Red Rose Speedway

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
You could trawl the rock & roll archives all the way back to the start and never find an album quite like Red Rose Speedway. Which is not to say that it's great. Just that it's... weird. Though it's a Wings album, it's entirely irradiated with Paul McCartney's personality--to the extent that virtually the entire band left him while attempting to rehearse for the supporting tour, claiming they couldn't operate in his huge, overbearing shadow. You can see where they were coming from. Red Rose Speedway, right down to the cover shot of Macca with a rose in his mouth, is about Paul McCartney, specifically his unique ability in the '70s to pump up slight, pretty songs to the scale of "Hey Jude," seemingly unaware or unworried that that didn't necessarily make them as good as "Hey Jude." The high spot is the saccharine sauciness of "My Love," a lurching soft-focus ballad about his wife's sexual excellence. The rest of it--lazy, lushly produced rock, sometimes sweet, sometimes just cloying, but always unmistakably Macca--is worth hearing if just to ponder: "What the hell did he think he was doing?" --Taylor Parkes

Tracks:

Big Barn Bed
My Love
Get on the Right Thing
One More Kiss
Little Lamb Dragonfly
Single Pigeon
When the Night
Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)
Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut
C Moon [*]
Hi, Hi, Hi [*] - Paul McCartney, Paul McCartney & Wings
Mess [Live][*]
I Lie Around [*]

Amazon.com

You could trawl the rock & roll archives all the way back to the start and never find an album quite like Red Rose Speedway. Which is not to say that it's great. Just that it's... weird. Though it's a Wings album, it's entirely irradiated with Paul McCartney's personality--to the extent that virtually the entire band left him while attempting to rehearse for the supporting tour, claiming they couldn't operate in his huge, overbearing shadow. You can see where they were coming from. Red Rose Speedway, right down to the cover shot of Macca with a rose in his mouth, is about Paul McCartney, specifically his unique ability in the '70s to pump up slight, pretty songs to the scale of "Hey Jude," seemingly unaware or unworried that that didn't necessarily make them as good as "Hey Jude." The high spot is the saccharine sauciness of "My Love," a lurching soft-focus ballad about his wife's sexual excellence. The rest of it--lazy, lushly produced rock, sometimes sweet, sometimes just cloying, but always unmistakably Macca--is worth hearing if just to ponder: "What the hell did he think he was doing?" --Taylor Parkes

Album Description

Digitally remastered reissue of their top 10 1973 EMI album featuring the #1 smash 'My Love' & four bonus tracks: the hits 'C Moon' & 'Hi, Hi, Hi', plus 'The Mess' and 'I Lie Around'. 13 tracks total. 1993 EMI release.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Edition of Wing's Third Album that Includes a Revised Booklet with Artwork from the Original LP Release plus all the Song Lyrics, Including the Bonus Tracks: ' C Moon', 'hi Hi Hi', 'the Mess' and 'i Lie Around'.

Customer Reviews:

mullet mccartney.......2007-07-06

Yes,Linda was the one who wanted the mullet,at least that's what I read once. Anyway,RRS is another effortless showcase of Macca's musical genius.
"My Love"-another great love song off the assembly line.
Only one more kiss" and
"Single Pigeon"- both songs for those who participate in the male-female conflagration that is also known as marriage. It appears that the ideal couple that Paul and Linda were could also throw some fists once in a while.The Abbey Road-like medley...it's all here. McCartney showing us all how it's done.Someday,Macca will get his due.I was a Lennon-Harrison guy before,but I am beginning to see just how much McCartney propelled the Beatles along,especially in the later years.In a limited sense,Macca WAS the Beatles.

Getting Your Wings........2007-05-05

Not a great album, but one with a few hidden treasures and worth a listen. Wings were on the verge of bigger and much better things. This was the beginning of their successful run in the charts going all the way to #1.

1. Big Barn Bed - A stomping and raucous effort that hinted Wings stadium rock prowess.

2. My Love - Overplayed ballad that was a #1 hit for Wings.

3. Get on the Right Thing - Picked up where he left off from on RAM. Fun pop song.

4. One More Kiss - Sappy love song.

5. Little Lamb Dragonfly - Beautiful acoustic based song.

6. Single Pigeon - A charming little song, I like it.

7. When the Night - A gospel sounding number. Brilliant vocals from Paul. Nice harmonies from the band.

8. Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)- experimental and dispensible.

9. Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut - A clever ending medley of songs. I will single Hands of Love it is a killer and should have been a single, its a pleasure to listen to. This medley on a whole ends the album on a hopeful note but goes nowhere near Macca's medley on the end of Abbey Road, which many think he was going for here.

