Chapter 36: Live and Let Die (February - November 1973)

February 1973

Paul McCartney performing live with Smile, October 1972.

During the second half of 1972, Paul McCartney and Smile had a small tour across Europe, with the setlist consisting of the songs Smile had previously performed live (some of which were never recorded in the studio) as well as newer material such as "Some Day One Day" and "Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll". Denny Laine's material consisted of some songs he'd performed during his time as part of the Moody Blues, and Paul McCartney's consisted largely of solo material, but nothing by the Beatles save for covering Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally". This would help to refine the band before they went back to the studio to record new material.

PAUL McCARTNEY: "When we first went into the studio at the start of February, I'd noticed that Brian and Roger had brought in someone I'd not met before. He had long dark hair and a prominent overbite. He was born Farrokh Bulsara, but everyone knows him by the name of Freddie Mercury." (2008)

FREDDIE MERCURY: "I was familiar with Tim Staffell from art college and had wanted to join Smile even before Paul had come into the picture, and Roger and I were roommates. When I first entered the studio, Paul was doubtful of my singing ability because of the extra teeth in my mouth, but I wanted to prove to him that I was still a good singer despite this. I went over to the piano, and began to play 'Maybe I'm Amazed' from his solo album. Brian and Roger even began to play along with me, and when I'd finished, Paul just stared in amazement and said, 'Wow.' Nothing else. Just 'wow'." (1992)

Freddie Mercury, 1973.

The twenty-six-year-old British Zoroastrian singer had also penned eleven songs that he wanted to get out to the world on record and that he'd needed a band to help make that possible. Paul, Brian May, Roger Taylor and Denny were all happy to help Freddie Mercury to make that happen.

BRIAN MAY: "We began recording both the Smile album and for Fred's album at the same time. Our co-producer for the projects was Roy Thomas Baker, who was working with fellow Apple band Nazareth and had been previously associated with the Rolling Stones. At first, we wanted to put out a double album with all the material we had, but Roy insisted that we put out individual albums; one by Paul McCartney and Smile, and one by Freddie Mercury. With hindsight, he had the right idea." (1997)

ROGER TAYLOR: "Freddie still provided vocals to Purple Highway, especially with 'Keep Yourself Alive', which was Brian's song. I don't think Paul or Brian could've done that one much justice by themselves. Nor me, for that matter." (1983)

During the sessions for both albums, Mercury recorded a non-album single under the pseudonym of Larry Lurex, which was inspired by glam rock singer Gary Glitter. They were respective covers of the Ronettes' "I Can Hear Music" and Dusty Springfield's "Goin' Back"; the single was released on Apple on September 10, but it failed to chart either in the United States or the United Kingdom. Since then, Mercury has considered the single to be an old shame of his.

1 June 1973

The cast of Live and Let Die, the eighth entry in the James Bond film series. From left: Julius Harris (Tee Hee), Jane Seymour (Solitaire), Geoffrey Holder (Baron Samedi), Roger Moore (James Bond), Yaphet Kotto (Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big) and Earl Jolly Brown (Whisper).

At the time of its release, Smile's second non-album single, "Live and Let Die"/"Son and Daughter", was the most successful James Bond theme song, reaching #2 in the United States and #5 in the United Kingdom. The A-side had been nominated for the Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. While it lost at the Academy Awards to the theme to The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand, "Live and Let Die" managed to take home a Grammy, credited to Smile and George Martin. To this day, it remains one of Paul McCartney's greatest songs, played at nearly every concert he's ever performed, and people have ranked this as the greatest James Bond theme of all time.

16 September 1973

Paul McCartney & Smile - Purple Highway

Released: 16 September 1973

Recorded: February - August 1973

Producer: Paul McCartney and Roy Thomas Baker

Track listing[1]

Side A

Keep Yourself Alive [w/ Freddie Mercury]
My Love
Some Day One Day
The Loser in the End
Get on the Right Thing

Side B

I Lie Around
Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)
Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
Only One More Kiss
Single Pigeon
Little Lamb Dragonfly

The first album by Paul McCartney & Smile was released to positive reception from both critics and fans alike. "Paul isn't dead after all," Melody Maker crowed. "Paul finally responds to the Ladders," sang Rolling Stone. The album reached #1 in the United States - knocking the Ladders' Photograph off of the top spot - as did the lead single "My Love", backed with "Keep Yourself Alive". Although the songs crossfaded together on the album, they did not for the single. In the United Kingdom, however, the album reached #4 and the single #7.

