An Alternate Wings Discography + Paul McCartney's Early 1980s Output

When the Beatles broke up, they all went on their own solo endeavors. Paul McCartney, not wanting to do things without a band, hastily formed a new group in 1971 that he dubbed Wings. With himself, his wife Linda and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine as the group's three permanent members, Wings were mostly a critical disappointment. Although they had hits like "Live and Let Die" and the entire Band on the Run album, it was largely a vehicle for Paul's solo career brought on by the fact that he was a former Beatle until they broke up in 1981.

Could things have turned out differently for Wings had Paul made some different choices? That's what this post is all about!

Wild Life (1971)

Side A (19:07)

1. Wild Life - 4:49 [edit]

2. Little Woman Love - 2:08 (Ram)

3. Bip Bop/Hey Diddle - 3:35 (Wingspan: Hits and History)

4. I Am Your Singer - 2:15

5. Little Lamb Dragonfly - 6:20 (Red Rose Speedway)

Side B (19:29)

6. Mumbo - 3:54

7. Get on the Right Thing - 4:17 (Red Rose Speedway)

8. Tomorrow - 3:28

9. Some People Never Know - 3:56 [edit]

10. Dear Friend - 3:54 [edit]

Often viewed as Wings' worst album, Wild Life is a bit of a mess that really lacks a certain level of polish, especially as this was right off the heels of Ram, which, in retrospect, became regarded as one of Paul's best albums. Paul had more than enough material for a proper follow-up to Ram, as "Get on the Right Thing" and "Little Lamb Dragonfly" were recorded during those sessions yet they were not included on an album until 1973. I'm rectifying this by including them on this revised Wild Life and giving the album a little more polish. In addition, three songs were edited down to trim the fat and improve the pacing of the album. Overall, Wild Life is still not a great album, but it is at least an improvement over what was officially released.

Red Rose Speedway (1973)

Side A (20:09)

1. Big Barn Bed - 3:48

2. I Lie Around - 5:01

3. When the Night - 3:38

4. Mama's Little Girl - 3:45

5. Seaside Woman - 3:57

Side B (19:52)

6. Live and Let Die - 3:12

7. Only One More Kiss - 2:28

8. Night Out - 2:16

9. I Would Only Smile - 3:23

10. Best Friend (Live) - 3:59

11. The Mess (Live) - 4:34

Side C (20:27)

12. My Love - 4:07

13. Hold Me Tight (I've Waited All My Life)/Lazy Dynamite - 5:12

14. Jazz Street - 5:08

15. Hands of Love/Power Cut - 6:00

Side D (20:28)

16. Loup (First Indian on the Moon) - 4:23

17. C Moon - 4:34

18. Tragedy - 3:21

19. Single Pigeon - 1:52

20. Country Dreamer - 3:10

21. Hi, Hi, Hi - 3:08

Red Rose Speedway was originally intended to be a double album, but it ended up being cut down to a single album, meaning fans only got half the story regarding its extremely productive sessions. Several other tracks that were recorded during those sessions ended up being released as singles or left in the vaults until 2018. Having moved "Little Lamb Dragonfly" and "Get on the Right Thing" onto the revised Wild Life, that left plenty of room to include more non-album tracks like "Live and Let Die" and "Hi, Hi, Hi", which really helps to give Wings more rock credibility. The resulting album may seem esoteric, but so was The White Album. The first disc is largely Wings as a group effort, and the second is Paul doing what he loves best - silly love songs and other assorted genres.

Band on the Run is released as is, with "Helen Wheels" appearing in the middle of Side B per the North American release. No reason to change it whatsoever.

