It is known to those Beatles fans who dig a little deeper into the world of Bootlegs, that Paul McCartney had, and maybe still has, the habit of starting projects, doing a lot of work on it and then lay it to rest in his archives. Most of these projects disappear forever.
That goes for TV specials, like "One Hand Clapping" or "Rockestra", for film projects like "The Bruce McMouse Show" or "Rupert the Bear", but also for album projects, like the double LP-versions of "Red Rose Speedway" and "McCartney II". Many of these projects have appeared on bootlegged videos or records over the last years.
Probably the biggest officially unreleased album project is "Cold Cuts". It was a "Best of Leftovers" from various Wings Sessions during the Seventies. The album was first approached in 1978 and for the last time during the mid 80's. In 1978 it was shelved in favour of "Wings Greatest". In October 1980 Wings again worked on it, but due to John Lennon's death and because of the fact that Wings did end as a group early in 1981 this release also never happened. In the mid 80's it again stayed unreleased, instead the second Greatest Hits project "All the Best" appeared in 1987. Thanks to the Bootleggers all planned compilations are accessible for our examinations.
You should think that once the album is planned and completed for release, it should be perfect and so you can take the same mixes for every new try at releasing it, but not when Paul McCartney does it! Every compilation of "Cold Cuts" had different mixes and was including a different line-up. Because of this fact there are some songs, that are available in up to five different versions. There are Basic Track recordings of some songs, then there is the first final mix (from each actual recording session), plus the different mixes from the three planned line-ups.
In my CD-Inlay's I have given these different versions the description of "Final Mix 1", "Final Mix 2" et cetera, except for a few tracks that were obviously different from the rest (Basic Tracks, Monitor Mixes).
For my examinations I am relying on the 3-CD Bootleg " Complete Cold Cuts", released in the summer of 1998 (cover see above, the link brings you to the information about the Bootleg, that is on the "Bootleg Zone").
I am not sure if it includes the best sounding versions available for the tracks, but it includes practically all available versions for every song planned for "Cold Cuts".
There are three sections on this
page:
The
Line-Ups
|
The obvious
Differences
|
The
Sources |
The tracks are listed in alphabetical order, the years behind
the tracks are the years of the original recording (not
counting later overdubs), except as noted.
On certain versions it gets obvious, that we are not really
dealing with "different" mixes, but the same mix, only
presented in better or worse quality, with different playback
speed or reversed stereo, for example. But since this page is
most of all made to tell the tracks apart, based on their
original bootleg sources, those different sounding versions
are called "Mix" as well.
Thanks to Peter Gustenhoff in Denmark for his feedback on this subject!
Line-Up 1 - Released as "Hot Hits Cold Cuts" on Hot Hits Records (Eagle Records) in 1989:
Mama's Little Girl
I Would Only Smile
Tragedy
Night Out
Oriental Nightfish
Lunch Box/Odd Sox
My Carnival
Send Me The Heart
Hey Diddle
Wide Prairie
Tomorrow (Instrumental)
Proud Mum (Instrumental)
Proud Mum (Reprise)
(Instrumental)
Same Time Next Year
Did We Meet Somewhere Before?
Line-Up 2 - Released as "Hot Hits Cold Cuts" on Library Records in 1990:
A Love For You
Mama's Little Girl
Night Out
Hey Diddle
Best Friend
(Live/22.08.72/Antwerp)
Tragedy
Waterspout
Same Time Next Year
Cage
My Carnival
Did We Meet Somewhere Before?
Robber's Ball
Line-Up 3 - Released as "Cold Cuts (No Baloney!)" on Pegboy Records in 1996:
A Love For You
My Carnival
Waterspout
Mama's Little Girl
Night Out
Robber's Ball
Cage
Did We Meet Somewhere Before?
Hey Diddle
Tragedy
Best Friend
(Live/22.08.72/Antwerp)
Same Time Next Year
The first column includes the description the way I use it in my CD-Inlay's, the second contains the timing of the track (as heard on the 3-CD Bootleg "Complete Cold Cuts") and the third includes the distinguishing mark of each version:
.
