The hour-long show (including adverts) was made to placate Lew Grade, then owner
of ATV and whose other business interests included ownership of Northern Songs, Lennon
and McCartney's music publishing company from 1963 onwards. Linda McCartney's lawyer
father Lee Eastman and brother John had suggested giving Linda co-authorship of Paul's
new songs in order to maintain half ownership by Paul's newly created MPL publishing
company. This was disputed by Grade who tried to argue that she had no musical or
songwriting abilities, therefore undeserving of a credit. John Lennon would also
be subject to the same contract with Yoko's writing contribution listed as "joint
copyright claimed by Ono Music Ltd", but somehow did not fall foul of Grade's ambition
for total ownership. At present (2023) all the songs are now published by MPL Communications
Inc.
Paul McCartney and Lew Grade agreed that making a TV special for ATV intended for
international distribution would ease the situation, and co-incidentally promote
the new album Red Rose Speedway. The previous Wings outing, their debut Wildlife
had not done well, particularly in America where they were plainly confused by the
lack of McCartney's name on the cover. Red Rose Speedway, together with its follow-up
Band On The Run would be credited to Paul McCartney & Wings. The musical director
for the show was ATV's resident maestro Jack Parnell, but this job title was probably
only to keep Grade happy. Most of the show would be shot at ATV's Elstree studio
at Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, later home to The Muppets and East Enders.
TV Times chose not to give the show the much-prized front cover that week, instead
giving it to the recently married Anita Harris. There was a small report about the
show inside however and quoted two of the many locals who turned up to get a peek
at the McCartney clan at The Ferry pub. "Said one small boy: "We haven't had anything
to eat but two pieces of Spam, a Coke, a club biscuit and an ice cream we done a
job for." Said another: "He's worth waiting for. He's well behaved and he's kept
his accent. I don't think he'd be at all appreciated in Liverpool if he lost it."
There was an ATV press screening in late April to UK journalists, but the UK public
wouldn't see it for another few weeks. It was broadcast first by ABC in the USA on
16 April 1973, and then a month later 10th May 1973 between 9.00 - 10.00 pm on the
ITV network. Critics were quick to suggest the show was just a vanity showcase for
McCartney's songs, an allegation they would repeat years later with the movie Give
My Regards To Broad Street. It has never been repeated in the UK, but a version was
released on DVD as a part of the Red Rose Speedway deluxe edition in 2018, with Blackbird
and Hi Hi Hi edited out.
Song listing
Most of the show is not performed live in front of an audience, so most of the applause
is overdubbed.
Wings - Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Sewell, Henry McCulloch, Denny Laine.
Wings at Elstree: Tuning up sequence - Big Barn Bed (in front of "audience" of TV
screens, the credits use American spellings).
Paul solo acoustic set while Linda snaps photos: Blackbird - Bluebird (cut from the
UK version) - Michelle - Heart Of The Country.
Wings outdoor with Linda on a swing: Mary Had A Little Lamb.
Wings at Elstree: Little Woman Love / C Moon, My Love (with orchestra).
Paul and Linda in living room and office sequence: Uncle Albert (fades before Admiral
Halsey).
Commercial break
The Ferry public house in Egremont, Wallasey: Paul spoken intro, patrons have a sing-song
while Paul tries to cadge a pound off his dad, Gerry Marsden is also present.
Paul at Elstree: Gotta Sing Gotta Dance. It has been suggested that Paul would have
dressed as a woman and Linda as a man for this Hollywood musical routine, but the
show's sponsor in the USA objected. So a compromise was made where the dancers were
dressed in a half-man, half-woman costume. Wings often get over-looked in the brief
history of glam rock and cross-dressing wouldn't have been too much of an issue.
Wings at Elstree: Live And Let Die (with an orchestra). The explosion under Paul's
piano knocks over Paul and Henry McCulloch. Some clips from the movie are also used.
A Beatles Medley: members of the public whistle and sing Beatles tunes.
Wings at Elstree with an audience: The Mess, Maybe I'm Amazed, Long Tall Sally, Hi
Hi Hi (cut from the UK version due to a ban on the song by the IBA).
Wings at Elstree: Paul - End of Another Day, Yesterday (with orchestra).
Paul wasn't finished with ATV just yet as in 1975 he recorded a version of Tony Hatch's
theme for the station's daily soap Crossroads which would be later used by the show.
