Monday 18 June 1973 | United States single release
Wings' single 'Live And Let Die' was released in the United States on 18 June 1973. It would prove to be the record that transformed Wings from a band with a mixed critical reputation into one capable of competing at the highest level of rock and roll.
The Song
'Live And Let Die' was written by Paul and Linda McCartney as the title theme for the James Bond film of the same name, released in June 1973. It was produced by George Martin β McCartney's first collaboration with Martin since the Beatles years β and featured a full orchestral arrangement alongside the Wings band performance. The result was one of the most dramatic and musically ambitious Bond themes ever recorded: a song that shifted between tender balladry and explosive rock, held together by McCartney's vocal and Martin's orchestration.
The recording featured a full orchestra, a choir, and the kind of cinematic production that Martin had pioneered with The Beatles. It was, in many respects, a demonstration of what McCartney could do when given the resources and the brief to be genuinely ambitious.
Chart Performance
In the United States, 'Live And Let Die' was a major commercial success:
- It topped the Cash Box Top 100 singles chart
- It topped the Record World singles chart
- On the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number two for three weeks
The Billboard peak of number two β rather than number one β has become one of the more discussed near-misses in McCartney's solo chart history. The record that kept it off the top was My Love by Wings themselves, which had reached number one in April 1973 and was still charting as 'Live And Let Die' climbed. McCartney was, in effect, competing with himself.
Wings in 1973
By June 1973, Wings had been through a turbulent early period. The band had formed in 1971 and released Wild Life (1971) and Red Rose Speedway (1973) to mixed critical responses. McCartney's post-Beatles reputation was still being established β and not always favourably. The critical consensus, in some quarters, was that he had retreated into comfortable domesticity and lightweight pop.
'Live And Let Die' changed that perception. It was a record that demanded to be taken seriously β ambitious, dramatic, and executed with complete confidence. Although Wings subsequently underwent further personnel changes, by the end of 1973 they had released Band On The Run, their most commercially successful album, recorded in Lagos under difficult circumstances and widely regarded as one of the great albums of the decade.
The B-Side: 'I Lie Around'
The single's B-side was 'I Lie Around', written by Paul McCartney but sung by Denny Laine. The song had begun life as a Ram outtake and was completed during the Red Rose Speedway sessions. It was Laine's only lead vocal on a Wings single β a distinction that makes it a notable curiosity in the Wings catalogue, and a reminder that Laine was a significant creative presence in the band's early years, even if McCartney's dominance of the group's output was never seriously in question.
George Martin
The production of 'Live And Let Die' by George Martin was the first time McCartney and Martin had worked together since the Beatles years. The reunion was a natural one β a Bond theme required exactly the kind of orchestral ambition and cinematic scale that Martin had helped define β and the result demonstrated that the creative partnership between the two men had lost none of its potency. Martin and McCartney would collaborate again on subsequent projects.
Key Facts: 18 June 1973
| Date | Monday 18 June 1973 |
| Release | US single release |
| A-side | 'Live And Let Die' (Paul and Linda McCartney) |
| B-side | 'I Lie Around' (written by McCartney, sung by Denny Laine) |
| Producer | George Martin |
| Cash Box Top 100 | Number one |
| Record World | Number one |
| Billboard Hot 100 | Number two (three weeks) |
| 'I Lie Around' significance | Denny Laine's only lead vocal on a Wings single |
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Live And Let Die released in the US?
Wings' Live And Let Die was released in the United States on 18 June 1973. It topped the Cash Box and Record World singles charts and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.
Why did Live And Let Die only reach number two on the Billboard Hot 100?
The record that kept Live And Let Die off the Billboard number one spot was My Love by Wings, which had reached number one in April 1973 and was still charting as Live And Let Die climbed. McCartney was effectively competing with himself.
Who produced Live And Let Die?
Live And Let Die was produced by George Martin β the first time McCartney and Martin had worked together since the Beatles years. Martin's orchestral arrangement was central to the record's dramatic impact.
What was the B-side of Live And Let Die?
The B-side was I Lie Around, written by Paul McCartney but sung by Denny Laine. It was a Ram outtake completed during the Red Rose Speedway sessions, and was Laine's only lead vocal on a Wings single.
What impact did Live And Let Die have on Wings' career?
Live And Let Die established Wings as a major commercial force and changed critical perceptions of McCartney's post-Beatles work. By the end of 1973, Wings had released Band On The Run, their most commercially successful album, widely regarded as one of the great albums of the decade.
β 18 June in Beatles History
β June in Beatles History
β Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β The Beatles Knowledge Hub
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