Wings at the Speed of Sound

Wings at the Speed of Sound is the fifth album by Wings (or Paul McCartney’s seventh solo release) and was recorded and issued in 1976 in the midst of a large world tour as the follow-up album to the popular Venus and Mars.

In 1993, Wings at the Speed of Sound was remastered and reissued on compact disc as part of “The Paul McCartney Collection” series, along with The Country Hams’ “Walking in the Park with Eloise” and its B-side “Bridge on the River Suite”, and “Junior’s Farm“‘s B-Side “Sally G” - all recorded in Nashville in 1974 - as bonus tracks. As of 2010, the album is out-of-print on the CD format. However, it is currently distributed on the iTunes store.

After a series of concerts in Australia in November 1975, Wings took a break from the tour to spend the holidays with their families and in January 1976 booked time at Abbey Road Studios in London to record Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was the first time McCartney had recorded an album in England since Red Rose Speedway. Due to the tour commitments, Wings was not afforded the opportunity to record in another different and exciting locale, preferring to work in a familiar environment. By the end of February, the album was complete, and Wings dutifully went back on the road.

Around the time of the studio sessions for Wings at the Speed of Sound, McCartney was facing criticism for Wings simply being a vehicle for himself. He encouraged each of the band members to contribute a song during the sessions, though this would become one of the reasons for the criticism of the album. McCartney had previously attempted to create a democratic album in Red Rose Speedway, though it would be rejected by his record label.