Bonus tracks/singles

10. C Moon [*] - Silly but groovy

11. Hi, Hi, Hi [*] - Infamous Wings rocker, great song of the times.
12. Mess [Live][*] - Early Wings rock.
13. I Lie Around [*] - instrumental.

Essential Wings material, but only for a few cuts.......2007-04-05

OK, any Wings fan must pick up this album, cuz the first side is quintessential; however, Paul makes one of his few missteps as Wings frontman for the ENTIRE second half. Fortunately, the 4 bonus tracks from around the same time period resurrect the listener's eardrums, and remind us of Paul's typical standards of excellence.

Big Barn Bed -- A catchy rocker which showcases much of the energy Wings would channel in their following album (Band on the Run). Paul and the band scream and wail about sex, with a great hook chorus that never lets go. You pretty much have to get out of your seat and dance to this one.

My Love -- For whatever reason, Paul threw away all that energy, and now showcases an exquisite ballad about Linda, SMOTHERED with gorgeous orchestration. This is GOOD slow Macca, as opposed to the later half of the album.

Get On The Right Thing -- This a catchy rock song, with Wings' voices making it all come together (and make you sing along too). The lyrics don't make any sense, but that never stopped Paul! ;) You'll thump your foot to this one for sure

One More Kiss -- This is Paul's silly side, i.e. You Gave Me The Answer and Baby's Request. And, like those other later titles, it is quite endearing and likeable. A little bit of country twang here sonically.

Little Lamb Dragonfly -- Haha, this is it! This is probably Wings' second-best song (first would be Maybe I'm Amazed). This song = utmost beauty. A long, mystical dip into the afterlife, the lyrics here are Paul's best out of any song. Definitely worth the meager price you have to pay :)

Single Pidgeon, When The Night, Loup, Medley -- HORRIBLE! Abysmal. Evidently Paul overexerted himself lyrically, sonically, melodically, ANYTHINGcally in the first side of the disc. All 4 of these songs bite. Paul gets a quite unmusical, short phrase, and repeats it over and over again all throughout Single Pidgeon, When The Night, and Medley -- as I mentioned earlier, this is BAD slow Paul, and casts darkness over the entire album. Do yourself a favor and NEVER listen to this trash.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, the Bonus Tracks come and renew the listener's liking of Sir McCartney.

C Moon -- A singable reggae jive. Great, with a cute kid's choir.
Hi, Hi, Hi -- Sensual, suggestive lyrics line this hard rocker. Reminds us of Wings' ability to rock.
The Mess -- A catchy rocker with nonsensical lyrics
I Lie Around -- Vaudeville, but lacking. Not bad though

And that wraps up the album. Definitely worth picking up for the outstanding first half and C Moon and Hi,Hi,Hi. ALso, the cover is trippy and gritty, I love it.

Paul's Best.......2006-11-30

This Wings line up was the best ever and the writing on this album is Paul's best as a solo in my opinion. It has aged very well. Band on the Run and Ram seem a little light weight to my ears now and all three of those albums were favorites of mine as a teenager. Red Rose is just a classy album. It only has one bad song and anyone who loves the album knows which one I'm talking about.

Paul's Best, After McCartney.......2006-06-12

George is my FAVORITE Beatle, but Paul is the one that continuously released the best post-fab-four albums. I have loved Red Rose Speedway since I was 12 years old. I listen to it often, and am re-purchasing the CD, mine seems to have mysteriously disappeared. (Three teenage daughters who were brought up right to LOVE the Beatles, yes I think one of them has it.) Little Lamb Dragonfly is awesome. Get on the Right Thing--fabulous. The medley of Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut is worth buying this CD alone!

Average customer rating:

A New Look
Quirky, but a few good tracks
Land Like Air...
Band on the Run was next......
You Know,"Red Rose Speedway" Is'nt Half Bad

Red Rose Speedway
Paul McCartney , and Wings
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wild Life
At The Speed Of Sound
Wild Life

ASIN: B00000DQYT
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Big Barn Red
My Love
Get On The Right Thing
One More Kiss
Little Lamb Dragonfly
Single Pigeon
When The Night
Loup (1st Indian On The Moon)
Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut
I Lie Around
Country Dreamer
The Mess (Recorded Live At The Hague)

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

A New Look.......2007-06-03

When I first heard this album back in my high school days, I dismissed it as mostly filler. When Itunes released the McCartney recordings, I relistened to the songs on this album and I think in retrospect, I have a change of heart. Listening to "Single Pidgeon" sounds as if if it could of been a Cole Porter tune. With Linda singing "me too" in the background, it really is a sweet song reminiscent of a roaring twenties feel and similar in feel to "Honey Pie" from the White Album. "One More Kiss" also has that throwback feel with country touch (a combination of Cole Porter meets Hank Williams). I think this album definitely diserves another listen.

