Women and Wives

McCartney wrote "Women and Wives" after reading a biography of American blues guitarist Huddy William Ledbetter, known as Lead Belly, as McCartney stated: "I wrote this when I was in Los Angeles and I had just been reading a book on the blues artist Lead Belly, so I was trying to get in this bluesy mood so I played on the piano, played some simple chords and started singing in what I imagined was like bluesy [sings], so that was that and then I recorded it at the studio in England."^[3]

"Women and Wives" was recorded primarily on piano,^[3] and also includes the exact double bass Bill Black used when recording with Elvis Presley, as revealed in a Spotify Storyline,^[4] a feature on Spotify that would give the listener information about a song if available.^[5]

Writing for the A.V. Club, Gwen Ihnat believed McCartney is "admonishing the rest of us [..] while the song ultimately has a hopeful tinge as McCartney urges each generation to teach compassion to the next, the song’s piano-led nostalgic melancholy is undeniable.^[6] Mark Beaumont wrote the song is a "wise and austere piano shuffle worthy of Nick Cave or Johnny Cash".^[7] Rob Sheffield called it in a Rolling Stone review a "London Town-style yacht-rock ballad".^[8] It is the most played track from McCartney III live.^[9] McCartney named it as his favourite track on the album.^[10]