The Wings era of Paul McCartney remains underrated, despite ongoing interest in his first band, the Beatles. However, they made significant contributions to McCartney’s legacy during the decade following his 1970 split from the Beatles.
McCartney released 23 singles with his wife Linda McCartney and former Moody Blues frontman Denny Laine as key collaborators. Each of these singles reached the U.S. Top 40, a feat that even the Beatles did not achieve.
Wings featured three lead guitarists (Henry McCullough, 1972-73; Jimmy McCulloch, 1974-77; and Laurence Juber, 1978-81) and four drummers (Denny Seiwell, 1971-73; Geoff Britton, 1974-75; Joe English, 1975-77; and Steve Holley, 1978-81). Together, they achieved 14 Top 10 singles on Billboard’s Hot 100, while five consecutive Wings LPs reached No. 1.
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The group initially struggled to establish itself, releasing a debut album that received lukewarm reviews. On two separate LPs, Wings was reduced to its core trio after other members departed. Nevertheless, they produced hit songs and earned 11 Grammy nominations, with six singles topping the charts.
As the ’80s began, McCartney went solo again, although a few leftover Wings collaborations appeared on his subsequent albums. The death of Linda McCartney in the late ’90s dashed any hopes of a reunion. Laine passed away in 2023.
Ranking the Top Tracks by Paul McCartney and Wings
A reassessment of Wings’ work seemed to follow. In 2024, McCartney officially released the long-bootlegged One Hand Clapping, a live album recorded in the early ’70s with Linda McCartney, Laine, McCulloch, and Britton. The concert film also returned to theaters. Additionally, McCartney announced the release of Wings, an anthology exclusively dedicated to the group, set for 2025.
A new generation may be discovering McCartney’s second great band. In the meantime, here’s a look back at his 30 best songs with Wings.
No. 30. “Rockestra Theme”
(Back to the Egg, 1979)
Despite its all-star cast of sidemen (David Gilmour, John Bonham, Pete Townshend), the Grammy-winning “Rockestra Theme” starts out as a largely pedestrian piece, resembling a group of classically trained orchestra members attempting to rock out. Until everything breaks down, and someone cries out: “I have not had any dinner!” It’s worth listening to just for that moment.
No. 29. “Daytime Nighttime Suffering”
(B-side, 1979)
This approachable ode to female empowerment was once slated as the A-side on a stand-alone single introducing what became the final edition of Wings. The recording is so loose that you can hear the McCartneys’ infant son James crying just after two minutes in. Ultimately, McCartney replaced “Daytime Nighttime Suffering” with “Goodnight Tonight,” which proved to be a wise commercial decision as it reached No. 5 in both America and the U.K., although “Daytime Nighttime Suffering” is arguably the better song.
No. 28. "Tomorrow"
(Wild Life, 1971)
Despite their future successes, Wings did not take off immediately. Their debut album was widely criticized and barely made it into the U.S. Top 10—a stark contrast to the chart-topping platinum sales of McCartney’s first two post-Beatles albums. Nonetheless, Wild Life had its charms; no McCartney album ever lacks them. “Tomorrow,” featuring backing vocals from Beatles engineer Alan Parsons, is both a highlight of the album and somewhat deceptive as it was actually started in summer 1970 between McCartney and Ram.
No. 27. “London Town”
(London Town, 1978)
Simiarly to Band on the Run, Wings was reduced to a trio by the time they completed London Town. However, this laid-back title track does not match the energy of its predecessor. Despite contributions from guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Joe English during sessions, “London Town” lacks the vibrancy found in their work on Venus and Mars. It reached No. 40 on the Hot 100 but also No. 17 on the U.S. Easy Listening chart.
No. 26. “Magneto and Titanium Man”
(Venus and Mars, 1975)
“Magneto and Titanium Man” finds McCartney playfully engaging with comic book characters long before it became mainstream culture. He picked up a comic book during a Saturday market trip while vacationing in Jamaica and found himself inspired again: “It took some skill – not to mention perspective and imagination – to pull off these illustrations,” he noted in The Lyrics: 1956 to Present. “So I decided it would be nice to bring these two comic book characters into a song.”
No. 25. “Beware My Love”
(Wings at the Speed of Sound, 1976)
This track is part of a stable two-album run for Wings but sometimes feels like too much Wings and not enough Paul McCartney due to its democratic approach. However, “Beware My Love” stands out as a powerful rocker that leaps out of speakers while still showcasing McCartney’s collaborative spirit—he held back a bolder version featuring John Bonham instead of Wings drummer Joe English.
No. 24. “Cafe on the Left Bank”
(London Town, 1978)
This rare highlight from London Town, featuring ex-Wings members Joe English and Jimmy McCulloch despite their absence from the album cover, was inspired by a hitchhiking trip that McCartney took with John Lennon in October 1961. The recording environment sheds light on London Town’s low-key vibes; it was first attempted in May 1977 on a yacht called Fair Carol stationed at Watermelon Bay in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
No. 23. “Bluebird”
(Band on the Run, 1973)
No other solo LP highlights Paul McCartney’s quest for freedom as poignantly as this one does; its theme of escape is subtle yet commercial compared to John Lennon’s more direct confessional style. Instead of being blunt, McCartney employs broader storytelling techniques that reflect his desire to break away from the Beatles while weaving in tales from those who wander.
No. 22. “Let Me Roll It”
(Band on the Run, 1973)
Lennon and McCartney found common ground again by this point (after Lennon’s sharp retort to “Too Many People”). In this track, McCartney confidently borrows Lennon’s instrumental style along with his raw vocal delivery—complete with an effect known as “bog echo.” Lennon would later return this favor by incorporating elements from “Let Me Roll It” into his own work.
No. 21. “Get On the Right Thing”
(Red Rose Speedway, 1973)
This leftover from the Ram-era carries Beatles-esque qualities that contribute significantly to its ongoing appeal; it’s filled with energy reminiscent of McCartney’s earlier Little Richard-inspired performances but also features a compositional style echoing moments from Abbey Road.
