Written by: Paul McCartney
Recorded: October-November 1970; January 1971; November 1972
Producer: Paul McCartney
Released: 1 June 1973 (UK), 18 June 1973 (US)
Personnel
Denny Laine: vocals, guitar
Paul McCartney: vocals, guitar, bass guitar, Mellotron, piano
Linda McCartney: vocals
Hugh McCracken: guitar
Henry McCullough: guitar, vocals
Denny Seiwell: drums, vocals
Unknown: horns
Released as the b-side of the ‘Live And Let Die’ single, ‘I Lie Around’ was recorded during the Ram sessions in 1970, and completed after the formation of Wings.
It was originally recorded for the Ram sessions, but finished in the UK. I don’t remember if it was at Abbey Road or Olympic Studios. I sang some backing vocals. Some of the guitar licks sound like Henry McCullough, but I’m not sure and Paul played a lot of the guitar solos too.
Paul McCartney Recording Sessions (1969-2013), Luca Perasi
The recording sheet from the original studio session, which also includes data for ‘3 Legs’ and ‘When The Wind Is Blowing’, shows multitracks used drums, “sandpaper”, acoustic guitars, piano, vocals, trumpets, trombone, autoharp, bass guitar, and backing vocals.
Later overdubs, recorded during the Red Rose Speedway sessions, include the voices at the beginning, plus Denny Laine’s lead vocals, and Mellotron. McCartney’s original lead vocals can be heard towards the song’s end, including the final verse.
A two-disc acetate version of Red Rose Speedway, dated 13 December 1972, shows how the album was originally conceived. Side one featured ‘Big Barn Bed’, ‘My Love’, ‘When The Night’, and ‘Single Pigeon’, while side two contained ‘Tragedy’, ‘Mama’s Little Girl’, ‘Loup (1st Indian On The Moon)’, and ‘I Would Only Smile’.
Side three contained ‘Country Dreamer’, ‘Night Out’, ‘One More Kiss’, and ‘Jazz Street’, and side four featured ‘I Lie Around’, ‘Little Lamb Dragonfly’, ‘Get On The Right Thing’, ‘1882’ (live) and ‘The Mess’ (Live).
Red Rose Speedway was re-released on compact disc in 1987, with ‘I Lie Around’, ‘Country Dreamer’, and ‘The Mess’ as bonus tracks. It was remastered and reissued in 1993 as part of the Paul McCartney Collection series, with the bonus tracks ‘C Moon’, ‘Hi, Hi, Hi’, ‘The Mess’, and ‘I Lie Around’.