1976 single by Wings

"Let `Em In" is a song by Wings from their 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and reached the top 3 in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. It was a No. 2 hit in the UK; in the U.S. it was a No. 3 pop hit and No. 1 easy listening hit.[1][2][3] In Canada, the song was No. 3 for three weeks on the pop chart and No. 1 for three weeks on the MOR chart of RPM magazine. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies.[4] It can also be found on McCartney`s 1987 compilation album, All the Best! A demo of the song, featuring Denny Laine on lead vocal, was included as a bonus track on the Archive Collection reissue of Wings at the Speed of Sound.

Content

The song starts with the sound of a V. & E. Friedland Maestro Westminster Chime doorbell, an electro-mechanical doorbell with a unique "vibrato resonating" feature, before the rhythm begins.[5][6] The lyric namechecks several famous people, between friends and relatives of McCartney who, without a justified reason, knock on the door or ring the bell of his house and he exclaims "Let `Em In". They include McCartney`s paternal aunt Gin, his brother Michael, and Linda McCartney`s brother John. Phil and Don of the Everly Brothers are named (the duo covered "Keep A-Knockin`" on their self-titled album), along with Martin Luther,[7] who is said to have hung his "Ninety-five Theses" on a church door. An Uncle Ernie is also named, being the character Ringo Starr sang in the London Symphony Orchestra`s recording of the Who`s rock opera, Tommy.[8]

"Let `Em In" is also notable for the false fade out, which, however, becomes loud for the last two notes of the song. The song makes use of the piano, drums, brass, including a trombone solo, and wind instruments, featuring flutes, as well as backup vocals from Linda and other members of Wings.[9]

The 7 inch single version is an edit of the album version. The UK and US pressings of this edit are alike.

Reception

Cash Box said that it was a "better, more substantial tune [than `Silly Love Songs`"] and that "McCartney`s voice is at its best, and the rhythm of this one is dangerously addictive."[10] Record World said that "with a loping beat and a brisk military drum sound, this should be another chapter in McCartney`s success story."[11]

Personnel

• Paul McCartney – vocals, piano, backing vocals
• Jimmy McCulloch – bass
• Denny Laine – backing vocals, military drums
• Joe English – drums
• Linda McCartney – backing vocals
• Howie Casey, Thaddeus Richard, Steve Howard, Tony Dorsey – flutes, horns

Release

The song was released worldwide as a 7" single, except in France where it was released as 12" single (the first-ever McCartney 12") with both sides labelled "Special Disco Mix".[12]

It was included on the compilation album Wings Greatest (1978), as well as the Paul McCartney compilation albums All the Best! (1987), Wingspan: Hits and History (2001) and Pure McCartney (2016).

Track listings

7" single (R 6015)

1. "Let `Em In" – 3:42
2. "Beware My Love" – 6:05

12" single (2C 052-98.062 y)[A]

1. "Let `Em In" (Special Disco Mix) – 5:08
2. "Beware My Love" (Special Disco Mix) – 6:05

• A ^ Released in France only.

Chart performance

Certifications

Cover versions

• During the 1976 Miss America pageant, MC Bert Parks performed a memorable rendition of the song.[27]
• The song was covered in 1977 by Billy Paul, substituting a list of notable African-American figures such as Malcolm X and Louis Armstrong in lieu of the people named in the original. This version reached No. 91 on the Billboard Soul chart,[28] and No. 26 on the UK charts.[7]
• "Guess Who`s Knockin`", a song written by Prince and released by The New Power Generation on initial pressings of the 1993 Goldnigga album, references "Let `Em In" without credit.[citation needed]
• Ringo Starr used lyrics from "Let `Em In" in 2003 on "English Garden" from Ringo Rama.[29]

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1976 (U.S.)