PAUL McCARTNEY: "Purple Highway was sort of a transition for me, Denny, Brian, and Roger, as well as Freddie Mercury. It's no Everest or Merseyside, but still, I think it's a great showcase of where we came from when we got together for Smile, and it even gave off hints as to what you'd eventually expect for A Night at the Rock Show and Band on the Run. I've got a soft spot for it, really." (2013, liner notes for the 40th anniversary release)

19 November 1973

Freddie Mercury - The King of Rhye

Released: 19 November 1973

Recorded: February - August 1973

Producer: Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury and Roy Thomas Baker

Track listing[1]

Side A

Seven Seas of Rhye (Prologue)
Great King Rat
My Fairy King
Liar
Jesus

Side B

Ogre Battle
The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke
Nevermore
The March of the Black Queen
Funny How Love Is
Seven Seas of Rhye

Freddie Mercury's debut album on Apple Records topped out at #5 in the United Kingdom, but it went below the Top 40 in the United States at #49. The lead single, "Seven Seas of Rhye"/"Mad the Swine" (a non-album B-side), reached #9 in the United Kingdom. Mercury described The King of Rhye as having two ideas on one album:

FREDDIE MERCURY: "The first side contains a prelude to 'Seven Seas,' and after that is the self-contained songs - 'Great King Rat,' 'Jesus,' 'Liar.' The second side has something of a thematic approach like the Beatles did on Merseyside in '67. It's really bombastic and over the top, leading to a great finale that brings the album full circle." (1973, Rolling Stone interview)

With both Purple Highway and The King of Rhye being successful in the United Kingdom, Paul McCartney and Smile went on a European tour with Freddie Mercury as their opening act (with Brian May and Roger Taylor acting as sidemen). The tour was received very positively, further affirming that McCartney seemed to be regaining lost ground. The most common criticism was the lack of Beatles material from Paul, although he would cover "Long Tall Sally" as part of the encore.

Paul McCartney performing live with Smile, 1973.

Paul McCartney & Smile w/ Freddie Mercury - Smiling Over Europe Tour[2] (1973)
4 shows each in France, West Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands, 3 shows in Denmark, 2 shows each in Switzerland and Finalnd, one show each in Norway and Belgium (23 September - 18 November)
Average setlist:
Freddie Mercury
1. Ogre Battle
2. Great King Rat
3. Keep Yourself Alive
4. Liar
5. The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke
6. Seven Seas of Rhye
Paul McCartney & Smile
1. Soily
2. Blue Moon of Kentucky
3. Son and Daughter
4. 1882
5. Say You Don't Mind (sometimes swapped out for I Would Only Smile)
6. C Moon
7. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
8. Live and Let Die
9. Maybe I'm Amazed
10. My Love
11. See What a Fool I've Been
12. Go Now
13. The Mess
14. Hi Hi Hi
Encores: Doing All Right, Long Tall Sally

Now that Paul McCartney had regained the spotlight, the question still remained as to where he could go next, and how he could keep his new band on the run...

Footnotes

1. For both albums, tracks are sourced from Queen and Queen II. For Purple Highway, the McCartney/Laine tracks are sourced from Red Rose Speedway.
2. Some of the tracks were actually performed by Paul McCartney during the Wings Over Europe Tour and 1973 UK Tour, and by Queen during the Queen II Tour.

Author's Comments

A bit shorter than some previous chapters, but at long last, we meet with Freddie Mercury! Much of the bulk of this chapter had originally been written the year before, now with a bit of new material in it, as well as a setlist for a 1973 Freddie Mercury/Paul McCartney & Smile joint tour! There's... not much else to say here, I'm afraid.