One Hand Clapping (Paul McCartney and Wings album)

One Hand Clapping is a live-in-studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released on 14 June 2024, nearly fifty years after it was recorded.[1][2][3][4]

One Hand Clapping
Studio album recorded live by
Released14 June 2024 (2024-06-14)
Recorded26–30 August 1974
StudioAbbey Road, London
GenreRock
Length83:20
94:29 (plus 7")
LabelMPL Communications
ProducerPaul McCartney
Wings chronology
The 7" Singles Box
(2022)
One Hand Clapping
(2024)
Singles from One Hand Clapping
  1. "Junior's Farm (One Hand Clapping Sessions)"
    Released: 26 April 2024
  2. "Hi, Hi, Hi (One Hand Clapping Sessions)"
    Released: 17 May 2024
One Hand Clapping
Poster for 2024 theatrical release
Directed byDavid Litchfield
StarringPaul McCartney and Wings
Release date
  • 2 November 2010 (2010-11-02)
Running time
55 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The album began as a rockumentary starring Paul McCartney and his then-band, Wings, and directed by David Litchfield. It was recorded over four days in August 1974 at Abbey Road Studios in London. The film features the band performing live in the studio and recording a potential live album, as well as voice-over interviews with the band members. Songs featured include numerous McCartney, Wings and Beatles hits, as well as some covers.[1][4] Although a TV sales brochure was made, the film and album went unreleased at the time. In the decades since, they have been frequently bootlegged, and various tracks have been released on special editions of other McCartney and Wings albums.[1] The film was finally released on 2 November 2010 as part of the box set reissue of Band on the Run, the first release in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection.

It was announced in August 2024 that the film had been remastered in 4K, and would be released in cinemas on 26 September 2024.[5]

Background

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The performance was recorded in Abbey Road Studios (known at the time as EMI Studios) over four days in August 1974, during Band on the Run's seventh week in a row at the top of the UK album charts.[1] Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney and guitarist Denny Laine were joined by new members guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton, who were recruited after previous members Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell had left just prior to recording Band on the Run.[6] The band had just returned from Nashville, where they recorded their then-upcoming single "Junior's Farm". The band were also joined in the studio by orchestra conductor Del Newman and saxophonist Howie Casey, both of whom had previously played with McCartney and would go on to join the Wings touring band.[1]

The film was abandoned until it was released in 2010 in the box set reissue of Band on the Run as part of Paul McCartney Archive Collection.

Some songs from the One Hand Clapping sessions were previously released, mostly as bonus tracks on the Paul McCartney Archive Collection reissues:

Album release

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The album was released on 14 June 2024, on CD, LP and digital platforms. A special edition 2-LP containing an additional 7" record features six additional songs performed solo by McCartney in the backyard of the Abbey Road Studios on the final day of recording.[1][3]

The album was mixed by Giles Martin and Steve Orchard.[3]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic84/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [9]
Pitchfork8.4/10[10]

In the 2013 McCartney biography Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s, author Tom Doyle calls the performances "tight and strong" and quotes drummer Geoff Britton as "being surprised to discover that, 'seeing us play, we were a good band'". However, Doyle believes the film is less favourable in how it depicts the personality clashes within the band.[11]

AP critic Scott Bauer praised the "spirited performances" on the album, calling it "a fine snapshot" of McCartney's "post-Beatles creative high".[12] Andrew Korpan of ClutchPoints similarly commented that "all of the songs are performed well and with plenty of energy", but noted "an overwhelming amount of synthesizers" throughout the album.[13]

Track listing

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All songs written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, except where noted

Disc 1

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Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Hand Clapping"Paul McCartney2:15
2."Jet" 3:59
3."Soily" 3:55
4."C Moon" / "Little Woman Love" 3:19
5."Maybe I'm Amazed"Paul McCartney4:52
6."My Love" 4:15
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."Bluebird" 3:27
8."Let's Love" 1:09
9."All of You"Paul McCartney2:04
10."I'll Give You a Ring"Paul McCartney2:03
11."Band on the Run" 5:20
12."Live and Let Die" 3:26
13."Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five" 5:50
14."Baby Face"Benny Davis, Harry Akst1:56
Total length:47:50

Disc 2

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Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let Me Roll It" 4:28
2."Blue Moon of Kentucky"Bill Monroe3:05
3."Power Cut" 1:33
4."Love My Baby"Paul McCartney1:13
5."Let It Be"Paul McCartney–John Lennon1:02
6."The Long and Winding Road" / "Lady Madonna"Paul McCartney–John Lennon2:10
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."Junior's Farm" 4:17
8."Sally G" 2:28
9."Tomorrow" 2:12
10."Go Now"Larry Banks, Milton Bennett3:35
11."Wild Life" 4:30
12."Hi, Hi, Hi" 3:57
Total length:35:30

"The Backyard" Bonus 7-inch

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Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Blackpool"Paul McCartney1:43
2."Blackbird"Paul McCartney–John Lennon2:27
3."Country Dreamer" 2:17

Personnel

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Paul McCartney and Wings[3]

Additional personnel[3]

Charts

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Dunworth, Liberty (23 April 2024). "Paul McCartney & Wings to release 1974 live studio album 'One Hand Clapping'". NME.
  2. ^ Monroe, Jazz (23 April 2024). "Paul McCartney & Wings' One Hand Clapping Set for First Official Release". Pitchfork.
  3. ^ a b c d e "'One Hand Clapping' - The Live Studio Album by Paul McCartney and Wings, Out 14th June". paulmccartney.com. 23 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b Simpson, George (23 April 2024). "Paul McCartney and Wings album to finally release 50 years after original recording". Daily Express.
  5. ^ Simpson, George (8 August 2024). "Beatles legend Paul McCartney announces rare 4K documentary coming to cinemas". Express.co.uk.
  6. ^ Kozinn, Allan (2022). The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1: 1969-73. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-063-00072-8.
  7. ^ Sinclair, Paul (23 April 2024). "Paul McCartney & Wings / One Hand Clapping". superdeluxeedition.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  8. ^ "One Hand Clapping by Paul McCartney & Wings". Metacritic. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  9. ^ "One Hand Clapping - Paul McCartney / Paul McCartney & Wings". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  10. ^ Berman, Stuart (15 June 2024). "Paul McCartney / Wings: One Hand Clapping". Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  11. ^ Doyle, Tom (2013). Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s. Edinburgh: Polygon. ISBN 978-0-85790-626-7. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Music Review: Paul McCartney and Wings' oft bootlegged 1974 'One Hand Clapping' deserves applause". Associated Press. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Paul McCartney and Wings' One Hand Clapping captures pivotal moment for band". ClutchPoints. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – Paul McCartney & Wings – One Hand Clapping" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Ultratop.be – Paul McCartney & Wings – One Hand Clapping" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Lista prodaje 26. tjedan 2024" (in Croatian). HDU. 3 July 2024. Archived from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paul McCartney & Wings – One Hand Clapping" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul McCartney & Wings – One Hand Clapping" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 25 (dal 14.06.2024 al 20.06.2024)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  20. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-06-24/p/2" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  21. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2024-06-24" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of June 19, 2024". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  24. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Paul McCartney & Wings – One Hand Clapping". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  25. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Paul McCartney & Wings – One Hand Clapping". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  26. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Paul McCartney Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  28. ^ "Paul McCartney Chart History: Top Rock & Alternative Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  29. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-06" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
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