A Love
For You ('71)
Best Friend (Live/22.08./Antwerp) ('72)
Cage
('79)
Did We Meet Somewhere Before? ('78)
Hey Diddle
('71)
I Would
Only Smile ('73)
Lunch
Box/Odd Sox ('75)
Mama's
Little Girl ('72)
My Carnival
('75)
Night Out
('72)
Oriental
Nightfish ('73)
Proud Mum
('74)
Proud
Mum (Reprise) ('74)
Robber's Ball
('79)
Same
Time Next Year ('78)
Send Me
The Heart ('74)
Tomorrow
(Instrumental) ('74)
Tragedy
('72)
Waterspout
('77)
Wide Prairie
('73)
A Love For You
('71):
(Back to:
The Obvious Diferences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track |
5:40 |
- The lead vocal is
only audible in the background |
Final Mix 1 |
5:09 |
- Sparse instrumentation |
Final Mix 2 |
5:08 |
- Electric guitar
overdubs |
Final Mix 3 |
5:26 |
- An extra section of
instrumentation (fuzz bass, organ) has been
added |
Best Friend
(Live/22.08./Antwerp) ('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Original Version |
3:57 |
- This version is in
mono |
Final Mix 1 |
3:58 |
- First guitar starts
in the middle left stereo channel, second follows
in the right stereo channel |
Final Mix 2 |
3:57 |
- Not really a "mix",
but a different tape source than Final Mix 1 (that
one is the superior one) + reversed Stereo |
Final Mix 3 |
3:55 |
- A single note is
audible before the song starts |
Final Mix 4 |
4:06 |
- Both guitars start
in the middle of the stereo |
Cage
('79):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Mix from original "Back to the Egg"-LP-Line-Up |
3:07 |
- Sparse
Instrumentation |
Final Mix 1 |
3:07 |
- Intro includes
screams and shouts |
Final Mix 2 |
3:08 |
- Stereo reversed in
comparisation to Final Mix 1 |
Did We Meet Somewhere Before?
('78):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
4:58 |
- Organ during first
part of the chorusin the left stereo channel,
quiet horns in right stereo channel |
Final Mix 2 |
5:00 |
- Louder horns in left
stereo channel and organ in right stereo channel
during the first part of the chorus |
Final Mix 3 |
4:58 |
- Louder guitar in
left and right stereo channels |
Hey Diddle
('71):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track (Instrumental) |
3:47 |
- The guitar intro
starts in the left stereo channel |
Final Mix 1 |
3:42 |
- Fades in slowly from
left stereo channel |
Final Mix 2 |
3:44 |
- Country music elements (pedal steel, fiddle) added |
Final Mix 3 |
3:43 |
- Percussion added (sounds like beating on a tin bucket) |
Final Mix 4 |
3:43 |
- Starts in the middle
right stereo channel |
I Would Only Smile
('73):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Final Mix 1 |
3:17 |
- Stereo reversed in
compare to Final Mix 2 |
Final Mix 2 |
3:20 |
Same mix as Final Mix 1 but in much better sound quality |
Lunch Box/Odd Sox
('75):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Basic Track |
3:50 |
- Piano mixed
upfront |
Final Mix |
3:52 |
- Hi hat is dominantly
mixed in right stereo channel right from the
start |
Mama's Little Girl
('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
3:42 |
- Starts with guitar
in the right stereo channel |
Final Mix 2 |
3:41 |
- Starts with a
fade-in from the left stereo channel |
Final Mix 3 |
3:39 |
- Starts in the middle
of the stereo |
Final Mix 4 |
3:40 |
- Starts in the middle
of the stereo |
My Carnival
('75):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
3:13 |
- Loud piano right
from the start |
Final Mix 2 |
3:26 |
- The weird chorus in
the background is very low in the mix |
Final Mix 3 |
3:42 |
- The weird chorus in
the background is much more audible |
Night Out
('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track (Instrumental) |
2:32 |
- No lead guitar |
Rough Mix |
2:15 |
- No lead vocal, just
the "Night out"-refrain |
Final Mix 1 |
2:14 |
- No lead vocal, just
the "Night out"-refrain |
Final Mix 2 |
2:29 |
- Starts in right
stereo channel |
Final Mix 3 |
2:30 |
- Starts in left
stereo channel |
Oriental Nightfish
('73):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Final Mix 1 |
--:-- |
(As this song is not included in the 3-CD-Box "Complete Cold Cuts", I can't tell the differences) |
Final Mix 2 |
2:43 |
(As this song is not included in the 3-CD-Box "Complete Cold Cuts", I can't tell the differences) |
Video Mix |
3:07 |
- This version features the intro and outro from the video, those are (of course) not on Final Mix 1 and 2 |
Proud Mum
('74):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Time: 2:03
Proud Mum (Reprise)
('74):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Time: 0:32
Robber's Ball
('79):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
3:53 |
- Recording doesn't
start immediately, but after a few instrument
notes and Linda's comment "Fun City Arizona,
Reggie..." |
Final Mix 2 |
3:57 |
- Recording begins
immediately |
Same Time Next Year
('78):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
3:06 |
- Single tracked
vocal |
Final Mix 2 |
3:07 |
- Single tracked
vocal |
Final Mix 3 |
3:08 |
- Double tracked final
chorus |
Send Me The Heart
('74):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
(As this song is not included in the 3-CD-Box "Complete Cold Cuts", I can't tell the timing)
Tomorrow (Instrumental)
('74):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Time: 3:38
Tragedy
('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Track |
3:19 |
- Two guitars during
intro, left and right stereo channel |
Rough Mix |
3:22 |
- Three guitars during
intro, left, middle and right of the stereo |
Final Mix 1 |
3:19 |
- Minor difference to
the Rough Mix, a bit more volume on the
instruments |
Final Mix 2 |
3:18 |
- Three guitars during
intro, mixed in left and right of the stereo
channel |
Final Mix 3 |
3:19 |
- Three guitars during
intro, left, middle and right of the stereo |
Waterspout
('77):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track |
5:02 |
- Offline mono |
Final Mix 1 |
4:44 |
- Paul is saying
"there" over the first note of the song |
Final Mix 2 |
4:47 |
- "Uhhh"-shout during
intro notes |
Wide Prairie
('73):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Final Mix 1 |
11:34 |
- Long jazzy
instrumental improvisation after the actual
song |
Final Mix 2/Oobu Joobu ('95) |
4:38 |
- Lead vocals mixed
much more upfront |
Discs marked with an * are the best available source, according to The Core Collection by Doug Sulpy and Chip Madinger.
