The Wings were the preeminent band in early 70s southeastern Nigeria, a dev… Read Full Bio ↴The Wings were the preeminent band in early 70s southeastern Nigeria, a devastated and demoralized region whose short stint as the sovereign Republic of Biafra had recently been brought to an abrupt halt by the events of the Nigerian civil war (which we will not get into here). Out of this bleak climate a plethora of rock bands emerged, mostly for the purpose of entertaining the occupying federal Nigerian troops, who were just about the only people who had money to spend on recreation.

The Wings, however, had a much farther-reaching appeal, thanks largely to the enormous charisma of heartthrob frontman Spud Nathan (nee Jonathan Udensi), who led the group through such romantic hits as "Kissing You So Hard," "Gone With the Sun" and "Single Boy" and the song featured here, "If You Don't Love Me Girl."

The Wings story took a tragic turn in 1974 when Nathan - while riding to a gig in a car driven by guitarist Manford Best - was killed in an accident on the infamous Njaba Bridge in Imo State. (A decade later, another car crash on that same bridge would claim the life of ex-Funkees and Osibisa guitarist Jake Sollo.)

Nathan's death catapulted The Wings into a tailspin. Most of the band (and their fans) blamed Best for the accident since he had been behind the wheel. Also, he had allegedly had sex with a groupie in the brand new car before it had the chance to be properly "blessed," which was considered to be some bad, bad juju. To add insult to injury, while the rest of the band wanted to go on a yearlong hiatus to mourn Spud, Best insisted that The Wings resume activity immediately with him in the lead singer spot. Eventually, the band went on hiatus for two years while Best broke away and formed Super Wings to relatively little success, due to fan resentment over his role in Spud's death.

Note: If you are listening to "Wings", the Paul McCartney band and have landed on this page, it is recommended that you change your tags to either Wings or Paul McCartney & Wings.

Letting Go
The Wings Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Letting Go
Paul McCartney & Wings

Ah, she tastes like wine
Such a human being so divine
Oh she feels like sun
Mother nature look at what you've done

Oh I feel like letting go
Oh I feel like letting go

Ah, she looks like snow
I want to put her in a Broadway show
Ah she'll dance and dine
Like a lucifer she'll always shine

Oh I feel like letting go
Oh I feel like letting go

Oh I feel like letting go

Ah, she sings it so
I want to put her on the radio
One day and there you are
Ladies and Gentleman -
A brand new Star

Oh I feel like letting go
Oh I feel like letting go

Overall Meaning

In this song, Paul McCartney sings about the overpowering desire to let go and allow oneself to be swept away by the beauty and allure of a woman. The opening lines give a vivid description of how the woman he's singing about embodies both the pleasant taste of fine wine and the warmth of the sun. The metaphorical language sets the tone for the rest of the song, where the woman is repeatedly compared to the natural world, particularly in the third line where McCartney addresses the personification of Mother Nature.

The chorus of the song is a simple, yet powerful one - 'Oh I feel like letting go'. This phrase is repeated throughout the song signifying the singer's desire to allow himself to be carried away with the temptation he feels, despite knowing that it might be detrimental in the long run. The lines 'Ah, she looks like snow / I want to put her in a Broadway show' depict how the woman in question is seen as being so breathtakingly beautiful that she could be put on display for all to admire.

Finally, McCartney declares 'One day and there you are / Ladies and Gentlemen - a brand new Star', insinuating how he believes the woman he sings about has the potential to be a significant new face in the entertainment industry. Ultimately, the lyrics of 'Letting Go' showcases the deeply-rooted desire and attraction one can feel and the overwhelming sense of letting oneself go that comes with such emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

Ah, she tastes like wine
She is just as intoxicating as fine wine

Such a human being so divine
She is a wonderful person with godly qualities

Oh she feels like sun
She radiates warmth and brightness like the sun

Mother nature look at what you've done
She is a natural beauty, as if Mother Nature created her herself

Ah she looks like snow
She is pure and innocent like freshly fallen snow

I want to put her in a Broadway show
She deserves to be seen and appreciated by a large audience

Ah she'll dance and dine
She is charming and entertaining, the life of the party

Like a lucifer she'll always shine
She has a radiant glow that will never fade

Oh I feel like letting go
I feel like releasing my inhibitions and letting loose

Oh I feel like letting go
I feel like breaking free and living in the moment

Oh I feel like letting go
I feel like releasing my worries and enjoying life

Ah, she sings it so
Her voice is so beautiful and captivating

I want to put her on the radio
She deserves to have her talent shared with the world

One day and there you are
Suddenly, she becomes a star

Ladies and Gentleman - A brand new Star
Introducing this amazing new talent to the world

Oh I feel like letting go
I feel like being carefree and enjoying the excitement of the moment

Oh I feel like letting go
I feel like throwing caution to the wind and taking risks

Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SUSAN BROWN, DANIELLE LEVERETT, JEFF SPENCE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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