December 5, 1973: Band On the Run by Wings is released. It remains the best album led by any of the ex-Beatles.
The only constant members of Wings were Paul and Linda McCartney, and lead guitarist Denny Laine. Wings' rhythm guitarist? Paul. Wings' bass guitarist? Paul. Wings' piano player? Paul. Wings' drummer? Paul. Who played those instruments on tour? Nobody: Wings didn't tour in support of the album.
On the cover of the album are the McCartneys and Laine; plus singer Kenny Lynch, actors James Coburn and Christopher Lee, broadcasters Michael Parkinson and Clement Freud (grandson of Sigmund), and boxer John Conteh.
The 1st 2 tracks, the title track and "Jet" were big rockers and hits. They were followed by "Bluebird." Not one of Paul's better songs, not even as good as "Blackbird" on The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album). Pablo Picasso had died earlier in the year, and Paul wrote a song titled "Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)."
The album was closed with "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five." At first, it sounds post-apocalyptic, until you realize that it's a love song from Paul to Linda: "Oh, no one ever left alive in nineteen hundred and eighty-five, will ever do. She may be right, she may be fine. She may get love, but she won't get mine, 'cause I got you." Basically, it's a harder-rocking "When I'm 64." (Paul was 31 years old in 1973, 53 in 1985, and 64 in 2008.)
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December 5, 1973 was a Wednesday. Baseball was out of season. Football was in midweek. There were 6 games played in the NBA:
* The New York Knicks lost to the Boston Celtics, 119-97 at the Boston Garden.
* The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 89-75 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia.
* The Buffalo Braves beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 114-110 at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Bob McAdoo of the Braves led all scorers in both leagues with 37 points.
* The Houston Rockets beat the Capital Bullets, 119-99 at the Hofheinz Pavilion (now the Fertitta Center) in Houston. This was the Bullets' 1st season after moving down the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The "Capital Bullets" name didn't catch on, so, the next season, they became the Washington Bullets; in 1997, the Washington Wizards.
* The Kansas City-Omaha Kings beat the Atlanta Hawks, 117-105, in 1 of 3 games the Kings played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium that season. Jimmy Walker, who had taken Providence College to the NCAA Final Four the season before, led the Kings with 29 points. He was not related to Jimmie Walker, soon to begin starring on Good Times. "Pistol" Pete Maravich scored 35 and "Super" Lou Hudson 32 in defeat for the Hawks.
* And the Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors, 103-97 at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
There were 2 games in the American Basketball Association. The New York Nets beat the Indiana Pacers, 108-103 at the Indiana State Fair Coliseum (now the Corteva Coliseum) in Indianapolis. Larry Kenon of the Nets scored 25 points. George McGinnis of the Pacers scored 19 points and grabbed 33 rebounds.
And the Denver Rockets beat the San Diego Conquistadors, 138-108 at the Denver Auditorium Arena.
There were 4 games in the NHL:
* The New York Rangers beat the St. Louis Blues, 5-1 at Madison Square Garden.
* The Chicago Black Hawks beat the Detroit Red Wings, 8-2 at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit.
* The Los Angeles Kings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-1 at The Forum outside Los Angeles in Inglewood, California.
* And the Atlanta Flames and the California Golden Seals played to a tie, 3-3 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.
And there were 3 games in the World Hockey Association:
* The Jersey Knights lost to the Houston Aeros, 5-2 at the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston.
* The Winnipeg Jets beat the Edmonton Oilers, 3-1 at the Winnipeg Arena.
* And the Toronto Toros beat the Vancouver Blazers, 3-1 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.
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