Album release: Give My Regards To Broad Street by Paul McCartney

Give My Regards To Broad Street, the soundtrack album to Paul McCartney’s film of the same name, was released on 22 October 1984.

The album contained a mix of new compositions and re-recorded Beatles, Wings and solo songs.

The album was released simultaneously in the US and UK on 22 October, on vinyl, cassette and the emerging compact disc format.

The vinyl version carried a disclaimer stating: “This record is longer than usual but due to the available playing time on a vinyl disc some editing of the sound track has been necessary in order to retain full volume and dynamic range. Even longer versions exist on cassette and compact disc.”

In late 1984 most McCartney fans were yet to own compact disc players, and many complained at having to purchase the album in multiple formats: one which they were able to play easily, and another which contained extra material but which either necessitated expensive new technology or was of inferior sound quality.

McCartney was evidently keener to take advantage of the greater capacity offered by non-vinyl formats, and several of his subsequent albums contained bonus tracks or longer versions.

The compact disc and cassette versions of Give My Regards To Broad Street contained two bonus tracks – ‘Good Night Princess’ and a reworked version of the Pipes Of Peace song ‘So Bad’. There were also longer versions of ‘Good Day Sunshine’, ‘Wanderlust’, ‘Eleanor’s Dream’, and ‘No More Lonely Nights (Playout Version)’.