Venus and Mars (Wings album)

Background and recording

After recording Band on the Run (1973) as a three-piece with wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine, McCartney added Jimmy McCulloch on lead guitar and Geoff Britton on drums to the Wings line-up in 1974. Having written several new songs for the next album, McCartney decided on New Orleans, Louisiana as the recording venue, and Wings headed there in January 1975. Before the departure to New Orleans, Wings had recorded three songs at Abbey Road Studios in London in November 1974: "Letting Go", "Love In Song" and "Medicine Jar", all overdubbed later at Sea Saint Studios between January and February.

As soon as the sessions began, the personality clash that had been evident between McCulloch and Britton during Wings' 1974 sessions in Nashville became more pronounced, and Britton – after a six-month tenure – quit Wings, having only played on three of the new songs. A replacement, American Joe English, was quickly auditioned and hired to finish the album.

The sessions proved to be productive, not only finishing the entire album, but also several additional songs, including two future McCartney B-sides, "Lunch Box/Odd Sox" and "My Carnival". McCartney also decided to link the songs together much like the Beatles had on Abbey Road to give the album a more continuous feel.

John Lennon, often in a nostalgic mood during his "Lost Weekend" period, had told May Pang (his then girlfriend) that they would visit the McCartneys during the recording sessions for Venus and Mars, and considered writing with him again. Lennon's planned visit never happened due to his reunion with Yoko Ono.

Wings' interpretation of the theme to Crossroads, a British soap opera, was sometimes used to end the show in place of the regular theme tune, usually when there was a cliffhanger ending with a hint of sadness involved.

Release

Preceded by the single "Listen to What the Man Said" in May 1975, Venus and Mars appeared two weeks later to decent reviews and brisk sales. The album reached number 1 in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries around the world (as did "Listen to What the Man Said" in the US) and sold 4 million copies worldwide. The reaction was less than what had greeted Band on the Run a year earlier, however.

The album cover, which Paul summed up as "a package that would be nice to get, and also something recognizable" was photographed by Linda, depicting two billiard balls in a black background, which are yellow and red to fit the colours of the planets Venus and Mars. To fit the title, the inside photographs of the Wings were shot in the Mojave desert to capture a group photograph in an outerworldly location. Hipgnosis did the art design, incorporating billiard balls and cues in the lettering and illustrations by George Hardie.

Two additional singles, "Letting Go" and "Venus and Mars/Rock Show", were released. Although the latter almost reached the US top ten, it did not chart at all in the UK.

In September, Wings began what would be their year-long Wings Over the World tour in the UK, with concerts in Australia, Europe, the US and Canada to follow. Songs from Venus and Mars featured heavily in the concert setlist.

The album was first issued on compact disc by Columbia Records in 1983, although early pressings were pressed in Japan by CSR Compact Disc, which was etched in the inner ring. This CD was one of the first pressed at CBS/Sony's Digital Audio Disc Plant in Terre Haute, Indiana CD pressing plant. The Columbia McCartney Discs are prized by audiophiles for their mastering. In 1993, Venus and Mars was remastered and reissued on CD as part of "The Paul McCartney Collection" series with "Zoo Gang" (a UK television theme that was the UK B-side of "Band on the Run" in 1974), "Lunch Box/Odd Sox" (B-side of "Coming Up" in 1980) and "My Carnival" ("Spies Like Us"' B-side in 1985) as bonus tracks. In 2007, the album was reissued in digital form on iTunes with the same bonus tracks, plus the extended "party mix" of "My Carnival".

In 2014 the album was re-issued by Hear Music/Concord Music Group as part of the fifth set of releases, alongside Wings at the Speed of Sound, in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. It was released in multiple formats. The reissue was accompanied by the Record Store Day exclusive edition of "Letting Go" single.

The album was also originally released in 4-channel quadraphonic. In 1996 the quadraphonic version of the album was issued on compact disc in the DTS 5.1 Music Disc format.

Track listing

All songs written by Paul and Linda McCartney (listed as "McCartney"), except where noted.

Side one

1. "Venus and Mars" – 1:16
2. "Rock Show" – 5:31
3. "Love in Song" – 3:04
4. "You Gave Me the Answer" – 2:15
5. "Magneto and Titanium Man" – 3:16
6. "Letting Go" – 4:33

Side two

7. "Venus and Mars (Reprise)" – 2:05
8. "Spirits of Ancient Egypt" – 3:04
9. lead vocals by Denny Laine
10. "Medicine Jar" (Jimmy McCulloch, Colin Allen) – 3:37
11. lead vocals by Jimmy McCulloch
12. "Call Me Back Again" – 4:58
13. "Listen to What the Man Said" – 4:01
14. "Treat Her Gently – Lonely Old People" – 4:21
15. "Crossroads Theme" (Tony Hatch) – 1:00

Additional tracks

All tracks written by Paul & Linda McCartney.

2014 remaster

Disc 1 The original 13-track album.

Disc 2 – bonus tracks

1. "Junior's Farm" – 4:23
2. "Sally G" – 3:40
3. "Walking in the Park with Eloise" (Jim McCartney) (credited to the Country Hams) – 3:10
4. "Bridge on the River Suite" (credited to the Country Hams) – 3:11
5. "My Carnival" – 3:59
6. "Going To New Orleans (My Carnival)" – 2:07
7. "Hey Diddle [Ernie Winfrey Mix]" – 3:51
8. "Let’s Love" – 2:05
9. "Soily [from One Hand Clapping]" – 3:57
10. "Baby Face [from One Hand Clapping]" (Harry Akst, Benny Davis)– 1:43
11. "Lunch Box/Odd Sox" – 3:55
12. "4th of July" – 3:49
13. "Rock Show [Old Version]" – 7:09
14. "Letting Go [Single Mix]" – 3:36

Disc 3 – DVD

1. "Recording My Carnival"
2. "Bon Voyageur"
3. "Wings at Elstree"
4. "Venus and Mars TV Ad"

Additional download tracks available via paulmccartney.com

1. "Letting Go [Extended Version]" – 5:39
2. "Love My Baby [from One Hand Clapping]" – 1:16
3. "Rock Show [New Version]" – 6:31

Personnel

Certifications and sales

Worldwide sales according to Paul McCartney's own website in excess of 10 million.