Bip Bop/Hey Diddle [As Featured in Wingspan TV-Film] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Linda
22. No More Lonely Nights / [Playout Version] - Paul McCartney, McCartney, Paul