Cook of the House
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
30 April 1976 (UK)
| "Cook of the House" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Wings | ||||
| from the album Wings at the Speed of Sound | ||||
| A-side | "Silly Love Songs" | |||
| Released | 1 April 1976 (US) 30 April 1976 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | January–March 1976[1] | |||
| Studio | Abbey Road Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues | |||
| Length | 2:37 | |||
| Label | MPL Communications (UK) MPL Communications/Capitol (US) | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Paul McCartney | |||
| Wings singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Cook of the House" is a song written by Paul and Linda McCartney that was first released on Wings' 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was also released as the B-side to the number 1 single "Silly Love Songs." The song was included on Linda McCartney's posthumous 1998 solo album Wide Prairie.
"Cook of the House" is a "1950s-style rock 'n' roll song."[2] Linda McCartney sings the lead vocal, her first lead vocal performance for Wings.[3] Paul McCartney plays the same double bass Bill Black played on Elvis Presley songs.[4] Other musicians on the song are Denny Laine and Jimmy McCulloch on guitar and Joe English on drums.[4] Either Thaddeus Richard or Howie Casey plays saxophone.[4] The song opens with the sound of bacon and chips frying in the key of E-flat.[3][5] This sound effect is the only part of the song recorded in stereo; most of the track is in mono to enhance the retro feel.[3][4]
"Cook of the House" was inspired during the McCartneys' stay at a rented house in Australia during their 1975 tour, and was written in November of that year.[3][4] A plaque in the kitchen stated "Wherever I serve my guests, they like my kitchen best," which inspired some of the lyrics.[4] Most of the remaining lyrics came from the McCartneys looking at the food in the kitchen and listing the items in the song.[4]
The song was most likely recorded on 20 January 1976.[3]
Reception
"Cook of the House" was largely panned by critics.[2] Rolling Stone called the song a "celebration of scatterbrained wife-in-the-kitchen coziness."[6] Authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter claim that Paul McCartney's double bass playing is the song's only redeeming value.[3] Author Robert Rodriguez calls it an "embarrassment," and author Tim Riley calls it a "feminist's nightmare."[6][7] Paul McCartney biographer Howard Sounes praised the song's production values but called it a "weak song" which was not sung well.[8] Entertainment Weekly described it as a "simpleminded domestic anthem" and claimed it was "genuinely terrible."[9] On the other hand, Wings' guitarist Jimmy McCulloch was happy for Linda's lead vocal opportunity and considered the song a "tribute to her talent of whipping up a meal in no time."[9] Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine found the song charming, though acknowledging that it is "awkwardly sung."[10] Paul McCartney biographer Chris Welch called it "one of the most popular items" on Wings at the Speed of Sound.[11]