Quirky, but a few good tracks.......2006-04-01

One of Paul's most personal, i.e. self-indulgent records. Every song he wrote to please himself (or Linda), and some are corny. Having said that, I do like a number of them.

"Big Barn Bed" and "Get On the Right Thing" are downright exciting performances. "My Love" and "The Mess" (latter on bonus editions) are also good. Finally, I must admit to liking "Little Lamb Dragonfly", a beautiful, gentle track, even though it is really syrupy.

Some of the album's later tracks are plain syrup, and I could easily do without them. A good album for people who know they are McCartney fans already. Not his best album - but not his absolute worst one either, and very much "itself", i.e., a different sound & approach from any of his other albums.

Land Like Air..........2006-01-15

The only reason why a mellow, pot-smoking hippie wouldn't dig this album to death is because of the MOR cheese that is "My Love." Frankly, the song bears no indication as to how experimental, melodic and cool RED ROSE SPEEDWAY is throughout.

Side one moves at a hit-or-miss pace, with most of the misses still coming off as funky DIY anthems, as Wings sport big, layered vocals ("Big Barn Bed," "Get on the Right Thing"). "One More Kiss" is the first sign of some WHITE ALBUM-esque inspiration (with side two's "Single Pigeon" taking it back to 1968 with a vengeance). But "Little Lamb Dragonfly" is where we start to get a sense that McCartney's talent and flair for melody hasn't lost an ounce since his Beatle days. (SIDE NOTE: What is this song about? Jane Asher? Perhaps some groupie?)

"Single Pigeon" opens side two as sort of an intro piece (with lonesome lyrics akin to the classic "Yellow Bird"), before Wings launch into the chronic vibes of "When the Night," featuring head lyrics about the night being beautiful and mellow... the light being marvellous and yellow, and "the light of the night, fell on me" (!!!!) If the lyrics aren't hazy enough for ya, perhaps the late '60s Donovan-esque production will take you there. Not to be outdone by the instrumental, "Loup (First Indian on the Moon)," a tribal psychedelic experience about, well... what the first Indian on the moon might experience. Its mysterious opening chords and gutteral harmonies launch into a mystical pastiche of sound waves from beyond, as Loup re-enters a world (i.e. the moon) where land is again like air. For the Indian it's preposterous to think that a human being could "own" land (just as absurd to think that you could own air or water). With heart content, Loup then launches into a funky tribal dance around the burning coals, before the whole affair slides back into the opening chords to fade.

RED ROSE SPEEDWAY ends with an ABBEY ROAD-like suite (in four parts), starting out with the catchy, light-hearted ditty "Hold Me Tight." This seques into "Lazy Dynamite," not only the strongest melody on the whole LP (and one that could put McCartney on the level of melodic geniuses like Porter, Gershwin and Ellington), but a dynamic message about taking this special spark inside and drawing it out from its sleep (or "laziness"). "Hands of Love" and "Power Cut" (part three and four of the closing suite) provide more melodic ditties to the fade, but almost seem pointless after being taken so far out with "Lazy Dynamite."

In all, RED ROSE SPEEDWAY was the McCartney album that finally got critics and fans to take his solo career seriously. While it was a 50-50% shot as to whether heavies and hippies bought it in 1973, there would be no doubt on the next album, BAND ON THE RUN. Every household had a copy.

Band on the Run was next.............2005-02-10

......and was Wing's big break - but this came before and I clearly remember how many people went out and bought Red Rose Speedway because it was clearly different from anything else Paul had done and contained some fine material. I still enjoy going back and revisiting this album for its crafted production and eclectic mix of tunes.

A note - if you get the CD with the bonus tracks (fillers really to use the CD's capacity) STOP when you get to the end of the "Medley: Hold Me Tight - Lazy Dynamite - Hands of Love". That was the original album and the real ending is the long fade on Hands of Love. That makes the piece. NOW if you want go and listen to C-Moon and all the rest as the singles they were. Don't judge them as part of this album - they never were and it will jar your ears if you do.

You Know,"Red Rose Speedway" Is'nt Half Bad.......2003-08-07

I like this album-I do."Big Barn Red","One More Kiss"
and "Get On The Right Thing" are excellent pop-rockers having
nothing to do with the Beatles but with McCartney's own abilities
as a composer."My Love" is an good sung about Paul's sexual
attraction to Linda but the schmalzty arrangement should be a
sin.The minimal caberet of "Single Pigean" and the curiusly
avante-garde psychedelic funky rock of "Loup (first Indian on
the moon)" are also highlites.It has McCartney's early gift for
varriety and spice at a time when he was still consdiered to be
cool and hip.Check it out!