Hot Hits & Cold Cuts (1974)

Side A (22:54)

1. Another Day - 3:42

2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - 4:41

3. Give Ireland Back to the Irish - 3:44

4. Mary Had a Little Lamb - 3:32

5. Hi, Hi, Hi - 3:08

6. My Love - 4:07

Side B (24:22)

7. Live and Let Die - 3:12

8. Helen Wheels - 3:46

9. Jet - 4:09

10. Band on the Run - 5:12

11. Sally G - 3:40

12. Junior's Farm - 4:23

Side C (23:48)

13. A Love for You* - 4:08

14. I Lie Around - 5:01

15. Love is Strange* - 4:14

16. Walking in the Park with Eloise* - 3:10

17. Oriental Nightfish* - 2:49

18. The Back Seat of My Car - 4:26

Side D (23:09)

19. Oh Woman, Oh Why - 4:35

20. Wide Prairie* - 4:33

21. Send Me the Heart* - 3:35

22. Bridge on the River Suite* - 3:11

23. Seaside Woman - 3:57

24. Thank You Darling* - 3:18

Ah yes, the infamous Paul McCartney compilation album that never came to be. He went through so many iterations between 1974 and 1987 before ultimately scrapping the project for good. For this scenario, I'm imaging that the first disc consisted of all of his Top 20 hits in the United Kingdom and the United States as well as the new single "Junior's Farm" and "Sally G", tacked on at the end as new tracks. The second disc is primarily outtakes from 1970-1974, as well as a few tracks that were released as lead singles or B-sides. "The Back Seat of My Car" peaked at #39 in the United Kingdom, and "Seaside Woman" at #59 in the United States. "Oh Woman, Oh Why" and "I Lie Around" are the B-sides to "Another Day" and "Live and Let Die", respectively. Hot Hits & Cold Cuts becomes Paul's final release under Apple Records, as I believe was originally intended.

Once again, nothing changes about either Venus and Mars or Wings at the Speed of Sound.

London Town (1977)

Side A (23:51)

1. I've Had Enough - 3:02

2. Café on the Left Bank - 3:25

3. Don't Let It Bring You Down - 4:34

4. Name and Address - 3:07

5. London Town - 4:10

6. Children Children - 2:20

7. With a Little Luck - 3:13

Side B (23:38)

8. Girls' School - 4:38

9. Deliver Your Children - 4:17

10. Famous Groupies - 3:34

11. Mull of Kintyre - 4:42

12. Morse Moose and the Grey Goose - 6:27

"Mull of Kintyre" was the biggest non-charity single of the United Kingdom after it was first released, and the fact that it was excluded from London Town was a decision that ended up hurting the album. Around that time, Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English had left Wings, once again leaving the band as a trio. "Girlfriend" and the "Backwards Traveler/Cuff Link" medley were recorded after Jimmy and Joe left, so they are thereby excluded, assuming London Town was released in time for the Christmas market. "I'm Carrying" was recorded prior to their departure, but I excluded it to make room for "Mull of Kintyre" and "Girls' School", making it feel more like a Wings album, as well as the final part of a trilogy that includes Venus and Mars and Wings at the Speed of Sound.

Back to the Egg (1978)

Side A (22:51)

1. Rockestra Theme - 2:35

2. Getting Closer - 3:22

3. So Glad to See You Here - 3:20

4. Spin It On - 2:12

5. Again and Again and Again - 3:34

6. Old Siam, Sir - 4:11

7. Arrow Through Me - 3:37

Side B (25:28)

8. Daytime Nighttime Suffering - 3:23

9. To You - 3:12

10. Weep for Love - 4:32 (Japanese Tears)

11. Winter Rose/Love Awake - 4:58

12. Maisie - 2:12 (Standard Time)

13. Goodnight Tonight - 4:22 (McCartney II)

14. Baby's Request - 2:49

Much like the situation with "Mull of Kintyre" and "Girls' School" being excluded from London Town, "Goodnight Tonight" and "Daytime Nighttime Suffering" both should've been on Back to the Egg. How the album would've fared with them, no one can say for sure, but I'm pretty sure it would've charted better, along with proper promotion on Capitol Records' part. To make Back to the Egg feel like the beginning of Wings 3.0, I brought forth Denny's "Weep for Love" and Laurence Juber's "Maisie" to replace "Reception", "We're Open Tonight", the "After the Ball/Million Miles" medley and "The Broadcast", and I moved "Rockestra Theme" and "So Glad to See You Here" to Side A.

