Mamunia

Last updated

9 tracks
"Mamunia"
Mamunia cover.jpg
Single by Paul McCartney and Wings
from the album Band on the Run
A-side "Jet"
Released28 January 1974
RecordedSeptember 1973
Studio EMI Studios, Lagos, Nigeria
Genre Afro-soul [1]
Length4:51
Label Apple
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Paul McCartney
Wings singles chronology
"Mrs Vandebilt"
(1973)
"Mamunia"
(1974)
"Band on the Run"
(1974)
Music video
"Mamunia" on YouTube

"Mamunia" is a song written by Paul and Linda McCartney that first appeared on Wings' 1973 album Band on the Run . It was also released as the B-side of the "Jet" single in the US, but was replaced by "Let Me Roll It" when "Mamunia" was being considered as a possible future A-side. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Music and lyrics

"Mamunia" was written in Marrakesh early in 1973. [2] The title was inspired by the hotel Mamounia in which the McCartneys were staying at the time. [2] [3] [4] Mamounia means "safe haven" in Arabic. [2] [3] [4] According to author John Blaney, McCartney used the term as a "metaphor for rebirth". [2] "Mamunia" is one of several songs on Band on the Run, including the title track and "Bluebird", which espouse a theme of escape and freedom. [5] The song's verses use rain as a metaphor for the difficult times people face. [6] The song's message is not to complain about difficult times because everyone faces tough times and it's better to focus on your "safe haven" during those times. [6]

"Mamunia" was the first song recorded for Band on the Run in Lagos, Nigeria. [2] [6] Paul McCartney sings the lead vocals and plays guitar and bass, Denny Laine plays guitar and sings backing vocals, and Linda McCartney provides backing vocals as well. [2] One of McCartney's roadies plays bass drum. [3] Like "Bluebird", "Mamunia" is primarily acoustic. [7] Music critic Robert Christgau described the song's intro as "Afro-soul". [8] The song and the refrain are in the key of A major and the verses are in the key of C major. [6] Authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter describe the song as "so lightweight it'll float off" but note that it is "relentlessly melodic". [3]

Personnel

Music video

A music video was made for "Mamunia" in July 1974. [3] Jim Quick was the producer. [3] The video is mostly animated, and Paul McCartney does not appear. [3] It was first shown on The Dave Cash Radio Show. [3] It appears on the 2007 video set The McCartney Years . [9]

Covers

Don Fleming covered "Mamunia" on his 2003 Band on the Run remake. [10] Larry Page covered the song on his mid-1990s albums John Paul George Ringo and Imagine. [11]

Critics comments

Professor Vincent Benitez described it as a "typical example of McCartney's style of pop music". [6] Blaney describes it as "a bright and breezy pop song, celebrating the good things in life and equally as delightful." [2] Mojo Magazine described it as "a pearl of naive wisdom". [12] Authors Robert Dimery and Michael Lydon described "Mamunia" as a "solid side-two track". [13] Paul McCartney biographer Peter Carlin claimed that "Mamunia" "takes a more laid-back approach to the sentiment in [The Beatles' song] 'Rain.'" [14]

References

  1. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau, Dean of Americans Rock Critics". Robert Christgau's Website. The Christgau Consumer Guide.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Blaney, J. (2007). Lennon and McCartney: together alone: a critical discography of their solo work. Jawbone Press. pp. 85–87. ISBN   978-1-906002-02-2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Madiger, C. & Easter, M. (2000). Eight Arms to Hold You. 44.1 Productions. p. 189. ISBN   0-615-11724-4.
  4. 1 2 3 McGee, G. (2003). Band on the Run. Taylor Trade. pp. 56, 60, 203. ISBN   0-87833-304-5.
  5. Rodriguez, R. (2010). Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years 1970–1980. Hal Leonard. p. 160. ISBN   978-0-87930-968-8.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Benitez, V.P. (2010). The Words and Music of Paul McCartney: The Solo Years. Praeger. pp. 74–75. ISBN   978-0-313-34969-0.
  7. Verna, P., ed. (13 March 1999). "Spotlight: Band on the Run". Billboard Magazine . p. 28. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  8. Christgau, R. "Band on the Run". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  9. "McCartney Unearths Live Clips, Videos For DVD". Billboard . 24 August 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2007.
  10. Chadbourne, E. "Band on the Run". Allmusic . Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  11. "Larry Page: Mamunia". Allmusic . Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  12. The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition. Canongate. 2007. p. 322. ISBN   978-1-84767-643-6.
  13. Dimery, R. & Lydon, M. (2010). 1001 albums you must hear before you die. Pennsylvania State University. p. 306. ISBN   978-0-7893-2074-2.
  14. Carlin, P.A. (2009). Paul McCartney: A Life. Simon & Schuster. p.  234. ISBN   978-1-4165-6209-2.