Tuesday 15 June 1971 | Recording Session | London, England
On 15 June 1971, Paul McCartney recorded orchestral arrangements for Thrillington — an instrumental big-band version of his 1971 album Ram, recorded with his wife Linda McCartney under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington. The album was eventually released in April 1977, six years after the sessions.
Thrillington was arranged and conducted by Richard Hewson, who had previously worked with McCartney on the orchestral overdubs for The Beatles' Let It Be album. The project was kept secret for years; McCartney did not publicly acknowledge his involvement until the 1990s.
Ram and Thrillington
Ram was released on 17 May 1971 as the second McCartney solo album, credited to Paul and Linda McCartney. It was initially poorly received by critics but has since been reassessed as one of McCartney's finest works. Thrillington reimagined the entire album as a suite of big-band orchestral arrangements, stripping away the vocals and replacing them with lush instrumental textures.
The Thrillington project was accompanied by an elaborate fictional backstory: Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington was presented as a real person, with McCartney placing fake society column mentions of the character in British newspapers in the early 1970s to build a mythology around the pseudonym.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Thrillington?
Thrillington is an instrumental big-band version of Paul McCartney's 1971 album Ram, recorded under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington. It was recorded in 1971 but not released until April 1977.
Who is Percy Thrillington?
Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington was a pseudonym used by Paul McCartney for the Thrillington album. McCartney created an elaborate fictional backstory for the character, placing fake society column mentions in British newspapers. He did not publicly acknowledge his involvement until the 1990s.
Who arranged Thrillington?
Thrillington was arranged and conducted by Richard Hewson, who had previously worked with McCartney on the orchestral overdubs for The Beatles' Let It Be album.
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