So, I was driving to work today, listening to Band on the Run. This was the version with the original UK track listing. Now, back in 1973 the label decided to include the recent US hit "Helen Wheels" in the US release of the album, inserting it in between "No Words" and "Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)".
Now I don't like labels tampering with releases of albums any more than you do, and I'm not a huge fan of Helen Wheels, the song, but it did feel like something was missing when it went from No Words to Picasso's Last without "Slow down driver wanna stay alive wanna make this journey last." Being American, that was the only version of the album that I'd ever heard until this morning.
I think that this was the one solo album that McCartney was able to pull himself together and write a consistent batch of decent songs. Helen Wheels fits with the album, as it was recorded at the same time. It was originally on the US version, but it was a hidden track because McCartney didn't want it on the album. They started listing it on the CD version.
The song is a riff and two chords, with lyrics about driving his Land Rover. It's not really much in the way of depth, but it does rock, and Paul made it sound good. And you're right...it does fit where it ended up on the album.
I'll take Band On The Run with Helen Wheels. _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
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Listmeister
Romanelli
