“Time To Play B-Sides”- “Mull Of Kintyre”- Wings. “Mull Of Kintyre” certainly wasn’t a b-side in the United Kingdom where it became one of the biggest chart hits in history. The 1977 Christmas single became at the time the biggest selling single in UK history- selling over 2 million copies and passing “She Loves You” as the biggest selling single ever. It was #1 on the UK charts for 9 consecutive weeks. It was also #1 Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and Ireland. In the United States it was a b-side- to “Girls School” a rather forgettable Wings single which peaked at #33. “Mull Of Kintyre” didn’t even crack the Hot 100.
“Mull Of Kintyre” written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine is a Scottish folk song- written as a tribute to Kintyre peninsula in Scotland and its headland the Mull of Kintyre where Paul has owned a farm since 1966.
I bought the single because neither song was on a Wings album. It is not puzzling why they promoted “Girls School” a rock song over “Mull Of Kintyre” in the United States- what did the Mull Of Kintyre or the Kintyre peninsula mean in America? Nothing. I did find myself playing B-side “Mull Of Kintyre” 10 times more than I played “Girls School.” I think it is one of Paul McCartney’s best post-Beatles songs. Love the bagpipes.
slicethelife 
I bought the 45 at a K-Mart in Medford, Oregon after I heard first heard “Mull Of Kintyre,” on a local radio station. I also love the bagpipes and was amazed that a ‘rock song,’ used them at the time, though looking back I’m certain I heard them in other ‘rock’ songs but never heard their depth till then. I don’t believe I ever played ‘Girls School,’ once in all the time I had that disc.
Paul was turning out the hits back then but Girls School was weak- I think it was only a hit because of who did it. Mull of Kintyre though- a real gem!!
Check out Eric Burdon and the Animal’s Sky Pilot, in particular the long version. The”battle” interlude ends with bagpipes as the battle winds down and soldiers are dying, turning the music into a graveyard feeling. 1968 was a fabulous year for musical innovation (but obvioysly not for the needless sacrifices of American and Vietnamese forces, on either side.)
Full marks for getting bagpipes into a pop track
I loved this song when it came out, and my school mates laughed at me for it. They hated the song. I still love it. Denny Laine performs it in his concerts, bagpipe sounds and all, which is a treat.
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This is how the old folk songs are kept alive. Paul (and Crew) did it up right. The video to go with it is wholesome and peace-inducing.
Good note- the video is pretty awesome I agree.
I don’t know the numbers, but Mull of Kintyre was very popular in Winnipeg, and most of Canada I think. I wasn’t that into radio at the time, unless I was driving, but “Mull” seemed to always be on when my radio was on.
It didn’t get much play in the US- or at least in my area. Neither did “Girls School.”
Girls School I never heard of. Paul McCartney, well, I have heard of him, somewhere.
He was with some obscure group out of Liverpool.