Give Ireland Back To The Irish | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Released: UK release date: 25 February 1972 (UK), 28 February 1972 (US)

Personnel

Paul McCartney: vocals, bass guitar
Linda McCartney: vocals, keyboards
Denny Laine: vocals, guitar
Henry McCullough: guitar
Denny Seiwell: drums

Wings’s debut single, ‘Give Ireland Back To The Irish’ was written in response to the Bloody Sunday massacre on 30 January 1972. See more…

Before I did that, I always used to think, God , John’s crackers, doing all these political songs. I understand he really feels deeply, you know. So do I. I hate all that Nixon bit, all that Ireland bit, and oppression anywhere. I think our mob do, our generation do hate that and wish it could be changed, but up until the actual time when the paratroopers went in and killed a few people, a bit like Kent State, the moment when it is actually there on the doorstep, I always used to think it’s still cool to not say anything about it, because it’s not going to sell anyway and no one’s gonna be interested.

So I tried it, it was number one in Ireland and, funnily enough, it was number one in Spain, of all places. I don’t think Franco could have understood.