I've Had Enough (Wings song)

"I've Had Enough" is a song by the British–American rock band Wings, released as a single from their 1978 album London Town. It reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, No. 24 in Canada and No. 42 in the UK. In the Netherlands, the 2-sided single "I've Had Enough" combined with its B-side "Deliver Your Children" reached No. 13.

"I've Had Enough"
Single by Wings
from the album London Town
B-side"Deliver Your Children"
Released16 June 1978
RecordedMay 1977
GenreRock
LabelParlophone/EMI (UK)
Capitol (US)
Songwriter(s)Paul McCartney
Producer(s)Paul McCartney
Wings singles chronology
"With a Little Luck"
(1978)		 "I've Had Enough"
(1978)		 "London Town"
(1978)

Writing and recording

"I've Had Enough" was written and sung by Paul McCartney. The music and an improvised chorus were recorded on board the boat Fair Carol in the Virgin Islands prior to the departure of Wings' lead guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Joe English.[1][2] According to McCartney, they did not have any of the words until the band returned to London from the Fair Carol recording sessions.[2] He then wrote "a few" words and overdubbed the lyrics in London.[2]

Lyrics and music

The lyrics of "I've Had Enough" primarily vent the singer's frustration in the face of various circumstances.[1] McCartney referred to it as "just one of those 'fed up' songs."[2] Wings' label Capitol Records described it as "a driving rock 'n' roll tune that lyrically describes an artist's ultimatum to the taxman, a self-serving manager, or both."[3] Syndicated columnist Joel McNally regarded the song as containing political commentary.[4]

The song is in the key of D major.[1] Music professor Vincent Benitez describes the song as a musically simple "guitar-dominated rocker," with alternating verses and chorus following the introductory section.[1] According to McNally, "it is done in the rock styles of the '50s, '60s and '70s. All at the same time."[4] Billboard Magazine found the song structure to be similar to early songs McCartney wrote for the Beatles.[5]

Reception

Rolling Stone critic Janet Maslin claimed that "I've Had Enough" hints "at a minor mean streak, which "spices up" the London Town album "with a welcome note of discord."[6] McCartney biographer Peter A. Carlin claimed the song reflects "the righteous outrage of a man who can't find his slippers."[7] Tom Waseleski of Beaver County Times praised McCartney's "raspy, boyish vocal" as a throwback to his early days with the Beatles.[8] Author Tim Riley calls it a "simplistic screamer."[9] Beatles' biographer John Blaney claims that it is "not very effective," despite "a half decent riff and a snappy arrangement," and suggests that the "negative" chorus may reflect McCartney's dissatisfaction with the band at the time.[2]

On the other hand Kingsport Times-News critic Michael Clark regarded "I've Had Enough" to be the best song on London Town, calling it "guitar-riff oriented in Paul's best Beatle tradition" and stating that the lyrics evoke "Get Back" and similar Beatle songs "without drawing specifically from the same sources."[10] Billboard Magazine suggested that "McCartneÿ s growling vocal and an insistent beat" make the song "a decisive statement in release of pent-up frustrations."[5] In 2013, Rolling Stone rated it the #35 all-time Paul McCartney post-Beatles song, describing how it contrasted with Wings' prior single, the "easygoing" "With a Little Luck" with "tough talk and guitars to match."[11] In that review, Rolling Stone suggested that the song's "sarcastic snarl" was influenced by Elvis Costello.[11] McCartney biographer Martin A. Grove, writing at about the time the single was released described "I Had Enough" as a "hard–rocking" song, which he (as it turned out over-optimistically) predicted may become a No. 1 hit.[3]

Weekly charts
Chart (1978) Peak
position
Netherlands 13[12]
UK 42[13]
Canada 24[14]
US Billboard Hot 100 25[15]

References
  1. Benitez, V.P. (2010). The Words and Music of Paul McCartney: The Solo Years. Praeger. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-313-34969-0.
  2. Blaney, J. (2007). Lennon and McCartney: together alone: a critical discography of their solo work. Jawbone Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-906002-02-2.
  3. Grove, Martin A. (1978). Paul McCartney: Beatle with Wings!. Manor Books. pp. 87–88. ISBN 0532-171918.
  4. McNally, J. (7 May 1978). "McCartney Blinks at Life". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 95. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  5. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 17 June 1978. p. 96. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  6. Maslin, J. (15 June 1978). "London Town". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 November 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  7. Carlin, P.A. (2010). Paul McCartney: A Life. Touchstone. p. 249. ISBN 978-1416562108.
  8. Waseleski, T. (12 April 1978). "Paul McCartney: His Return to Basics Is Perfect". Beaver County Times. p. B-14. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  9. Riley, T. (2002). Tell Me Why: The Beatles: Album By Album, Song By Song, The Sixties And After. Da Capo. p. 361. ISBN 9780306811203.
  10. Clark, Michael (8 April 1978). "Let the Buyer Beware". Kingsport Times-News. p. 12. Retrieved 22 December 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  11. "Paul's 40 Greatest Solo Songs". Special Collector's Edition: Paul McCartney. Rolling Stone. 2013. p. 91.
  12. "I've Had Enough/Deliver Your Children". Dutch Charts. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  13. "Official Charts: Wings". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  14. "RPM 100 Singles". Library and Archives Canada. 19 August 1978. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  15. "WIngs singles". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
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