"Mumbo" is a song by the British-American rock band Wings, released as the opening track on their debut album WIld Life (1971).
Background and recording Recording of "Mumbo" began on 26 July 1971 as a jam started by Paul McCartney on piano and, according to him during an interview with NME a few months after the session, everyone else "just fell in" to the jam. The performers were Linda McCartney on tambourine, Denny Laine on bass, Paul on a piano that, according to engineer Alan Clarke, was out of tune, and Denny Seiwell on drums. Paul returned to "Mumbo" on 1 September, adding percussion and an electric guitar. On a Friday between 2 and 15 October, more overdubs were added, including backing vocals from Paul and Linda, organ by Paul, and more electric guitars from Laine and Paul.
Release and reception "Mumbo" appears as the opening track on Wild Life (1971), the debut album by the British-American rock band Wings. Author John Blaney states that "its raw energy more than makes up for what it lacks in lyrical content[.]" John Mendelsohn in Rolling Stone called it a "raucous rock and roll rampage that, like “Smile Away,” may be taken as a small self-send-up". Goldmine magazine critic John M. Borack called it "nothing more than a seemingly spontaneous jam captured with the tape rolling." In Record Collector, Jamie Atkins opined it to be a "sloppy bit of nonsense barroom boogie". A reprise of the track titled "Mumbo Link" appears as the final track, albeit initially unlisted until the CD reissue, when it was listed for the first time.
Personnel According to authors Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair:
Paul McCartney – tuned down piano, organ, percussion, electric guitar, lead and backing vocals Linda McCartney – tambourine, backing vocals Denny Laine – bass, electric guitar Denny Seiwell – drums
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