Track Listing

1. Band On The Run
2. Jet
3. Bluebird
4. Mrs Vanderbilt
5. Let Me Roll It
6. Marmunia
7. No Words
8. Picasso's Last Words
9. 1985

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2286 in Music
• Released on: 1993-06-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.co.uk Review
If Paul McCartney will be remembered for anything post- Beatles, it's Band On the Run. Even though he had to go all over creation to record it, the trip was obviously worthwhile, bringing forth gems like "Helen Wheels", "Jet" and the title track. Everything is in place: the melodies, the pop smarts and a real studio production. Amazingly, Wings actually consisted of Paul and his wife Linda, with guitarist Denny Laine; Paul played almost everything on the record. Regardless, it was his return--finally--to greatness. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews

As good as anything The Beatles did
Let's start on a bold claim: The standout tracks of this album - Jet, Band on the Run, Bluebird, Let Me Roll It - are as good as anything that the Beatles did. And follow it with another: With the possible exception of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, this album beats everything any other ex-Beatle ever did.
Charged with energy and enthusiasm, and with McCartney playing almost everything, including guitar solos (despite the prescence of Denny Laine, a tidy player in his own right), this is one of those albums that when it starts, you just smile in the knowledge that the next 35 minutes are going to be exquisit.

Macca takes us through a variety of musical styles and reminds us of his awesome genius: There's the melodic rock of "Band on the run", "Jet" (unfortunately adopted by Alan Partridge as a favourite, an error, I would suggest, on Steve Coogan's part) , "1985" and "Let me roll it"; "Bluebird"'s bossa nova jazz flavourings; the anthemic stomper "Mrs Vanderbilt" and the spontaneously composed (for a bet) ballad tribute "Picasso's last words".

I reserve, however, special mention of the oft overlooked highlight of this fantastic album. Technically separate tracks, I find it hard to separate them as a listening experience, on the basis of both mood and key. "Marmunia" is a celebration of rain and life, with some fantastic voal harmonies and a keyboard solo using a classic 70's sound that cues nemerous memories of the era.

As "Marmunia" ends, there's the smallest gap, before "No words" starts. The guitar and piano signal the epic nature of this masterpiece from ths start, and there's a short burst of lead work up front before we're bathed in one of Sir Paul's best ever love songs (and let's face it, he's written a few!), complete with orchestral backing and more fantastic vocal harmonies.

But it's only then that we get to the highlight: A burst of absolutely brilliant guitar playing at the end from both players, cut criminally short by what must be the worst editing decision of all time. I think it starts with Denny Laine on some fantastic string bends and then Macca picks up the challenge and displays his best lead performance since Abbey Road with his own set of licks. The whole solo could actually be McCartney, but there's definitely 2 guitar parts. Simply brilliant.

Excellent, one of Sir Paul's Best
This is a great sounding album with excellent songs; for some reason my copy includes 'Helen Wheels', which makes the disc even stronger.

The music has a real drive behind it and the album has a positive, upbeat feel. Point of trivia: Paul was almost killed during the recording of this album; he was only saved by Linda's pleas that he was one of the Beatles.

The musicianship (mostly Paul) is excellent, with the bass playing mixed up front to show off some lovely work, such as the intro to Mrs Vandebilt.

My favourite track is 'Let Me Roll It', a rather clever impersonation of John Lennon's vocal and writing style. All the songs are among Paul's best solo work, although I don't much like Mamunia.

This vies with Run Devil Run as the best album Paul's ever made.

Macca's best !
In '73 time was pressing for Macca; RAM and the first solo-album (let's forget Wild Life)are quite a cult-succes now, but for people who were used to the Beatle-albums in the late '60's were still waiting for a sign that McCartney was still able to make great music.
There are still very Beatlesque tracks here:
Let Me Roll It; sounds like a Phil-Spector-produced Lennon track and also it's very John-like in its lyrics.
No Words: sounds very much like a '71 George Harrison.
And these are the lesser known tracks! Jet, 1985 and the title track have a nice, luxurious rock-sound to it, Bluebird is a nice acoustig ditty, Mrs. Vanderbilt is catchy as hell!
I think this is overall the best Macca-album ever; catchy tunes, good ballads, nice rockers and no weak tracks!