Recording: The Note You Never Wrote by Wings

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London
Producer: Paul McCartney
Engineer: Tony Clark

Wings began recording the Wings At The Speed Of Sound song ‘The Note You Never Wrote’ on 14 October 1975.

The song featured lead vocals by Denny Laine, for whom the song was written by Paul McCartney.

It’s very much in the vein of [The Moody Blues’] ‘Go Now’ and it’s in the same waltz tempo [sic]. I’m sure Paul was influenced by ‘Go Now’ when he wrote ‘The Note You Never Wrote’ for me to sing. I love the song because it’s a kind of folk, it’s almost a political thing. It’s not too heavy, but it’s like a statement, like a protest song.

‘The Note You Never Wrote’ was the first song recorded for Wings At The Speed Of Sound. The basic track was taped in just two takes, with the second becoming the master.

The lead guitarist is Jimmy McCulloch – not to be confused with Henry McCullough – and his solo is quite amazing. A little reminiscent of Dave Gilmour. The arrangement as a whole is kind of dreamy and Floydian. It’s what we call a ‘Floydian slip’.

The orchestra, arranged by Fiachra Trench, was recorded at Abbey Road on 13 February 1976. The players were members of the Gabrieli String Quartet, who also worked on McCartney’s albums Tug Of War and Give My Regards To Broad Street.