Mixing: Café On The Left Bank, Girls School, Girlfriend and more by Wings – 27 May 1977

Q: Where did Wings record the London Town album?

Aboard the chartered yacht Fair Carol off St John and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, and at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Q: What happened on the last day of the Virgin Islands sessions?

Geoff Emerick made new stereo mixes of all the tracks. Wings then threw a farewell party, during which McCartney played piano and his daughters Mary and Stella performed a play called The Two Little Fairies.

May 27, 2026

Mixing: Café On The Left Bank, Girls School, Girlfriend and more by Wings – 27 May 1977

Friday 27 May 1977 | Paul McCartney, Studio, Wings
Fair Carol, St John, US Virgin Islands
Producer: Paul McCartney
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Mark Vigars

On 27 May 1977, the final day of Wings' Caribbean recording sessions for the London Town album, studio engineer Geoff Emerick made new stereo mixes of all the songs recorded during the Virgin Islands sessions. The mixes replaced versions made on 22 May. With the sessions complete, Wings threw a farewell party that evening before flying home the following day.

St John, US Virgin Islands — where Wings recorded aboard the Fair Carol during the London Town sessions in 1977.

The Mixes

Geoff Emerick mixed the following tracks on 27 May 1977, replacing versions made on 22 May:

'Café On The Left Bank'
'Girls School' (non-album track)
'Girlfriend'
'I'm Carrying'
'I've Had Enough'
'With A Little Luck'
'Famous Groupies'
'Deliver Your Children'
'Morse Moose And The Grey Goose' (first part only; then known as 'Morse Moose')
'Don't Let It Bring You Down'
'El Toro Passing' (12 May jam; non-album)

The Farewell Party

With the mixes complete, Wings threw a party to mark the end of their Virgin Islands sessions. During the evening, Paul McCartney played piano, and his daughters Mary and Stella McCartney performed a play they had written, titled The Two Little Fairies.

Wings flew from St Thomas the following day, stopping in New York before flying on to London. The McCartneys arrived back in England on 2 June 1977.

The London Town Sessions

London Town was Wings' sixth studio album, released on 31 March 1978. The album was recorded in two main phases: the Virgin Islands sessions aboard the chartered yacht Fair Carol in early 1977, and subsequent sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London. The Virgin Islands sessions were notable for their unusual setting — Wings recorded on the boat anchored off St John and St Thomas, with equipment set up in the hold.

By the time of the 27 May mixing session, Wings had been reduced to a trio: Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, and Denny Laine. Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English had both left the group in September 1977, after the Virgin Islands sessions were complete but before the album was finished.

The album's lead single 'With A Little Luck' reached number one in the United States and number five in the UK. 'Girls School' was released as the B-side of 'Mull Of Kintyre' in November 1977 — the UK's best-selling single of 1977 and the first UK single to sell over two million copies.

Geoff Emerick

Geoff Emerick (1945–2018) was one of the most celebrated recording engineers in rock history. He had worked with The Beatles from Revolver (1966) onwards, and was the chief engineer on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), Abbey Road (1969), and numerous other landmark recordings. He worked extensively with Paul McCartney on his solo and Wings recordings throughout the 1970s and beyond.

Key Facts: 27 May 1977

Location: Fair Carol, St John, US Virgin Islands
Session type: Stereo mixing (replacing 22 May mixes)
Tracks mixed: 11 (including 2 non-album tracks)
Producer: Paul McCartney
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Mark Vigars
Evening: Farewell party; McCartney on piano; Mary and Stella McCartney performed The Two Little Fairies
Departure: Wings flew from St Thomas the following day, via New York
McCartneys back in England: 2 June 1977
Album release: London Town, 31 March 1978

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did Wings record the London Town album?

Primarily aboard the chartered yacht Fair Carol, anchored off St John and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, and at Abbey Road Studios in London. The Virgin Islands sessions ran from early 1977, with the final mixing session on 27 May 1977.

What happened on the last day of the Virgin Islands sessions?

Geoff Emerick made new stereo mixes of all the tracks recorded, replacing versions from 22 May. Wings then threw a farewell party, during which Paul McCartney played piano and his daughters Mary and Stella performed a play called The Two Little Fairies.

Who was in Wings during the London Town sessions?

Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch, and Joe English. McCulloch and English both left the group in September 1977, after the Virgin Islands sessions but before the album was released.

What singles came from London Town?

'With A Little Luck' (US #1, UK #5) and 'I've Had Enough'. 'Girls School', mixed on 27 May 1977, was released as the B-side of 'Mull Of Kintyre' in November 1977 — the UK's best-selling single of 1977.