History Music / BandOnTheRun

* BookEnds: The closing track, "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five", finishes off with a brief reprise of the opening song, "Band on the Run".

--> ''And Jet, I thought the Major\\

-->''Well, the night was falling as the desert world''\\
''Began to settle down''\\
''In the town they're searching for us everywhere''\\
''But we never will be found''

-->''I can't tell you how I feel''\\
''My heart is like a wheel''\\
''Let me roll it''\\
''Let me roll it to you''

-->''The grand old painter died last night''\\
''His paintings on the wall''\\
''Before he went he bade us well''\\
''And said good night to us all''\\
''"Drink to me, drink to my health''\\
''You know I can't drink anymore."''

* DudeLooksLikeALady: Seen in "Jet" (also a reference to {{Music/David Bowie}}):

* ShoutOut: "Helen Wheels" contains one to the title track:
-->''Sailor Sam, he came from Birmingham, but he never will be found''

''Band on the Run'' is the third studio album by Music/{{Wings}}, and Music/PaulMcCartney's fifth overall since leaving the [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]].

%%* HappyRain: "Mamunia".

[[caption-width-right:350:''If I ever get out of here, thought of giving it all away//

[[caption-width-right:350:''If I ever get out of here / Thought of giving it all away / To a registered charity / All I need is a pint a day / If I ever get out of here / If we ever get out of here...'']]

* RegionalBonus: "Helen Wheels" was only present in the American version of the album. It was added back into the UK version in the 1993 re-release.

* HappyRain: "Mamunia".

* WanderlustSong: "Helen Wheels".

Released in December 1973, this was seen by Paul as an "all or nothing" effort to prove that he was a capable artist on his own. It worked: this album became the highest-selling of 1974 in the British and Australian markets, and went on to become one of [=McCartney=]'s most celebrated post-Beatles efforts. The album ranks #418 at the ''UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime'' list.

* FaceOnTheCover: In addition to the band members (Paul, third from left; Linda, crouching down to the right of him; Denny, kneeling at bottom right), there are cameos from friends of the band--interviewer/presenter Michael Parkinson (far left); singer Kenny Lynch (between Parkinson and Paul); Creator/JamesCoburn (standing at the back); Creator/ChristopherLee (middle right, staring directly at the camera); writer, comedian, presenter, politician and grandson of [[UsefulNotes/SigmundFreud a certain famous psychoanalyst]] Clement Freud (balding, above Linda); boxer John Conteh (far right, bent over).

* FaceOnTheCover: In addition to the band members (Denny, at far left/Paul, second from left, clutching Denny's coat/Linda, crouching down in front), there are cameos from friends of the band Creator/JamesCoburn (standing at the back); Creator/ChristopherLee (middle right, staring directly at the camera); writer, comedian and presenter Clement Freud (balding, above Linda); boxer John Conteh (far right, bent over); singer Kenny Lynch (between Denny and Paul); and interviewer/presenter Michael Parkinson (kneeling, bottom right).

* InTheStyleOf: A major reason why this album was well-received compared to earlier [=McCartney=] projects is that it was so steeped in [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] styles, referencing both the group's recordings and Paul's ex-bandmates' solo material. "Bluebird" called to mind [[Music/TheWhiteAlbum "Blackbird"]] but also was similar to Music/JohnLennon's love songs. "Let Me Roll It", with the heavily-reverbed vocals and the EpicRiff, sounds like something from ''Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand''. "No Words" has the classic vocal harmony style of Beatle songs like [[Music/PastMasters "This Boy"]] and [[Music/AbbeyRoad "Because"]], along with Music/GeorgeHarrison-like guitar.

* ListingCities: "Helen Wheels" about a road trip south from Scotland, mentioning Glasgow, Carlisle, Kendal, Liverpool, Birmingham and London.

* InTheStyleOf: "Bluebird" is a love song in the vein of Paul's former bandmate Music/JohnLennon's love songs.

Released in December 1973, this was seen by Paul as an "all or nothing" effort to prove that he was a capable artist on his own. It worked: this album became the highest-selling of 1974 in the British and Australian markets, and went on to become [=McCartney=]'s most celebrated post-Beatles effort, including his post-Wings career. The album ranks #418 at the ''UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime'' list.

''"Drink to me, drink to my health''\

* SillyLoveSongs: "Let Me Roll It", about two and a half years before the TropeNamer. "Bluebird" may count as well, given how fluffy it is.

* TroubledProduction: Guitarist Henry [=McCullough=] and drummer Denny Seiwell left the band in the first recording sessions, leaving the [=McCartneys=] and Denny Laine as the only members of Wings to record the rest of the album. Then in Nigeria, Paul and Linda got robbed and had a songbook and demo tapes stolen (including an early version of "Band on the Run", which Paul was able to re-record from memory), and later still, during recording, Paul started gasping for air and, when taken out to breathe, fainted from sunstroke.

Released in December 1973, this was seen by Paul as an "all or nothing" effort to prove that he was a capable artist on his own. It worked: this album became the highest-selling of 1974 in the British and Australian markets, and went on to become [=McCartney=]'s most celebrated post-Beatles effort, including his post-Wings career.

''Band on the Run'' is the third studio album by Music/Wings, and Music/PaulMcCartney's fifth overall since leaving the [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]].

* SillyLoveSongs: "Let Me Roll It", about two and a half years before the TropeNamer.

Band on the run\\\