On Wednesday 5 July 1978, Wings worked on a number of songs for Paul McCartney's planned Rupert The Bear animated film at the Spirit of Ranachan Studio, Low Ranachan Farm, Campbeltown, Scotland. The session was produced by Paul McCartney and Chris Thomas, and engineered by Phil McDonald, Mark Vigars, and Tim Summerhayes.
The session
Nine pieces of music were recorded on 5 July 1978:
- 'Rupert Song'
- 'Parents Theme (Tippi Tippi Toes)'
- 'Flying Horses'
- 'Sea Melody'
- 'Storm'
- 'Nutwood Scene (French Waltz)'
- 'Whistling In The Meadow'
- 'The Palace Of The King Of The Birds'
- 'Sea ā Cornish Wafer'
Wings also worked on two songs McCartney had originally recorded in 1970: 'When The Wind Is Blowing' received additional instrumentation, and lead and backing vocals were added to 'Sunshine Sometimes'.
The musicians
The lineup for the session was the final Wings configuration. Denny Laine played bass guitar on most of the pieces, with occasional acoustic guitar. Linda McCartney played synthesizer and Mellotron. Laurence Juber was on electric guitar, and Steve Holley was on drums and percussion. Paul McCartney swapped between six-string acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, and piano across the different pieces.
Laurence Juber and Steve Holley had joined Wings in 1978, completing the group's final lineup. Juber was a classically trained guitarist who had worked as a session musician in London; Holley had previously played with Elton John's band. Both would remain with Wings until the group disbanded in 1981.
The Get Back connection: 'The Palace Of The King Of The Birds'
'The Palace Of The King Of The Birds' had a direct connection to The Beatles' final recording sessions. The song had been worked on by The Beatles on 6, 7, and 9 January 1969 during the Get Back sessions at Twickenham Film Studios ā the sessions that were filmed and eventually released as the Let It Be documentary. At that time the song was titled 'The Castle Of The King Of The Birds'. McCartney had carried the piece with him for nearly a decade before returning to it for the Rupert project.
The Rupert The Bear project
Paul McCartney's passion for Rupert The Bear ā the classic British children's character created by Mary Tourtel in 1920 and continued by Alfred Bestall from 1935 ā was longstanding. McCartney had been a fan since childhood and had acquired the rights to produce an animated film based on the character. The project occupied him intermittently throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s.
The Rupert animated film was eventually completed and released in 1984 as Rupert and the Frog Song, a short film directed by Geoff Dunbar. It won the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1985. The accompanying single, 'We All Stand Together', performed by McCartney and the Frog Chorus, reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in November 1984.
Spirit of Ranachan Studio
The Spirit of Ranachan Studio was McCartney's private recording facility at Low Ranachan Farm near Campbeltown on the Kintyre Peninsula in Scotland. McCartney had strong connections to Kintyre ā he owned a farm there and had written 'Mull of Kintyre' (with Denny Laine) during an earlier stay. The studio allowed Wings to record in a remote, private setting away from London.
Summary
| Date | Wednesday 5 July 1978 |
|---|---|
| Studio | Spirit of Ranachan Studio, Low Ranachan Farm, Campbeltown, Scotland |
| Producers | Paul McCartney, Chris Thomas |
| Engineers | Phil McDonald, Mark Vigars, Tim Summerhayes |
| Songs recorded | 9 new pieces + overdubs on 'When The Wind Is Blowing' and 'Sunshine Sometimes' |
| Get Back connection | 'The Palace Of The King Of The Birds' worked on by The Beatles 6, 7 & 9 January 1969 as 'The Castle Of The King Of The Birds' |
| Film released | Rupert and the Frog Song (1984), BAFTA winner 1985 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Rupert The Bear project?
Paul McCartney's Rupert The Bear project was an animated film he produced based on the classic British children's character. Recording sessions took place at his private studio in Campbeltown, Scotland in 1978. The film was eventually released in 1984 as Rupert and the Frog Song, directed by Geoff Dunbar, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1985.
What songs did Wings record for Rupert The Bear on 5 July 1978?
Wings recorded nine pieces: 'Rupert Song', 'Parents Theme (Tippi Tippi Toes)', 'Flying Horses', 'Sea Melody', 'Storm', 'Nutwood Scene (French Waltz)', 'Whistling In The Meadow', 'The Palace Of The King Of The Birds', and 'Sea ā Cornish Wafer'. They also added overdubs to 'When The Wind Is Blowing' and 'Sunshine Sometimes'.
What is the connection between 'The Palace Of The King Of The Birds' and The Beatles?
'The Palace Of The King Of The Birds' was worked on by The Beatles during the Get Back sessions at Twickenham Film Studios on 6, 7, and 9 January 1969, when it was titled 'The Castle Of The King Of The Birds'. McCartney returned to the piece nearly a decade later for the Rupert project.
Where is the Spirit of Ranachan Studio?
The Spirit of Ranachan Studio was Paul McCartney's private recording facility at Low Ranachan Farm near Campbeltown on the Kintyre Peninsula in Scotland. McCartney owned a farm in Kintyre and had written 'Mull of Kintyre' (with Denny Laine) during an earlier stay in the area.
Who were the final lineup of Wings?
The final Wings lineup comprised Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Laurence Juber (guitar), and Steve Holley (drums). Juber and Holley joined in 1978 and remained with the group until it disbanded in 1981.
What was 'We All Stand Together'?
'We All Stand Together', performed by Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus, was the single released alongside Rupert and the Frog Song in 1984. It reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in November 1984.
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