Wide Prairie, a posthumous 1998 compilation of Linda McCartney recordings spanning the early 1970s through the late 1990s is out!.
The only album to be released solely under Linda’s name, Wide Prairie features Linda on vocals and various instruments on songs she wrote or co-composed and recorded with Wings between 1972 and 1980, the single-only ‘Seaside Woman’ / ‘B-Side to Seaside’ released under the pseudonym of Suzy and the Red Stripes, cover versions of classics by the McGuire Sisters, The Coasters and more, and solo work from the ‘80s and ‘90s including her final recording, ‘The Light Comes from Within’ (co-authored by and featuring Paul McCartney, as well as their son James on electric and acoustic guitar).
The album was recorded in various locations including Jamaica, Paris, Nashville and Sussex with contributors including husband Paul; son James; Wings members Denny Laine, Denny Seiwell, Henry McCullough, Jimmy McCulloch, Joe English and Laurence Juber; writer Carla Lane who also co-wrote ’The White Coated Man’ and ‘Cow’; Lee “Scratch” Perry and members of the Black Ark studio band Boris Gardiner, Winston Writer and Mikey Boo.
Two tracks from the release highlight Linda’s interest in other art forms outside photography and music. ‘Seaside Woman’ featured in the Palme d’Or winning short film by Oscar Grillo at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980. ‘Oriental Night Fish’ also appeared in a short film of the same title created by Linda and Ian Emes.
Wide Prairie on limited edition white / blue coloured vinyl and classic black vinyl, digitally and on streaming services. The reissue will mark the first time the album has been available on vinyl since its original 1998 release.
All songs written by Linda McCartney, except where otherwise indicated:
Tracklist:
1. Wide Prairie
2. New Orleans
3. The White Coated Man (Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney, Carla Lane)
4. Love’s Full Glory
5. I Got Up (L. McCartney, P. McCartney)
6. The Light Comes from Within (L. McCartney, P. McCartney)
7. Mister Sandman (Pat Ballard)
8. Seaside Woman
9. Oriental Nightfish
10. Endless Days (L. McCartney, Mick Bolton)
11. Poison Ivy (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller)
12. Cow (L. McCartney, P. McCartney, Lane)
13. B-side to Seaside (L. McCartney, P. McCartney)
14. Sugartime (Charlie Phillips, Odis Echols)
15. Cook of the House (L. McCartney, P. McCartney)
16. Appaloosa (L. McCartney, P. McCartney)