Paul McCartney & Wings – Give Ireland Back To The Irish

“Give Ireland Back to the Irish” – Single by Wings, with B-side “Give Ireland Back to the Irish (Version)”. Released on 25 February 1972.

“Give Ireland Back to the Irish” is the debut single by the British–American rock band Wings that was released in February 1972. It was written by Paul McCartney and his wife Linda in response to the events of Bloody Sunday, on 30 January that year, when British troops in Northern Ireland shot dead thirteen civil rights protestors. Keen to voice their outrage at the killings, Wings recorded the track two days later at EMI Studios in London. It was the band’s first song to include Northern Irish guitarist Henry McCullough.

McCartney has no ancestral ties to Northern Ireland, but still felt compelled to take up the cause. He explained in an interview with the American network ABC: “I’m British, and I was brought up to be proud of things like the British Empire. I don’t want my army going ’round shooting my Irish brothers.”

In March 1972, the British music weekly Melody Maker published a two-page article called “CENSORED” which reported on a number of songs that had been banned – that the BBC, the official British government broadcasting body, had refused to play. Surprisingly, most of the article was devoted to a Paul McCartney composition, “Give Ireland Back To The Irish.”

“Give Ireland Back to the Irish” peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart,[46] and number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. According to author Bruce Spizer, listeners there felt alienated by McCartney’s political stance and “Airplay was so marginal that the song, for all practical purposes, was also banned by American radio.” On the other US singles charts, published by Cash Box and Record World, the single peaked at number 38 and number 36, respectively.

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Sir Paul McCartney Wings - Give Ireland Back To The Irish (New Master Exp.)03:43

Acesta a fost single-ul de debut al grupului Wings, grup format de Paul McCartney. Melodia a fost lansata la 19 Februarie 1972. Din grup a facut parte si chitaristul Henry McCullough, originar din Irlanda de Nord.

Single-ul a fost imediat interzis la BBC, radio Luxembourg si Independent Television Authority. La BBC Radio 1, in topul Pick of the Pops, DJ-ul Alan Freeman spunea doar ca este un disc al grupului Wings.

Melodia are la baza un eveniment real. La 30 Ianuari 1972, soldatii britanici au tras in 26 de civili ne-inarmati in Derry, Irlanda de Nord omorand 13 dintre ei. Imagini de la locul incidentului, cu pastorul Edward Daly fluturand o batista insangerata ca si steag alb, in timp ce prietenii incercau sa scoata de acolo un ranit din fata soldatilor, au provocat oroare si manie in jurul lumii.

Lyrics/Versuri:

Give Ireland back to the Irish
Don’t make them have to take it away
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Make Ireland Irish today
Great Britain you are tremendous
And nobody knows like me
But really what are you doin’
In the land across the sea
Tell me how would you like it
If on your way to work
You were stopped by Irish soldiers
Would you lie down do nothing
Would you give in or go berserk
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Don’t make them have to take it away
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Make Ireland Irish today
Great Britain and all the people
Say that all people must be free
Meanwhile back in Ireland
There’s a man who looks like me…

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