Mixing: Smile Away, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey – Thrillington – 26 May 1972
Friday 26 May 1972 | Studio, Paul McCartney
Island Studios, London
Producer: Paul McCartney
On 26 May 1972, Paul McCartney made new mixes of two tracks from the Thrillington sessions at Island Studios in London: 'Smile Away' and 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey'. The remixes suggest McCartney was considering releasing one or both as a single — but the plan was evidently abandoned, and Thrillington was shelved for six years, eventually appearing in 1977 under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington.
Island Studios, Basing Street, London — where Paul McCartney remixed 'Smile Away' and 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' on 26 May 1972.
Thrillington
Thrillington was an orchestral version of Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 album Ram, arranged and conducted by Richard Hewson. The album had been recorded on 15–17 June 1971 and initially mixed on 18 June 1971. The concept was McCartney's: to reimagine Ram as a lush, big-band orchestral record, credited to a fictional character rather than to McCartney himself.
The 26 May 1972 remixes of 'Smile Away' and 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' suggest McCartney was actively considering a commercial release at this point — possibly as a single to test the market. 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' had been a US number one single for Paul and Linda McCartney in August 1971, so it had obvious commercial logic as a potential single in its orchestral form.
Why It Was Shelved
The timing of the remixes is significant. Wings' second single, 'Mary Had A Little Lamb', had been released on 12 May 1972 — just two weeks before the Thrillington mixing session — and had received a lukewarm critical and commercial reception. It reached number nine in the UK, but the critical response was dismissive, with many reviewers baffled by McCartney's decision to release a nursery rhyme as a single. The poor reception may have made McCartney cautious about releasing further unconventional material.
Thrillington was shelved. It sat unreleased for six years before McCartney finally put it out in April 1977, credited to the pseudonymous Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington — a fictional character McCartney had invented, complete with a backstory. The album was released with minimal promotion and attracted little attention at the time, though it has since been recognised as a charming and inventive piece of work.
Ram
Ram had been released on 17 May 1971 as a Paul and Linda McCartney album — the second McCartney solo release and the first to be credited jointly to Paul and Linda. It was recorded in New York and Scotland and produced by McCartney. The album reached number one in the UK and number two in the US, and has been substantially reassessed since its initial mixed critical reception: it is now widely regarded as one of McCartney's finest solo works, a playful, melodically rich record that rewards repeated listening.
The Ram sessions had been notable for the acrimony surrounding them: John Lennon believed several of the album's songs contained veiled attacks on him, and responded with 'How Do You Sleep?' on Imagine (1971). McCartney denied the songs were directed at Lennon.
Island Studios
Island Studios — also known as Basing Street Studios — was located at 8–10 Basing Street in Notting Hill, London. Built by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell in 1969, it was one of the most important recording studios in British rock in the early 1970s, used by Led Zeppelin, Traffic, Free, Bob Marley, and many others. It later became SARM West Studios.
Key Facts: 26 May 1972
- Session: Mixing — Thrillington
- Studio: Island Studios, Basing Street, London
- Producer: Paul McCartney
- Tracks remixed: 'Smile Away', 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey'
- Original recording: 15–17 June 1971
- Original mix: 18 June 1971
- Context: Wings' 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' released 12 May 1972 to poor reception
- Thrillington shelved: 1972
- Thrillington released: April 1977, as Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Thrillington?
An orchestral version of Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 album Ram, arranged by Richard Hewson and recorded in June 1971. It was shelved after recording and released in April 1977 under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington.
Why was Thrillington shelved?
The poor critical and commercial reception to Wings' single 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' in May 1972 appears to have made McCartney cautious about releasing further unconventional material. Thrillington was shelved and not released until 1977.
Who was Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington?
A fictional character invented by Paul McCartney, under whose name Thrillington was released in April 1977. McCartney created a complete backstory for the character. The album was released with minimal promotion.
What is 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey'?
A Paul and Linda McCartney song from the Ram album (1971), released as a single in the US where it reached number one in August 1971. Its orchestral version on Thrillington was one of the tracks remixed on 26 May 1972.
What were Island Studios?
A recording studio at 8–10 Basing Street, Notting Hill, London, built by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell in 1969. One of the most important studios in British rock in the early 1970s, later known as SARM West Studios.
→ Recording: How Do You Sleep?, Crippled Inside – 26 May 1971
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