THE COUNTRY HAMS - WALKING IN THE PARK WITH ELOISE 

Released : October 18, 1974

"Walking in the Park with Eloise" is a jazz instrumental originally written by Jim McCartney, Paul McCartney's father, in the early 1920s to the late 1930s. Later, Paul McCartney recorded the track with his band Wings and released it as a single under the name the Country Hams. The B-side, "Bridge on the River Suite," is another instrumental jazz composition credited to Paul and Linda McCartney.

This song came about during a Wings Nashville recording session in the mid-'70s, when the idea of compiling an album featuring McCartney's songs left off previous albums or those still waiting for a place arose. The track, inspired by a conversation between Paul McCartney and Chet Atkins about their fathers, has a jazz and twenties-inspired style. 

McCartney would surprise his father James by recording the song with two of his father’s favorite artists Chet Atkins and Floyd Kramer. Jim, who passed away in 1976, was reportedly very pleased with the effort. “He really used to love this one,” Paul reminisced. 

The connection to his father might explain why Paul chose it as one of his Desert Island Discs years later. In 1982, during a conversation with Desert Island Discs host Roy Plomley on BBC radio, Paul McCartney surprised his interviewer by admitting he wasn't great at maintaining his own record collection. Despite this, he shared a list of eight songs he would choose if stranded on a deserted island. Among them were Elvis Presley's 'Heartbreak Hotel' and Chuck Berry's 'Sweet Little Sixteen,' which McCartney described as a magical influence on their early rock 'n' roll journey. He also included Benjamin Britten's 'Courtly Dances,' expressing a love for classical music. McCartney reminisced about buying Gene Vincent's 'Be-Bop-A-Lula,' the first record he ever purchased, and selected 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)' from John Lennon's Double Fantasy, finding it moving. The Coasters' 'Searchin'' held a special place, as it was a popular request during their Cavern Club days. To honor his Hamburg friend, Little Richard, he chose 'Tutti Frutti.' Lastly, he mentioned 'Walking In The Park With Eloise,' a song written by his father, from Wings.

"Walking in the Park with Eloise" showcases a departure from Paul McCartney's more typical pop and rock styles, embracing a Dixieland jazz approach. The song, along with its B-side, was later included in the Archive Collection reissue of Wings' 1975 album Venus and Mars in 2014. An orchestral version arranged by Carl Davis and performed by the Chamber Orchestra of London appeared in the 2016 film Ethel & Ernest, also making its way to the film's soundtrack. This orchestral rendition was included in The 7" Singles Box in 2022.