Paul McCartney’s Protest Song

"Give Ireland Back to the Irish" was released in 1972 and still resonates today. The song, performed by Paul McCartney and Wings, was part of McCartney’s reaction to the events of Bloody Sunday: when British soldiers shot 26 civilians during a protest in Bogside, Derry. As McCartney has Irish roots on his mother’s side, the issue felt personal to him. Although there was pushback, McCartney insisted on releasing the song. Predictably, the song was banned by the BBC and other media outlets, but Wings continued to perform it live.