All discs are CD's, except as
noted.
.
A Love For
You ('71)
Best Friend (Live/22.08./Antwerp) ('72)
Cage
('79)
Did We Meet Somewhere Before? ('78)
Hey Diddle
('71)
I Would
Only Smile ('73)
Lunch
Box/Odd Sox ('75)
Mama's
Little Girl ('72)
My Carnival
('75)
Night Out
('72)
Oriental
Nightfish ('73)
Proud Mum
('74)
Proud
Mum (Reprise) ('74)
Robber's Ball
('79)
Same
Time Next Year ('78)
Send Me
The Heart ('74)
Tomorrow
(Instrumental) ('74)
Tragedy
('72)
Waterspout
('77)
Wide Prairie
('73)
.
A Love For You
('71):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track |
Unsurpassed Masters
Vol. 2 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts Vol. 2
(Orange/1994) * |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Best Friend (Live/22.08./Antwerp)
('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Original Version |
I am your Singer
(Living Legend/1991) * |
Final Mix 1 |
Unsurpassed Masters
Vol. 2 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts Vol. 2
(Orange/1994) * |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 4 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Cage
('79):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Mix from original "Back to the Egg"-LP-Line-Up |
Eggs Up (Cage/1990)
* |
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 2 |
All the Rest
(Love/1988) |
Did We Meet Somewhere Before?
('78):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Hey Diddle
('71):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track (Instrumental) |
Unsurpassed Masters
Vol. 2 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Final Mix 1 |
Artifacts III - Sue me
Sue you: 1972 - 1975 (Big Music/1995) |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 4 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
I Would Only Smile
('73):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989) * |
Final Mix 2 |
Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 2 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Lunch Box/Odd Sox
('75):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Basic Track |
Venus and Mars
Outtakes are alright Tonight Vol. 2 (No Pig/199?)
* |
Final Mix |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Mama's Little Girl
('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
Unsurpassed Masters
Vol. 2 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 4 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
My Carnival
('75):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Night Out
('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track |
Oobu Joobu Part 13
(Yellow Cat/1995) * |
Rough Mix |
Unsurpassed Masters
Vol. 2 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Oriental Nightfish
('75):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Final Mix 1 |
Oriental Nightfish
(2-LP vinyl) (Hoffman Avenue/19??) * |
Final Mix 2 |
Appaloosa Love (Yellow
Cat/1998) |
Video Mix |
Appaloosa Love (Yellow
Cat/1998) |
Proud Mum
('74):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989) *
Studio Tracks Vol. 3 (Chapter One/1991)
Proud Mum (Reprise)
('74):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989) *
Studio Tracks Vol. 3 (Chapter One/1991)
Robber's Ball
('79):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Same Time Next Year
('78):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Final Mix 2 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Send Me The Heart
('73):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989) *
Tomorrow (Instrumental)
('74):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989) *
Studio Tracks Vol. 3 (Chapter One/1991)
Tragedy
('72):
(Back to:
The Obvious
Differences/
The
Sources)
Basic Track |
Unsurpassed Masters
Vol. 1 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Rough Mix |
Unsurpassed Masters
Vol. 2 (Strawberry/1994) * |
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts (Eagle/1989)
* |
Final Mix 2 |
Artifacts III - Not
fade away: 1969 - 1971 (Big Music/1995) |
Final Mix 3 |
Cold Cuts
(Pegboy/1996) * |
Waterspout
('77):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
Basic Backing Track |
2 Buddies on Holly
Days (Library/1990) |
Final Mix 1 |
Cold Cuts
(Library/1990) * |
Final Mix 2 |
All the Rest
(Love/1988) |
Wide Prairie
('73):
(Back to:
The Obvious Differences
/
The
Sources)
(This track was only
included on one of the "Cold Cuts"-Line-Ups)
Final Mix 1 |
Appaloosa Love (Yellow
Cat/1998) |
Final Mix 2/Oobu Joobu ('95) |
Appaloosa Love (Yellow
Cat/1998) |