One Hand Clapping is a live-in-studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released on 14 June 2024, nearly fifty years after it was recorded. The album began as a rockumentary starring Paul McCartney and his then-band, Wings, and directed by David Litchfield. It was recorded over four days in August 1974 at Abbey Road Studios in London. The film features the band performing live in the studio and recording a potential live album, as well as voice-over interviews with the band members. Songs featured include numerous McCartney, Wings and Beatles hits, as well as some covers. Although a TV sales brochure was made, the film and album went unreleased at the time. In the decades since, they have been frequently bootlegged, and various tracks have been released on special editions of other McCartney and Wings albums. The film was finally released on 2 November 2010 as part of the box set reissue of Band on the Run, the first release in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. It was announced in August 2024 that the film had been remastered in 4K, and would be released in cinemas on 26 September 2024.

Background

The performance was recorded in Abbey Road Studios (known at the time as EMI Studios) over four days in August 1974, during Band on the Run's seventh week in a row at the top of the UK album charts. Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney and guitarist Denny Laine were joined by new members guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton, who were recruited after previous members Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell had left just prior to recording Band on the Run. The band had just returned from Nashville, where they recorded their then-upcoming single "Junior's Farm". The band were also joined in the studio by orchestra conductor Del Newman and saxophonist Howie Casey, both of whom had previously played with McCartney and would go on to join the Wings touring band. The film was abandoned until it was released in 2010 in the box set reissue of Band on the Run as part of Paul McCartney Archive Collection. Some songs from the One Hand Clapping sessions were previously released, mostly as bonus tracks on the Paul McCartney Archive Collection reissues:

Album release

The album was released on 14 June 2024, on CD, LP and digital platforms. A special edition 2-LP containing an additional 7" record features six additional songs performed solo by McCartney in the backyard of the Abbey Road Studios on the final day of recording. The album was mixed by Giles Martin and Steve Orchard.

Critical reception

In the 2013 McCartney biography Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s, author Tom Doyle calls the performances "tight and strong" and quotes drummer Geoff Britton as "being surprised to discover that, 'seeing us play, we were a good band. However, Doyle believes the film is less favourable in how it depicts the personality clashes within the band. AP critic Scott Bauer praised the "spirited performances" on the album, calling it "a fine snapshot" of McCartney's "post-Beatles creative high". Andrew Korpan of ClutchPoints similarly commented that "all of the songs are performed well and with plenty of energy", but noted "an overwhelming amount of synthesizers" throughout the album.

Track listing

All songs written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, except where noted

Disc 1

Disc 2

"The Backyard" Bonus 7-inch

Personnel

Paul McCartney and Wings Additional personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts