After The Ball

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

Available on:
Back To The Egg

Personnel

Paul McCartney: vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar
Linda McCartney: vocals, organ
Denny Laine: vocals, electric guitar
Laurence Juber: electric guitar
Steve Holley: drums, percussion

‘After The Ball’ is a song on Wings’ last album Back To The Egg. It is part of a medley with ‘Million Miles’.

The song was recorded at Lympne (pronounced Lim) Castle in Kent, England, in September 1978.

We moved Steve’s drums into a side room, which created a more focused sound. That opened up the Great Hall, which gave us a grander piano tone, as well as a bigger electric guitar sound than we were able to achieve in the Scottish barn. The hymn-like echoes of ‘Amazing Grace’ are counter-balanced by the rocking electric guitar solos at the end. My acoustic slide parts were played on the Ovation Adamas.

The song was completed during a mixing session at Abbey Road on 27 February 1979. Paul McCartney, Denny Laine, and Laurence Juber added guitar parts, playing an Epiphone Casino, Gibson Les Paul, and Ovation Adamas respectively. Juber also added lead guitar on a 1958 Gibson 335.

Paul gave me a great deal of latitude on Back To The Egg. There I’d offer up an idea and he’d either nod or he’d kind of raise an eyebrow and then I’d tweak it. I remember very specifically when we were mixing ‘After The Ball’, I’d played an acoustic slide part and sat there just thinking, ‘I’d like to get my hand on that fader.’ I’d never been an engineer at that point and Paul noticed my discomfort and said, ‘Laurence, you run that fader.’ Not only did he accept my contribution but encouraged me to put it to the forefront.