"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 bassBill 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]
Other appearances
"Cook of the House" appeared as the B-side of Wings' 1976 single "Silly Love Songs."[4] That represented the second time a singer other than Paul McCartney sang the lead vocal on a Wings' single, the first being Denny Laine's vocal on "I Lie Around," the B-side to "Live and Let Die."[9] Linda also sang "Cook of the House" live on Wings' 1979 UK tour.[3][9] "Cook of the House" was included on Linda McCartney's 1998 posthumous solo album Wide Prairie.[12] The Eastmans covered "Cook of the House" on Love in Song: An Atlanta Tribute to Sir Paul McCartney.[13]
12Benitez, V.P. (2010). The Words and Music of Paul McCartney: The Solo Years. Praeger. p.75. ISBN978-0-313-34969-0.
1234567Madinger, C.; Easter, M. (2000). Eight Arms to Hold You. 44.1 Productions. pp.215, 254. ISBN0-615-11724-4.
12345678Blaney, J. (2007). Lennon and McCartney: together alone: a critical discography of their solo work. Jawbone Press. pp.113–115. ISBN978-1-906002-02-2.
