Winter Rose | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Released: 8 June 1979 (UK), 11 June 1979 (US)

Available on:
Back To The Egg

Personnel

Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, harpsichord, bass guitar
Linda McCartney: vocals
Denny Laine: vocals, acoustic guitar
Laurence Juber: acoustic guitar
Steve Holley: drums

‘Winter Rose’ is a song on Wings’ last album Back To The Egg. It is part of a medley with ‘Love Awake’. See more…

The folk acoustic side of the band was front and center for the ballad ‘Winter Rose’. This flowing minor key song fragment eventually became the intro to ‘Love Awake’, a lovely ballad that we started in Scotland, but would re-record a few months later at Lympne Castle. I played a picking pattern on an Ovation classical with a special pickup that directed alternate strings to either side of the stereo mix, with strings 6, 4 and 2 on the left and 5, 3, 1 on the right. This added a spatial atmosphere to Paul’s piano part that was supported by Steve’s muted drum pulse. The vocal is a little husky (I think Paul had a cold when it was recorded), but it fits the wintery mood of the piece.