How the Story of ‘Band on the Run’ Came to Paul McCartney

TL;DR:

• Paul McCartney’s “Band on the Run” was initially supposed to be about a prison.
• He said it was easy for him to write the song’s story from there.
• Paul enjoyed writing “Band on the Run.”

Paul McCartney’s “Band on the Run” was designed to be episodic. Subsequently, Paul revealed he thought “Band on the Run” had an “obvious” story. Notably, the tune became more popular in the United States than it was in the United Kingdom.

Paul McCartney was inspired by the writing philosophy of Allen Ginsberg

During a 2016 interview with NPR, Paul discussed his songwriting process. “I’m of the school of the instinctive,” he said. “I once worked with Allen Ginsberg and Allen always used to say, ‘First thought, best thought.'” For context, Ginsberg is mostly known for the poem “Howl.”

Paul noted Ginsberg contradicted his own philosophy by editing all his material. Despite this, Paul decided he should go with his first ideas even if they don’t always work.

Paul McCartney decided ‘Band on the Run’ was going to start in a prison and it was easy for him to write the song’s story from there

Paul was asked about the origin of “Band on the Run.” “‘Band on the Run’ starts off in one place and goes to another place,” he said. “It’s a sort of story song, an episodic thing.”

Paul revealed what he wanted to accomplish with “Band on the Run.” “I wanted that because I wanted to write that kind of a song and also with the idea of a ‘band on the run,'” he said. “I thought, ‘OK, well the characters have got to be in prison at first and then for them to be a band on the run they got to break out.

“So these little story points were kind of obvious, they sort of suggested to themselves: Prison, break out, on the run, nighttime in the desert,” he added. “And so that was a nice one to write but I did start off thinking I’m going to write that kind of a song [with lots of changes].”

How ‘Band on the Run’ performed on the pop charts in the United States and the United Kingdom

“Band on the Run” became a huge hit in the United States. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week, staying on the chart for 18 weeks. The song’s parent album, Band on the Run, topped the Billboard 200 for four weeks, staying on the chart for 120 weeks. It lasted longer on the Billboard 200 than Wings’ other albums.

According to The Official Charts Company, “Band on the Run” became a hit in the United Kingdom as well. The tune reached No. 3 there, and lasted on the chart for 11 weeks. Meanwhile, the album Band on the Run reached No. 1 for seven of its 124 weeks on the chart in the U.K.

“Band on the Run” is a classic song even if Paul felt it has an “obvious” story.