McCartney II (1979)

Side A (22:44)

1. Front Parlor - 3:32

2. Temporary Secretary - 3:14

3. On the Way - 3:38

4. Mr. H Atom - 2:23

5. Summer's Day Song - 3:25

6. You Know I'll Get You Baby - 3:33

7. Bogey Wobble - 2:59

Side C (21:14)

8. Darkroom - 2:20

9. One of These Days - 3:35

10. Secret Friend - 5:14

11. Waterfalls - 3:20

12. Nobody Knows - 2:52

13. Coming Up - 3:53

And now for something completely different; this re-arranging of McCartney II is based upon Paul's proposed track listing for the album before it was cut down and some songs left in the vaults until 2011. The first side is basically the second with "Front Parlor" starting things off, while the second side is an abridgement of the second disc. "Secret Friend" is the shortened edit that's on The 7" Singles Box, released not too long ago.

Wings Greatest 1975-1980 (1980)

Side A (14:47)

1. Listen to What the Man Said - 3:57

2. Letting Go - 3:36

3. Venus and Mars/Rock Show - 3:46

4. Silly Love Songs - 3:28

Side B (16:47)

5. Let 'Em In - 3:42

6. Maybe I'm Amazed (Live) - 5:10

7. Mull of Kintyre - 4:42

8. With a Little Luck - 3:13

Side C (15:45)

9. I've Had Enough - 3:02

10. London Town - 4:10

11. Goodnight Tonight - 4:22

12. Old Siam, Sir - 4:11

Side D (14:56)

13. Getting Closer - 3:22

14. Arrow Through Me - 3:37

15. Coming Up (Live) - 4:08

16. Wonderful Christmastime - 3:49

A compilation of all of Wings' Top 40 singles in the UK and US from 1975 to 1980. For American releases, "Girls' School" replaces "Mull of Kintyre", and for single disc releases, "Letting Go", "Maybe I'm Amazed (Live)", "I've Had Enough" and "Old Siam, Sir" are cut. Yeah, even with single edits, the double disc version of Wings Greatest 1975-1980 is pretty lengthy.

Tug of War (1981)

Side A (22:46)

1. Tug of War - 4:22

2. Take It Away - 4:14

3. Average Person - 4:33 (Pipes of Peace)

4. Somebody Who Cares - 3:19

5. Keep Under Cover - 3:05 (Pipes of Peace)

6. Rainclouds - 3:13

Side B (21:34)

7. Ballroom Dancing - 4:07

8. The Pound is Sinking - 2:54

9. Wanderlust - 3:49

10. No Values - 4:12 (Give My Regards to Broad Street)

11. Dress Me Up as a Robber - 2:41

12. Ebony and Ivory - 3:50

Wings broke up in 1981, and part of that came down to Paul being afraid to go on tour in case he got hurt, especially given that this was after John Lennon had been killed. In addition to this, Denny Laine had become dissatisfied with his role in Wings, having decided to leave in April that same year, though he still contributed a little to Paul's Tug of War and Pipes of Peace. My reimagining for these two albums is fairly straightforward; make them about Paul as much as possible. Tug of War focuses mainly on the sessions from November 30, 1980 to February 28, 1981, when "Ebony and Ivory" was recorded, for which I've used the solo version. I'd imagine that the duet version with Stevie Wonder, along with "What's That You're Doing", would be a standalone single.

Pipes of Peace (1983)

Side A (20:54)

1. Pipes of Peace - 3:56

2. Say Say Say - 3:55

3. The Other Me - 3:58

4. I'll Give You a Ring - 3:09 (Tug of War)

5. Be What You See/Christian Bop - 2:36 (Tug of War/Pipes of Peace)

6. So Bad - 3:20

Side B (19:17)

7. Not Such a Bad Boy - 3:19 (Give My Regards to Broad Street)

8. Sweetest Little Show - 2:54

9. Ode to a Koala Bear - 3:48

10. Hey Hey - 2:54

11. Tug of Peace - 2:54

12. Through Our Love - 3:28

Much like the official Pipes of Peace, my take on it collects the leftover tracks from the late 1980-early 1981 sessions ("I'll Give You a Ring", "Be What You See/Christian Bop", "Sweetest Little Show", "Ode to a Koala Bear", "Hey Hey") that didn't fit my take on Tug of War, along with the new songs that were recorded between May 1981 ("Say Say Say") and March 1983 ("Not Such a Bad Boy"). "The Man" has been relegated to a B-side for "Say Say Say", and "We All Stand Together" was passed over due to not fitting the theme of the album.