Rediscovery!


Every once in awhile, I come across some piece of music from long ago and it brings me as much joy now as it did when I first heard it. I’ve been slowly loading all my cds into a huge iTunes library that I’ll eventually have to get a separate drive or two for (one to hold it and one for backup). In the meantime, I was loading this tune into the library today and it’s just such a great tune I had to share it. People my age will remember it clearly but I got to thinking that there’s a very good likelihood if you’re under a certain age you’ve never come across it because it doesn’t get a lot of airplay on the radio.

We’re so sorry uncle albert, we’re so sorry if we caused you any pain
We’re so sorry uncle albert, but there’s no one left at home and I believe Im gonna rain
We’re so sorry but we haven’t heard a thing all day
We’re so sorry uncle albert, but if anything should happen well be sure to give a ring

We’re so sorry uncle albert, but we haven’t done a bloody thing all day
We’re so sorry uncle albert, but the kettles on the boil and were so easily called away

Hand across the water (water)... heads across the sky...
Hand across the water (water)... heads across the sky...
Admiral halsey notified me, he had to have a berth or he couldn’t get to sea
I had another look and I had a cup of tea and butter pie (the butter wouldnt melt so I put it in the pie)

Hand across the water (water)... heads across the sky
Hand across the water (water)... heads across the sky

Live a little be a gypsy, get around (get around), get your feet up off the ground, live a little, get around
Live a little be a gypsy, get around (get around), get your feet up off the ground, live a little, get around

Hand across the water (water)... heads across the sky
Hand across the water (water)... heads across the sky

Ooo... Wa... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo...
Ooo... Wa... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo...
Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Wa... Ooo... Ooo...
Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Wa... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo... Ooo...
Ooo... Ooo...
Ooo... Ooo...
Ooo... Ooo...

There’s a great story behind this too:

Recording the rain and thunder effects that help glue the first two sections together would be easy today, but it was no small feat in 1971. “I remember Paul telling me that Armin Steiner went out to the edge of a cliff to record that storm, and that it was Paul’s idea to add the effect at that point in the track.”

Very few artists in 1971 had the clout to release a single comprising 12 discrete sections, but McCartney’s artistic vision was so solidly commercial that no record execs would cross him. Still, Van Winkle was unprepared for the success of “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey:” “Despite Paul's charm and ability to pull off anything, I was surprised when the record went so big.”

Anyway, it just reminded me what a big fan I was of Wings as a teenager and how much I still love that music.