Recording: Morse Moose And The Grey Goose – 20 May 1977

Q: What is Morse Moose And The Grey Goose?

A long, multi-sectioned track closing side two of London Town, running to over six minutes. Structured in two parts: 'Morse Moose' (instrumental) and 'The Grey Goose'.

Q: Where was London Town recorded?

Primarily aboard the Fair Carol, a 105-foot yacht in Waterlemon Bay, St John, US Virgin Islands, fitted out with equipment from the Record Plant in New York.

May 18, 2026

Recording: Morse Moose And The Grey Goose – 20 May 1977

Friday 20 May 1977 | Paul McCartney, Studio, Wings
Fair Carol, Waterlemon Bay, St John, US Virgin Islands

Producer: Paul McCartney
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Mark Vigars

Wings continued recording the London Town track 'Morse Moose And The Grey Goose' on 20 May 1977. The first part of the track, known as 'Morse Moose', had been recorded over the previous two days. On this and the previous day, McCartney added bass guitar, Joe English overdubbed drums, and Denny Laine and Jimmy McCulloch recorded guitar parts. By the end of this day, 'Morse Moose' was an instrumental lasting 6:40.

The Fair Carol

The Fair Carol was a 105-foot motor yacht chartered by McCartney for the London Town recording sessions. It was moored in Waterlemon Bay on the north-east coast of St John — the smallest and least developed of the three main US Virgin Islands, much of which is protected as Virgin Islands National Park. The yacht was fitted out with recording equipment supplied by the Record Plant, one of New York's premier recording studios, whose mobile unit had previously been used for sessions by John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and others.

The concept of recording on a yacht in the Caribbean was both practical and romantic: it allowed Wings to work in isolation, away from the distractions of London or New York, in conditions that were deliberately relaxed and informal. The sessions on the Fair Carol ran from approximately April to June 1977.

Morse Moose And The Grey Goose

'Morse Moose And The Grey Goose' is one of the most ambitious tracks on London Town — a long, multi-sectioned piece that closes side two of the album. It is structured in two distinct parts: 'Morse Moose', the instrumental section being developed on this date, and 'The Grey Goose', which would be added later. The completed track runs to over six minutes and is among the most complex pieces Wings recorded during this period.

The title is playfully cryptic — 'Morse Moose' suggests a moose communicating in Morse code, while 'The Grey Goose' is a traditional folk song about a goose that cannot be killed. McCartney has not explained the connection between the two sections in detail.

Geoff Emerick

Geoff Emerick (1945–2018) had been McCartney's preferred engineer since the Revolver sessions in 1966, when he had taken over from Norman Smith at the age of 20. He had engineered Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road, and Band on the Run, winning Grammy Awards for the first two. His presence on the Fair Carol sessions was a mark of the continuity McCartney maintained with his Abbey Road collaborators throughout his solo career. Mark Vigars was his assistant engineer on the London Town sessions.

Wings in May 1977

The Wings line-up for the London Town sessions consisted of Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch, and Joe English. McCulloch and English would both leave Wings later in 1977, before the album was completed. The finished album was recorded with a reduced three-piece core of McCartney, Linda, and Laine, with session musicians filling in where needed. London Town was released on 31 March 1978 and reached number 4 in the UK and number 2 in the US.

Key Facts: 20 May 1977

Location: Fair Carol, Waterlemon Bay, St John, US Virgin Islands
Producer: Paul McCartney
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Mark Vigars
Song: 'Morse Moose And The Grey Goose' (first section: 'Morse Moose')
Overdubs on this date: McCartney (bass), Joe English (drums), Denny Laine and Jimmy McCulloch (guitars)
Status at end of session: 'Morse Moose' instrumental, 6:40
Album: London Town (released 31 March 1978)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Morse Moose And The Grey Goose?

A long, multi-sectioned track that closes side two of London Town, running to over six minutes. It is structured in two parts: 'Morse Moose' (an instrumental) and 'The Grey Goose'. It is one of the most ambitious pieces Wings recorded during this period.

Where was London Town recorded?

Primarily aboard the Fair Carol, a 105-foot yacht moored in Waterlemon Bay, St John, US Virgin Islands, fitted out with equipment from the Record Plant in New York. Additional sessions took place in London.

Who was Geoff Emerick?

Geoff Emerick (1945–2018) was McCartney's preferred engineer from the Revolver sessions (1966) onwards. He engineered Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road, and Band on the Run, winning Grammy Awards for the first two. He died in 2018.

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 Wings later in 1977; the album was completed with a three-piece core of McCartney, Linda, and Laine.

What does the title Morse Moose And The Grey Goose mean?

'Morse Moose' suggests a moose communicating in Morse code; 'The Grey Goose' is a reference to a traditional folk song about a goose that cannot be killed. McCartney has not explained the connection between the two sections in detail.