In 1993, Wings at the Speed of Sound was remastered and reissued on compact disc as part of "The Paul McCartney Collection" series, along with The Country Hams' "Walking in the Park with Eloise" and its B-side "Bridge on the River Suite", and "Junior's Farm"'s B-Side "Sally G" - all recorded in Nashville in 1974 - as bonus tracks. As of 2010, the album is out-of-print on the CD format. However, it is currently distributed on the iTunes store.
After a series of concerts in Australia in November 1975, Wings took a break from the tour to spend the holidays with their families and in January 1976 booked time at Abbey Road Studios in London to record Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was the first time McCartney had recorded an album in England since Red Rose Speedway. Due to the tour commitments, Wings was not afforded the opportunity to record in another different and exciting locale, preferring to work in a familiar environment. By the end of February, the album was complete, and Wings dutifully went back on the road.
Around the time of the studio sessions for Wings at the Speed of Sound, McCartney was facing criticism for Wings simply being a vehicle for himself. He encouraged each of the band members to contribute a song during the sessions, though this would become one of the reasons for the criticism of the album. McCartney had previously attempted to create a democratic album in Red Rose Speedway, though it would be rejected by his record label.
Wings at the Speed of Sound was released in late March to average reviews. Although the critics were not as enthusiastic as they had been for Band on the Run and Venus and Mars, the fans certainly were, sending the album to #2 in the UK, where it became the 4th best-selling album of 1976. It became McCartney's most successful US chart album, spending seven unconsecutive weeks at #1 throughout the summer (and blocking the Beatles' then-new compilation Rock 'n' Roll Music, which reached #2). Much of Wings at the Speed of Sound's success can be attributed to its two smash singles. "Silly Love Songs," a response to his critics and one of McCartney's biggest hits, followed the album in April. It became one of 1976's biggest-selling singles. This was followed in July with "Let 'Em In," which also scaled the singles charts. Amid all this, Wings finally went to North America for the Wings Over America Tour, playing McCartney's first shows there in ten years (after The Beatles' last tour in 1966) to euphoric reaction; a few selections from Speed of Sound were included.
The album was received with poor to lukewarm reviews. However, Rolling Stone's reviewer viewed this record as something of a concept album, describing it as "A Day with the McCartneys". The introduction, "Let 'Em In", is sometimes perceived as an invitation for the listener to join the McCartneys on this fantasy day, with explanation of their philosophy ("Silly Love Songs"), a lunch break ("Cook of the House"), and a chance to get to know McCartney's friends (Denny Laine in "The Note You Never Wrote", Jimmy McCulloch in "Wino Junko', etc.).
Let 'Em In
Wings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Do me a favor
Open the door and let 'em in
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Do me a favor
Open the door and let 'em in, yeah, let 'em in
Sister Suzie, brother John
Martin Luther, Phil and Don
Brother Michael, auntie Gin
Open the door and let 'em in, yeah
Sister Suzie, brother John
Martin Luther, Phil and Don
Uncle Ernie, auntie Gin
Open the door and let 'em in, yeah
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Do me a favor
Open the door and let 'em in, ooh yeah, let 'em in
Sister Suzie, brother John
Martin Luther, Phil and Don
Uncle Earnie, uncle Lin
Open the door and let 'em in, yeah
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Someone's knockin' at the door
Somebody's ringin' the bell
Do me a favor
Open the door and let 'em in, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The song "Let 'Em In" by Wings is a classic example of a song with catchy lyrics and upbeat music, but what do the words actually mean? The song's main message seems to be a call for openness and inclusivity, suggesting that we should "let them in" and embrace different individuals and ideas. The repeated line "someone's knocking at the door, somebody's ringing the bell" perhaps symbolizes the many opportunities and possibilities that are constantly knocking on our door, waiting for us to open up and let them in.
The song then goes on to name-drop various people - Sister Suzie, Brother John, Martin Luther, Phil and Don, and other family members, friends, and influential figures. These names might represent different groups or communities that we might encounter in life, whether they are our own family, our neighbors, or people we admire from afar. By opening up the door and letting them in, we might be able to learn from them, connect with them, and grow as individuals.
Overall, "Let 'Em In" is a fun and uplifting song that encourages us to embrace diversity, be open-minded, and welcome new experiences and opportunities with open arms.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone's knockin' at the door
There are people outside who are seeking access into the house.
Somebody's ringin' the bell
The people outside are alerting those inside of their presence by ringing the doorbell.
Do me a favor
Please assist me with this request.
Open the door and let 'em in
Allow the people outside to enter the house.
Sister Suzie, brother John
These are specific individuals who are waiting for entry into the house.
Martin Luther, Phil and Don
These are additional individuals who are waiting for entry into the house; they may or may not be actual individuals with those names.
Brother Michael, auntie Gin
These are more individuals waiting for entry; they may or may not be actual individuals with those names.
Uncle Ernie, auntie Gin
These are different individuals from the previous line, still waiting for entry.
Open the door and let 'em in, yeah
Repeat of the previous request to grant entry to the waiting individuals.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind