Search - Paul McCartney, Wings :: Red Rose Speedway

Perhaps Scott Rivers should stick to reviewing Movies!

Sonic | Blue Jay Way | 02/24/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This McCartney gem is an album even John Lennon praised! Leading off with the great riff of "Big Barn Bed", McCartney and Wings kick into a great arrangement of acoustic and electric guitars while lending those cool Wings harmonies that distinguish themselves from other bands. Sloppy, Mr. Rivers??? I think if anything, McCartney borders on too slick at times. As far as the hit single, "My Love", it is a typical McCartney ballad...a bit sappy, for sure. However, that song does not represent the rest of this fine album. "Little Lamb Dragonfly" should have been a Beatle song. A wonderful 12 string acoustic song with a beautiful melody.

Directionless, Mr. Rivers??? Have you checked out the medley at the end of the record? Did you realize that the melody in the songs "Hold Me Tight", "Lazy Dynamite" and "Power Cut" all end up in the final portion of the medley as guitars trading those same melodic licks? I guess that "just happened", eh? Seems pretty calculated to me.

The playing on this album is top notch as well. Great guitar bits, cool tom fills and Macca's bouncy bass, and (yes) even Linda's background vocals sit in the mix just right. Is it "Band on the Run"? Not quite but it isn't far behind.

Please Mr. Rivers,with all due respect, continue to review movies such as Popeye and Rocky Goes to Russia. I actually found them quite helpful. But leave pop music to those who know something about it. :)"

Red Rose Speedway

Harry Brewer | S'port, La. | 04/17/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Paul McCartney's fourth studio album was a redemption of sorts for him. It was his second album recorded under the band name of Wings & was a vast improvement over Wildlife. Sir Paul actually spent some time working on this album, unlike Wildlife, & it had a real band that took more time polishing this effort. Red Rose Speedway peaked at #1 (his second to do so)& had the mega single, "My Love", which peaked at #1. It's still not a great album but it's certainly better than At the Speed of Sound.



The album opens with "Big Barn Red" which is certainly pop with Paul's propensity for lyrics that don't make that much sense. It does have a catchy beat & it's easy to hum along with. "My Love" follows, though it's one of his prettiest songs, still it's not strong lyrically. Without a doubt it's a homage to Linda not to be mistaken otherwise, it has one of the most tasteful & recognizable lead solo you'll ever hear in a ballad. Then comes "Get on the Right Thing" which sounds like it could've been left over from the album Ram. It's a little closer to rock 'n' roll than some of the album. "One More Kiss" is typical McCartney with just a hint of the big band flavor he's so fond of. "Little Lamb Dragonfly" (where does he come up with these unique titles and/or phrases?) is a mellow song, Paul still sounding like he might be recording at home, ala Ram. As the years have gone by fans of Paul have heard this type of song many times in many incarnations. A later song similar to this one would be "Winter Rose/Love Awake" from Back to the Egg. By this time one can't help but recognize that McCartney is missing John Lennon or George Martin or some band member brave enough to keep Paul on track musically. "Single Pigeon" only lends credence to my previous statement. "Single Pigeon" is nothing more than a slight ditty. "When the Night" stands as a titan amidst its more musically humble cousins of Red Rose Speedway. It has some of that big band feel to it but feels more contemporary. "When the Night" screams out for a much tougher & harder rocking version which he probably would've done, say if he had recorded this during the Venus & Mars sessions. What can one really say about "Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)"? McCartney, when allowed, always loved to experiment & not always musically, "Loup..." is a perfect example of his indulgence to do so. This song is one of his most unique within his pop catalog. The song meanders for close to four & a half minutes & is as interesting as it is bizarre. The final eleven & a half minutes finds Paul stringing together several songs. "Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut" might make one think he's looking to do another rock suite similar to his success of Abbey Road. It's not even close; once again Paul is missing George Martin & the Beatles. This song is nothing more than self-indulgence.



This version features four bonus cuts. Once again we have "C Moon" & "Hi, Hi, Hi" foisted upon us. Some may like these two songs but I find them to be some of his worst work. "Hi, Hi, Hi" was a #10 hit single but it isn't that good. The third bonus track is "The Mess" which was recorded live. Good Golly Miss Molly but "The Mess" is one of the best things on this disc. Where did it come from? Why isn't there a studio version? This song rocks harder than anything else here. It's classic compared to a lot of the stuff here. The last bonus track is "I Lie Around". Though it isn't bad it sounds a little like a leftover from a previous session which is probably what it is. It's as good as most of the tracks that are here.



Red Rose Speedway is a disjointed album that sometimes features some of McCartney's worst musical indulgences. Truly, when one gets past "My Love" this becomes an album of the musical preferences of the listener. It would only lead Sir Paul into his greatest musical triumph of his solo career: Band on the Run. Unfortunately, Red Rose Speedway gave no hint of McCartney's musical resurrection that would come with that classic album."

Very Underrated

joe449 | Lakewood, NJ United States | 03/05/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"'Red Rose Speedway' in my opinion has always been an extremely underrated McCartney/Wings album. I remember reading an interview with Linda where she said that it was an unconfident record because Paul was still trying to develop Wings into the best possible band it could be. This was the album that came out right before the mega-blockbuster 'Band On The Run," and while Speedway boasted a # 1 single with "My Love," and hit the # 1 spot in the USA on the Billboard charts, it was savaged by the critics.



I've always loved this album because I've always seen it as Paul's answer to glam rock, especially David Bowie and Roxy Music, who were huge at the time this album was made. The lyrics here are sexier, and the production is much slicker than the previous album, 'Wild Life.' McCartney's charm is ever-apparent on little ditties like "Single Pigeon," and "One More Kiss." The 4 song medley lasts about 11 minutes and is nicely done. Interestingly enough, when Paul did a medley on 2007's 'Memory Almost Full' he said on the commentary disc that it was the first one he did since 'Abbey Road.' He must have forgotten about the one on here!



Check out 'Red Rose Speedway' if you like your Macca early 70s style with a touch of glam for good measure."