Paul McCartney and Wings Junior Farm (sic)/ Sally G (Apple, NZP 3487, 1974)
The Country Hams Walking In The Park With Eloise/ Bridge On The River Suite (EMI, EMI 2220, 1974)
Wings Listen To What The Man Said/ Love In Song (Capitol, NZP 3511, 1975)
Wings Letting Go/ You Gave Me The Answer (Capitol, NZP 3521, 1975)
Wings Magneto And Titanium Man/ Rock Show (Capitol, NZP 3524, 1975)
In the mid seventies Paul and Linda started flexing their collective muscles a little bit to share the golden touch with the rest of the McCartney family.
First up is an A side by Paul's kid brother Michael, recording as Mike McGear. Paul and Linda and other Wings members appear to great effect on the song (and the parent album McGear).
It's a damn good song (it charted at the time) and Mike is not overshadowed by his more famous brother. His vocals over the top of Wings' musicianship is a winning combination.
Next up with the family connection is Paul, Linda et al as The Country Hams doing an old song, an instrumental, of his dad's (Jim McCartney). It's a pleasant enough vanity project.
The other A sides come from Macca's band Wings and they are a catchy bunch. I love the bounciness of Listen To What The Man Said and the bravado of Magneto. Letting Go has a wonderful heavy vibe and Junior's Farm (another casualty of NZ sloppy labeling) is a beefy rock track.
Did I say 'catchy'? Not 'alf! Macca can't half spin a toon.
Hidden gems: Sweet Baby by McGear is a gem and it didn't make the album cut (until the bonus track reissue that is) but the most wonderful throwaway B side is Sally G. It's an country shaggy dog story as only our Paulie can do. There was a time when these songs appeared effortless. Now he struggles to come up with a memorable melody. No? Don't agree? Can you sing anything off New for me? Thought not.
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