'One Hand Clapping,' archival 1974 Paul McCartney & Wings in-studio album, to get official release in June

With the June 14 release of One Hand Clapping, one of the most bootlegged live albums in musical history will finally receive a proper release. 

In August 1974, when Band on the Run was enjoying a seven-week consecutive #1 stint at the top of the UK album charts, Paul McCartney and Wings headed to Abbey Road Studios for the filming of a video documentary and possible live studio album – One Hand Clapping. Despite overwhelming demand for newly recorded material from the biggest band in the world at that time, One Hand Clapping was never officially released.

Filmed and recorded over four days and directed by David Litchfield, the release of One Hand Clapping is a historic moment for Paul McCartney fans. Over the years, various parts of One Hand Clapping have been bootlegged with varying degrees of success. Some of the material has also appeared on official McCartney releases. However, the June 14 release of One Hand Clapping, which features the original artwork designed for the project, including a TV sales brochure for the unreleased film at the time, is the first time the audio for the film—plus several additional songs recorded off-camera--have been officially issued.

One Hand Clapping showcased Wings‘ new line-up, fresh off their return from Nashville, where they recorded the classic single Junior’s Farm. Following the sudden departure of Denny Seiwell and Henry McCullough the previous year on the eve of recording the Wings masterpiece Band on the Run, Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine were now joined by guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton. Additionally joining the band in the studio were orchestral arranger Del Newman and saxophonist Howie Casey, who had previously played with Paul in Hamburg and would go on to join the Wings touring band. 

Opening with an instrumental jam that would become the One Hand Clapping theme song, the album features live-in-studio renditions of Wings mega-hits “Live and Let Die,” “Band on the Run,” “Jet,” “My Love,” “Hi, Hi, Hi,” “Junior’s Farm,” Paul’s much loved solo song “Maybe I’m Amazed,” reworked extracts of Beatles’ classics “Let It Be,” “The Long and Winding Road” and “Lady Madonna,” the Moody Blues hit “Go Now” with Denny Laine singing, and a Paul solo piano version of the Harry Akst/Benny Davis Tin Pan Alley classic “Baby Face.”

One Hand Clapping will be released in multiple formats, including an online exclusive 2LP + 7” package featuring an exclusive vinyl single of previously unreleased solo performances recorded on the final day of the sessions in the backyard of Abbey Road studios. These include the unreleased track “Blackpool,” The Beatles’ iconic “Blackbird,” Wings B-side “Country Dreamer,” and cover versions of Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock” (the first song Paul played to John Lennon when they met in 1957) and Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue” and “I’m Gonna Love You Too.”

ONE HAND CLAPPING

FORMATS

2LP + 7” (D2C)
*Previously released 2010 Band on the Run Archive Collection DVD
** Previously released as bonus audio on Archive Collection releases

One Hand Clapping will also be available to stream in Dolby Atmos
Atmos mix by Giles Martin and Steve Orchard
One Hand Clapping by Paul McCartney and Wings:

Paul McCartney: vocals, bass, piano, electric piano, Hammond organ, celeste, harmonium, acoustic guitar
Linda McCartney: Moog, electric piano, Mellotron, tambourine, backing vocals
Danny Laine: vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Jimmy McCulloch: electric guitar, backing vocals
Geoff Britton: drums

Featuring Tuxedo Brass Band and Howie Casey
Orchestra conducted by Del Newman

Produced by Paul McCartney

Disc 1
SIDE ONE

1. One Hand Clapping*
2. Jet*
3. Soily*
4. C Moon/Little Woman Love*
5. Maybe I’m Amazed*
6. My Love*

SIDE TWO
1. Bluebird*
2. Let’s Love*
3. All of You*
4. I’ll Give You a Ring*
5. Band on the Run*
6. Live and Let Die*
7. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five*
8. Baby Face*

Disc 2
SIDE ONE

1. Let Me Roll It**
2. Blue Moon of Kentucky
3. Power Cut
4. Love My Baby
5. Let It Be
6. The Long and Winding Road/Lady Madonna

SIDE TWO
1. Junior’s Farm
2. Sally G
3. Tomorrow
4. Go Now
5. Wild Life
6. Hi, Hi, Hi

Disc 3 (7”)
1. Blackpool
2. Blackbird
3. Country Dreamer**

SIDE TWO
1. Twenty Flight Rock
2. Peggy Sue
3. I’m Gonna Love You Too