Customer Reviews
Good - By: A. CLARK, 06 Apr 2007 
The best he did post Beatle ? I think so,other McCartney albums have classics & good tracks but also some mediocre ones but this album is filled with great tracks some mellow some more upbeat,the American version has an extra track `Helen wheels` which does not appear on UK versions.We all know `Jet` & `Band on the run` but `1984` is also a superb track,well worth buying,if your a McCartney fan you will already have this one if your not then try it,it could turn you into a McCartney fan.
Escape To Freedom - By: John Heaton, 10 Apr 2005 
Comparing the 'Red Rose Speedway' album which came out earlierin 1973, to 'Band On The Run' we actually see morein common than might appear. Both albums are crammed full of magic McCartney melodies (making 1973 if you count the Live And Let Die single) as possibly his greatest year everin this respect (well, post Beatles anyway). Actually an interesting fact is that on the last tour, McCartney sang no less than five songs from this year, three from the 'Band On The Run' album.
And both these 1973 albums showcase McCartney's amazingly melodic bass playing. When that combines with or rather compliments one of those great melodies that the man is so famous for, it almost doesn't matter what the words are. But not quite. Here is the difference: on 'Red Rose Speedway' the lyrics are somewhat simplistic, not very imaginative & more than a little sacharine it must be confessed. Luckily the tunes come to the rescue, & the result is a thoroughly enjoyable & charming album not noted for its lyrical content (nothing wrong with silly love songs but here is a whole album's worth! :-). Here on 'Band On The Run, McCartney finds a theme,in this case danger, release, escapism & runs with it. The effect being to carry the listener along with him & seemingly feel & experience these great adventures. There are very few albums which can do that as consistently as this one. There is literally not a weak track & every one is stamped with not only a mark of quality but by an indefinable joie de vivre.
Funnily enough the only sad passage is the opening minute or so of the title track ('Stuck inside these four walls....sent inside forever..."). But this is deliberate as this song builds from this beautifully calm opening towards a serene climax, first with the chugging electric guitar section ('if we ever get outta here...") which deals with daring plans & hopes of escape to the triumphant entry of what seem like about a hundred acoustic guitars (bit like 'My Sweet Lord'in this respect!) for the ecstatic On The Run section, with of course that famous & classic chorus where the words 'Band On The Run' are repeated over & over. Almost as if the very phrase itself is usheringin a new world of hope, freedom & a better future. That is what this song does for me, almost on every listen. But particularly when listened to exactly where it should be. Track 1 Side 1 of the 'Band On The Run' album.
'Bluebird' is acoustic & is almost as good as 'Blackbird' from the White Album. Which is about the best acoustic ballad McCartney or anyone else for that matter ever wrote. So that's how good 'Bluebird' is & it's a song I have never tired ofin the 25 odd years I have owned this record. Which is more than be said for 'Jet'.
'Mrs Vanderbilt' is one of those too rare examples where McCartney basically assumes lead guitarist role on the bass, to tremendous effect. The whole thing is utterly infectious. And here it must be mentioned that he also plays all the drums on this record & on this trackin particular, it is perfect, especially the drum rolls before the 'what's the use of worrying' lines.
'Let Me Roll It' is another great ballad but this time with gigantic electric guitar riffs which combined with the simple but rock solid bass line produce a powerful atmospherein which McCartney rolls out his song of reconcilation, to Lennon so it is presumed (not sure if I've ever heard Paul confirm this, probably as it's about lots of things). If it is heard as the reply to Lennon's scathing character assassination of his ex partner on 'How Do You Sleep' (1971) then it is wonderfulin its restraint, generous it is generosity & heartfelt & unselfishin its desire for reconcilation. One wishes the whole acrimonious Beatles split had been more like this. Oh well.
'Mamunia' is wonderfully atmospheric & mysterious & has an infectious & marvellous chorus, 'Picasso's Last Words' is superb & has a great story behind it, as recounted by Dustin Hoffman on the bonus interview disc. The slightly sub standard rocker 'Helen Wheels' (originally omitted from the UK release) pops up here. Rather disappointingly the B side Country Dreamer, a far better song, is missing here, even as a bonus track. Then there are a couple of reprisesin true Sgt Pepper fashion & we come to the closing romping piano number 'Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five'. Great to hear such confident piano so dominantin a McCartney track, not really heard since Monkberry Moon Delight (1971).
The second disc of interviews with Paul, Denny (far too littlein his case) & those featured on the memorable album cover makes for a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Occasionally anyway. Obviously it is Disc 1 (the album, which has been superbly remastered by the way) you will buy this for mainly, . And whilst I admit there are other McCcartney/Wings solo records closer to my heart for many different reasons, it is this one which so indisputedly deserves its five star rating & is the one I would defendin court against any McCartney-basher they can throw at me.
NO ONE EVER LEFT ALIVE, IN NINETEEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE. - By: J. Gray, 11 Apr 2004 I haven't finished my Macca solo coletcion, so I can't say if it is his best (but I can say it is one of the most perfect albums for a long car journey - bravisimo!!). So...
1. BAND ON THE RUN - excellent!
2. JET - excellent!
3. BLUEBIRD - excellent!
4. MRS VANDEBILT - excellent!
5. LET ME ROLL IT - ok!
6. MAMUNIA - good/great!
7. NO WORDS - great!
8. HELEN WHEELS - great/excellent!
9. PICASSO'S LAST WORDS (DRINK TO ME) - excellent!
10. NINETEEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE - excellent!in fact, words cannot express the brilliance of this track. One of the best endings to an album ever...along with A Day In The Life (Sgt. Peppers), The End (Abbey Road), Eclipse (The Dark Side Of The Moon), etc. THIS ALBUM IS NOT OVERRATED! Buy it, it brings undeniable pleasure to the ears & the brain. I love it!!
Stunning album - By: , 28 Aug 2003 This album is a classic, a must have for all fans of music.
Macca at his best & the bonus cd is interesting too!
Macca's best solo effort - By: , 07 Aug 2000 This is without doubt the best LP Sir Paul & post-Beatles band Wings made. I am a big fan of the Beatles but was never really a big fan of the solo material - with the exception of some of John Lennon's work. The unfortunate thing about Wings is the Mull Of Kintyre straitjacket - most potential listeners are put off by this pigeonholing (a bit like the Beach Boys & the surf boy straitjacket) & I have to admit to approaching this album with some trepidation to say the least. Aside from Lennon's Imagine album (and a couple of compilations) I did not own any other Beatles solo CDs prior to purchasing this one. I have to say that my fears were allayed very quickly - the first listen of this CD had me hooked & I've not let it out of the CD player for several days! Sure, it's not as good as Sgt Pepper or Abbey Road butin places it could pass off as the Beatles -in fact I'm sure if the Beatles had continued into the 1970s this is what they may have sounded like, the majority of songs being really catchy & this is - perhaps a little surprisingly for Wings - a very rocky albumin places. I had obviously heard the title track many times but the album is full of really classy material. If there's only one solo McCartney album that you must have, this is it. The 25th anniversary packaging is really good too - the bonus CD offering an insight into the way this album developedin the studio & the liner notes being well written & informative. The Beatles never produced anything as good on their own as they did when they were a group but this comes pretty close. A classic album.
