Paul McCartney turns 82 on Tuesday, so he’s sent us a gift.
“One Hand Clapping” is a collection of in-studio recordings Paul did with Wings in 1974. They are songs from “Band on the Run,” as well as a few Beatles tunes and oldies, plus some never heard tracks.
Listen, these were probably on bootlegs for 50 years, but most fans, including me, never heard them. Now they’re all cleaned up and remastered. The result is we owe Paul and his staff a thank you note.
What a lovely surprise. Live recording is always preferable to heavily produced, and “One Hand Clapping” proves the point. Paul, wife Linda, Denny Laine, and Jimmy McCulloch sound fresher and more vibrant than ever. The songs could be brand new, that’s how invested with life they are after five decades of listening to the conventional recordings.
“One Hand Clapping” is meant for a stereo, not headphones. The new production puts right in the middle of that studio. The sound is surrounding in the least technical way. Minor songs like “Soilly” and “C Moon” — which were dismissed as B sides when they were released — are more enjoyable than ever.
The main thing about “One Hand Clapping” is that McCartney comes off relaxed and invested. His singing is supple and fun. His rhythm section is tight, and his piano playing on “Long and Winding Road” and “Lady Madonna” is sort of brilliantly off the cuff and simultaneously masterful.
All of this was before Wings went out on the 1976 Wings Over America tour, which was in stadiums and, of course, bombastic compared to this. So consider this at the home preview. There are a few new songs that got away like “Let’s Love” and “All of You” that could and should have been properly released a long time ago. (This is like “Flaming Pie” cast offs “Same Love” and “Love Come Tumbling Down.”) Also, a 1982 B side called “I’ll Give You a Ring” gets a whole new resonant life.
I think from now on I will use these new, sparkling versions only of “Band on the Run,” “Hi Hi Hi,” “Junior’s Farm” — all records we know so well — as my standards. Wow. And sluggist ones that we also know — “Let Me Roll It” and “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five” — are equally revived.
Happy birthday Paul! Thanks for the gift!