Average customer rating:

Red Rose Speedway / McCartney II
Paul McCartney
Manufacturer: CD Maximum
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000JFHOPK

Product Description

2 albums on 1CD - 20 trx total - "RED ROSE SPEEDWAY" - 9 trx & "McCARTNEY II"- 11 trx. "RED ROSE SPEEDWAY": 1. Big Barn Bed. 2. My Love. 3. Get on the Right Thing. 4. One More Kiss. 5. Little Lamb Dragonfly. 6. Single Pigeon. 7. When the Night. 8. Loup (1st Indian on the Moon). 9. Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut. "McCARTNEY II": 1. Coming Up. 2. Temporary Secretary. 3. On the Way. 4. Waterfalls. 5. Nobody Knows. 6. Front Parlour. 7. Summer's Day Song. 8. Frozen Jap. 9. Bogey Music. 10. Darkroom. 11. One of These Days.

Average customer rating:

The Gold CD Version
Good, but not wings's best
Great album, very interesting.
under-rated gem...
Well worth listening to

Red Rose Speedway
Paul McCartney & Wings
Manufacturer: Dcc Compact Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ram
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Band on the Run
Bad Company
Venus and Mars

ASIN: B000000189
Release Date: 1996-05-21

Tracks:

Big Barn Bed
My Love
Get On The Right Thing
Only One More Kiss
Little Lamb Dragonfly
Single Pigeon
When The Night
Loup (1st Indian On The Moon)
Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands Of Love/Power Cut
C Moon
Hi, Hi, Hi
The Mess (Recorded Live At The Hague)
I Lie Around

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

The Gold CD Version.......2002-11-03

Beutifull music one of maccas best, but the Gold CD(DCC recording) shows the serious lack of qaulity recording equipment the original must have been recorded on. After listening to the vynal version for many years I'v always wanted a better qaulity recording of this in my view classic album. The vynal version is warm and lacks real detail same as the gold CD. The 4 stars are for the music only. The recording deserves possibly one star. Dont waste money on the gold version.

Good, but not wings's best.......2002-01-07

Actually,this album didn't surprise me.Good to regular would be my true rating(3,5 stars). The lyrics in RRS are simple in some songs(Big barn bed,Little lamb dragonfly),but it doesn't harm the quality of the tracks.
The track 8(instrumental) is interesting and pleasant.It remembers
peruvian music a little and has to do with the title because of the chant.
I like its bass parts.Of course,"My love" is the best.Other highlight is the backing vocals by Linda and Denny Laine, that
improve the melody (especially in "When the night")
If want the best of Wings, buy "Venus and Mars" and "Band on the Run". Besides this fact,"London Town" and "Back to the egg" would be a valid choice too.

Great album, very interesting........2001-07-11

This album, while not McCartney's best is very good. I could honestly say that I don't skip any songs while listening to it. The Medley might be a little weak when comparing it to the second half of Abbey Road (what wouldn't be) but I still like it. The whole album is a different kind of sound than the Beatles. A little more silly. Try it and find out.

under-rated gem..........2001-07-10

reveals a conscious attempt to scale down and get to the solid core of the songs and arrangements as well. No doubt he must have been influenced by John's amazing bare bones work. Cohesive thruout in its melodic warmth. Tight, simple arrangements. Deceptively advanced tunesmithing. A great warm, beautiful record. A must have. Get the bonus tracks version!

Well worth listening to.......2001-01-06

OK if you hated "wildlife" you might not like this either. But, for us old potheads (and I am referrring to attitude, since I gave up most chemicals after graduate school) this album has many fine moments that are worth struggling through the weaker points, just like "wildlife."

Tracks:

Big Barn Bed
My Love
Get on the Right Thing
One More Kiss
Little Lamb Dragonfly
Single Pigeon
When the Night
Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)
Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut

Amazon.com

Album Description

Reissue of the 1973 album. Red Rose Speedway winds up being a really strange record, one that veers toward the schmaltzy AOR MOR (especially on the hit single 'My Love'), yet is thoroughly twisted in its own desire toward domestic art. As a result, this is every bit as insular as the lo-fi records of the early '90s, but considerably more artful, since it was, after all, designed by one of the great pop composers of the century. Yes, the greatest songs here are slight; 'Big Barn Bed', 'One More Kiss', and 'When the Night', but this is a deliberately slight record (slight in the way a snapshot album is important to a family yet glazes the eyes of any outside observer). Work your way into the inner circle, and McCartney's little flourishes are intoxicating; not just the melodies, but the facile production and offhand invention. Packaged in a paper sleeve. EMI. 2005.

Album Details

Limited Edition Lp Style Sleeve.

Customer Reviews:

WOW.......2000-08-17

What a great album to have, lot of great songs on this album like My Love, Get On The Right Thing, Big Barn Bed and more, a must for any Wings fan