Wings' long-lost album including Beatles classics is finally getting a release after 50 years

24 April 2024, 10:25

Rockshow film trailer starring Paul McCartney and Wings

By Mayer Nissim

After 50 years in the archives, we're finally getting an official complete release of One Hand Clapping.

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Fans of The Beatles have been spoiled in recent years when it comes to reissues, lost songs and new projects, from 'Now and Then' to Let It Be and beyond.

And those who follow Paul McCartney's solo work and Wings have also enjoyed a sprinkling of interesting archive releases, and a new one is coming very soon.

After a full half-century, plenty of bootlegging, and some of the songs being put out on various re-issues of past Wings' work, the complete One Hand Clapping is finally getting a full, official release on June 14.

The album was recorded live in the studio in August 1974, at the time the group's Band on the Run – an album recently enjoying a recent 50th anniversary reissue – was at number one.

One Hand Clapping was recorded over four days, with the project also being filmed for a potential visual film release, but it never emerged at the time.

Wings in the studio in 1974. Picture: Getty Images

The album not only features classic Wings songs 'Live and Let Die', 'Band on the Run', 'Jet', 'My Love', 'Hi, Hi, Hi', 'Junior’s Farm' and solo Paul songs like 'Maybe I'm Amazed', but also reworked versions of The Beatles' 'Let It Be', 'The Long and Winding Road' and 'Lady Madonna'.

Also on the album is an original instrumental title jam, a Paul solo take on Tin Pan Alley tune 'Baby Face', and a Denny Laine-sung 'Go Now' – a run through the Bessie Banks song previously made into a major hit by Laine's previous band The Moody Blues.

One Hand Clapping will be released on various formats, including a 2LP + 7” package, with the exclusive extra "Backyard Bonus" record featuring The Beatles' 'Blackbird', unreleased song 'Blackpool', Wings B-side 'Country Dreamer' and covers of Eddie Cochran’s 'Twenty Flight Rock' and Buddy Holly’s 'Peggy Sue' and 'I’m Gonna Love You Too'.

Wings - One Hand Clapping. Picture: Capitol

Despite the project being filmed at the time and the 2LP and 7" package including a TV sales brochure created for the film, none of the formats actually includes any video footage.

The full tracklisting of One Hand Clapping is as follows:

Disc 1