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9 Reasons Linda McCartney’s Voice Was Wings’ Secret Sauce

Avatar photo By Andre Gardner
1978: Paul McCartney and his wife Linda (1941 - 1998), who performed together as Wings after the break-up of the Beatles, attend the 1978 NME Awards. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

As I sit hear typing this, still shaking my head that Wings are not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and a bit sad on the 25th anniversary of Linda McCartney’s passing, I think about what it is about Paul’s post-Beatles band that, to me, has moments of pure magic in the songs. A lot of times, in my opinion, it was Linda McCartney’s voice, and how her top end backing vocals are soothingly sweet, to me the true secret sauce of Wings’ sound. At times, you don’t even realize she’s up there in the high register, but she adds the perfect topping to already wonderful tunes.

I’ve thought of 9 times Linda’s voice was Wings’ secret sauce, and gave me chills or even shed a tear or two. See if you agree. And thank you, Linda <3

  • Ram On (From RAM)

    Linda’s beautiful, dreamy backing vocals form 1:28-1:49 are the perfect touch to this track from my favorite McCartney album.

  • Some People Never Know (from Wild Life)

    It’s practically a duet with Paul, and they sound lovely together on one of the highlights from Wild Life.

  • Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands Of Love/Power Cut (from Red Rose Speedway)

    This is really 4 different songs, edited together into an album-closing medley, yet her vocals fit into every one of them.

  • Jet (from Band On the Run)

    Her “wooo-oo-oo-wooo-woo-oo-wooo-woo-ooh”-s during the song’s choruses help make this a flawless recording from start to finish.

  • Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five (From Band On The Run)

    Possibly my favorite backing vocal she ever sung, her angelic tones on the breaks before each verse hit down to my soul and moves me to tears. I swear I heard her voice in there when Paul performed this song live the last few times he was in Philly.

  • Listen To What The Man Said (from Venus And Mars)

    Hear vocals soar high above the end of the song, as the band sing “the wonder of it all, baby..”  This will always rank as one of my all-time favorites.

     

  • London Town (from London Town)

    All she had to do was sing “Lonnnndon” at the end of the title track of this album, and I had chills up and down my arms.

  • Take It Away (from Tug Of War)

    Hearing her voices over top of the end fade out on “Take It Away” is like that warm, soothing cup of tea at bedtime.

  • Great Day (from Flaming Pie)

    Recorded in 1992, but released on Flaming Pie, Linda was battling her illness during many of these sessions, and I always thought it was so sweet that he chose to close the album with a song that features her beautiful vocals prominently.

     

Andre Gardner just celebrated 21 years in the afternoon on MGK, and is still pinching himself.

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