Wild Wood

1993 studio album by Paul Weller
Wild Wood
Studio album by
Paul Weller
Released6 September 1993
RecordedApril–May 1993
StudioThe Manor Studio, Oxfordshire
GenreRock
Length54:04
LabelGo! Discs
Producer
  • Paul Weller
  • Brendan Lynch
Paul Weller chronology
Paul Weller
(1992)
Wild Wood
(1993)
Live Wood
(1994)

Hit Parade
(2006)

Wild Wood – Deluxe Edition
(2007)

Live at the Royal Albert Hall
(2008)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[3]
Mojo[4]
Music Week[5]
NME8/10[6]
Q[7]
Rolling Stone[8]
Select4/5[9]
Spin[10]
Uncut[11]

Wild Wood is the second solo studio album by Paul Weller, released in September 1993. It made it to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and contained four UK hits: "Wild Wood", which reached number 14 on the UK charts, "Sunflower", which reached number 16, "The Weaver" which reached number 18 as "The Weaver EP" and "Hung Up", which reached number 11.

In 2000 Q magazine placed it at number 77 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever, and it was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The original 1993 UK and European CD included 15 tracks. When issued in the US, and reissued in the UK in 1994, a 16th track was added. A two-disc deluxe edition was released on 22 October 2007.

The title track, "Wild Wood", was released as a single in 1993, with "Ends of the Earth" as the B-side.[12] It reached no. 14 on the UK charts in September 1993.[13]

Uncut magazine rated "Wild Wood" as Weller's ninth best ever song and the best of his solo career, with the Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke praising it as a "very easy, kicking-back sort of song".[14]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sunflower"Paul Weller4:06
2."Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)"Weller3:41
3."Wild Wood"Weller3:22
4."Instrumental (Pt 1)"Weller, Brendan Lynch, Steve White1:37
5."All the Pictures on the Wall"Weller3:56
6."Has My Fire Really Gone Out?"Weller3:50
7."Country"Weller3:39
8."Instrumental Two"Weller, Lynch, White0:50
9."5th Season"Weller4:54
10."The Weaver"Weller3:43
11."Instrumental One (Pt 2)"Weller, Lynch, White0:34
12."Foot of the Mountain"Weller3:37
13."Shadow of the Sun"Weller7:36
14."Holy Man (reprise)"Weller1:50
15."Moon on Your Pyjamas"Weller4:00
16."Hung Up"Weller2:49
Deluxe edition box set bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
17."Wild Wood" (Sheared Wood (Mix/ Remix) / Paul Weller VS Portishead)3:28
18."Magic Bus" (contains medley of Bull Rush)5:29
19."Ends of the Earth"2:24
20."This Is No Time" (Royal Albert Hall live version)6:02
21."Another New Day"3:19
22."The Loved"3:00
Deluxe edition box set bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Sunflower" (demo)4:13
2."Wildwood" (demo)4:02
3."All the Pictures on the Wall" (demo)4:49
4."Country" (demo)3:32
5."5th Season" (demo)5:57
6."The Weaver" (demo)4:15
7."Shadow of the Sun" (demo)5:30
8."Moon on Your Pyjamas" (demo)3:45
9."Ends of the Earth" (demo)2:56
10."Love of the Loved" (demo)4:41
11."Price to Pay" (demo)3:36
12."Changes" (demo)2:50
13."I'm Only Dreaming" (previously unreleased)2:54
14."Ohio" (demo)3:34
15."Oh Happy Day" (previously unreleased)3:28
16."Greetings" (previously unreleased)3:32
17."Wild Wood" (demo)3:34
18."Weaver of Dreams" (demo version 2)3:27
19."Foot of the Mountain" (exclusive BBC recording)3:35
20."Hung Up" (exclusive BBC recording)2:57
21."Black Sheep Boy" (exclusive BBC recording)2:10

Personnel

  • Paul Weller – guitars, vocals (on all except 4, 8, 11), Mellotron (1, 2, 13, 14), Minimoog (1, 4, 11), piano (2, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14), Hammond organ (2, 5, 6, 14), bass (2, 5, 14), percussion and handclaps (2, 14), blues harp (6, 9), electric piano and percussion (6), strings (7)
  • Marco Nelson – bass (1, 3, 4, 6, 9–11, 13, 15), backing vocals (6)
  • Steve White – drums (1–6, 9–11, 13–16), percussion (1, 4, 8, 11)
  • Jacko Peake – horns (2, 4, 9, 11, 14), flute (2, 14)
  • Brendan Lynch – percussion and handclaps (2, 14), Minimoog (3, 9, 13), Mellotron (3, 13), Stylophone (7)
  • Max Beesley – percussion and handclaps (2, 14), backing vocals (6), Wurlitzer (15)
  • Helen Turner – organ (3)
  • Dr Robert – guitars (6, 7)
  • Dee C. Lee – backing vocals (9, 13, 15)
  • David Liddle – lead guitar (9)
  • Mick Talbot – Hammond organ (9)
  • Steve Cradock – electric guitar (10)
  • Simon Fowler – backing vocals (10)
  • Yolanda Charles – bass (16)

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Wild Wood
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 42
UK Albums (OCC)[16] 2

Year-end charts

1993 year-end chart performance for Wild Wood
Chart (1993) Position
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 58

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Wild Wood – Paul Weller". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  3. ^ Ehrlich, Dimitri (27 May 1994). "Wild Wood". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Paul Weller: Wild Wood". Mojo: 121. Wild Wood remains Paul Weller's most exquisitely balanced album, with soul stirrings, pastoral folk-rock vibes and stinging Revolver guitars dissolving into an elegant and exciting sonic hybrid.
  5. ^ Jones, Alan (11 September 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 15. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  6. ^ MacBain, Hamish (30 October 2007). "Paul Weller: Wild Wood (Deluxe Edition)". NME. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Paul Weller: Wild Wood". Q (256). November 2007.
  8. ^ Sinclair, Tom (20 October 1994). "Paul Weller: Wild Wood". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  9. ^ Higginbotham, Adam (October 1993). "Paul Weller: Wild Wood". Select (40): 94.
  10. ^ Duerden, Nick (July 2008). "Discography: Paul Weller". Spin. 24 (7): 88. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  11. ^ Moody, Paul (2 November 2007). "Paul Weller – Wild Wood – R1993". Uncut. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Paul Weller – Wild Wood". Discogs. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Paul Weller - Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Paul Weller's 30 Best Songs". Uncut. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Paul Weller – Wild Wood". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Top 100 Albums 1993" (PDF). Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
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