FLAMING PIE 

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The Songs We Were Singing                               Back to Top
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Written in Jamaica in early January 1995, 'The Song We Were Singing' was the first number taped by Paul in his initial album sessions with Jeff Lynne. Among the instruments Paul plays here is the standup bass originally owned by Bill Black and used on Elvis Presley's earliest and greatest hits - including 'Heatbreak Hotel', the recording that seized the soul and assaulted the senses of a schoolboy Paul McCartney in 1956.

" I was remembering the Sixties; sitting around late at night, dossing, smoking pipes, drinking wine... jawing, talking about the cosmic solution. It was what we were all doing... all that 'What about... wow!' It's that time in your life when you got a chance for all that. "

The Songs We Were Singing   3:52

For a while, we could sit, smoke a pipe,
And discuss all the vast intricacies of life
We could jaw through the night
Talk about a range of subjects, anything you like
Oh yeah

But we always came back to the song we were singing
At any particular time
Yeah, we always came back to the song we were singing
At any particular time.

Take a sip, see the world through a glass
And speculate about the cosmic solution
To the sound, blue guitars
caught up in a philosophical discussion
Oh yeah

But we always came back to the song we were singing
At any particular time
Yeah, we always came back to the song we were singing
At any particular time

For a while, we could sit, smoke a pipe
Discuss all the vast intricacies of life
We could jaw through the night,
Talk about a range of subjects, anything you like

But we always came back to the song we were singing
At any particular time
Yeah, we always came back to the song we were singing
At any particular time
Yeah, we always came back

Take a sip, see the world through a glass
And speculate about the cosmic solution
To the sound, blue guitars
Caught up in a bit of philosophical discussion
Oh, yeah

But we always came back to the songs we were singing
At any particular time
Yes, we always came back to the songs we were singing
At any particular time
Yeah

We always came back to the songs we were singing

Paul McCartney lead vocal, harmony vocal, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, double bass, harmonium
Jeff Lynne harmony vocal, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Jeff Lynne/Paul McCartney
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Digital sequencing Marc Mann
Studio location Sussex, England
Recording began 6 November 1995

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The World Tonight     audio-lyrics-chords                      Back to Top
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The World Tonight extra

The second song from Paul's initial sessions (there were four in all) with Jeff Lynne took what had been an acoustic, folk-tinged demo and imbued it with a progressively heavier treatment. 'The World Tonight' was written while on holiday in America in 1995 of the 14 songs on Flaming Pie only the title track, 'Somedays' and 'Great Day' were composed in England, for the muse tends to strike Paul most often when he's on holiday.

"The lyrics were just gathering thoughts. Like I go back so far, I'm in front of me - I don't know where that came from, but if I'd been writing with John he would have gone "OK, leave that one in; we don't know what it means but we do know what it means."

The World Tonight   4:03
I saw you sitting at the center of a circle.
Everybody, everybody wanted something from you
I saw you sitting there

I saw you swaying to the rhythm of the music.
Caught you playing, praying to the voice inside you
I saw you swaying there

I don't care what you wanna be
I go back too far; I'm in front of me!
It doesn't matter what they say
They're giving the game away

I can see the world tonight
Look into the future.
See it in a different light.
I can see the world tonight

I heard you listening to a secret conversation.
You were crying, you were trying not to let them hear you
I heard you listening in

Never mind what they wanna do
You've got a right to your point of view
It doesn't matter what they say
They're giving the game away - hey - hey.

I can see the world tonight
Look into the future
See it in a different light
I can see the world tonight

I saw you hiding from a flock of paparazzi.
You were hoping, you were hoping that the ground would swallow you.
I saw you hiding there

I don't care what you wanna be
I go back so far, I'm in front of me!
It doesn't matter what they say
They're giving the game away - hey - hey

I can see the world tonight
Look into the future
See it in a different light
I can see the world tonight

Look into the future
I can see the world tonight
See it in a different light
I can see the world tonight
I can see the world tonight

Paul McCartney lead vocal, harmony vocal, drums, bass guitar, and electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, percussion
Jeff Lynne harmony vical, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Jeff Lynne/Paul McCartney
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recording began 13 November 1995

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If You Wanna                                                           Back to Top
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Having renewed their friendship - and musical kinship - working on 'Young Boy', Paul and Steve Miller combined again, in similar fashion, with 'If You Wanna'. The song was already a couple of years old at the point of recording, having been composed when Paul McCartney's New World Tour reached Minneapolis, and a day off, in May 1993, which resulted in numerous hours inside a skyscraper hotel room that extended its head into the clouds. Inspired by being in (still then The Artist Known As) Prince's home city, Paul sat with a guitar and wrote a "driving across America" song.

" I wanted to write something that would reflect America, for when you're driving across the desert on that big road with the flat horizon. I'll take you for a ride in my Cadillac... I'll take you to The Coast for a holiday... When they say The Coast, they don't mean Blackpool. "

If You Wanna    4:36
If you wanna
if you wanna
if you wanna love me again
I'll take you for a ride in my Cadillac.
He'll be in the front, we'll be in the back

When you're ready
Let me know
I'll be waiting
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip

And if you wanna
If you wanna,
If you wanna do it again.
I'll take you to the coast for a holiday
You can be my guest
You can let me pay-yeah

When you're ready
Well, let me know.
I'll be waiting
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip
Whenever you’re ready

When you wanna love me
This is what you need
To be thinking of me
When you plant the seed of love

When you're ready
Let me know
I'll be waiting
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip

Well if you want to love me
This is what you need
To be thinking of me
when you plant the seed
the seed of love

If you wanna
if you wanna
if you wanna love me again
I'll take you for a ride in my Cadillac.
He'll be in the front, we'll be in the back

When you're ready
let me know
I'll be waiting
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip
To make arrangements for the trip

Paul McCartney lead vocal, drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, 12 string acoustic guitar
Steve Miller harmony vocal, electric guitar, acoustic guitar

Writer Paul McCartney
Producer Paul McCartney
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recording began 11 May 1995

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Somedays                                                            Back to Top
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At first, one session was all it took to commit 'Somedays' on to tape, but Paul felt that it could be enhanced by an arrangement. At this time he was occasionally meeting with George Martin at Abbey Road, sifting through unissued archive Beatles recordings for the Anthology albums (and still nervous, 30 years on, that he would not be the cause of any musical breakdowns...), and Paul asked George if he would listen to 'Somedays' and consider scoring it for an orchestra. "I see you haven't lost your touch!" was the considered response; a 14-piece ensemble overdubbed their contribution on 10 June 1996.

" I'd driven Linda to a photo session for one of her cookery assignments. Knowing she'd be about two hours, I set myself a deadline to write a song in that time - so that when she'd finished and would say 'Did you get bored? What did you do?', I could say 'Oh. I wrote this song. Wanna hear it?' "

Somedays    4:11
Somedays I look
I look at you with eyes that shine
Somedays I don't
I don't believe that you are mine

It's no good asking me what time of day it is,
Who won the match or scored the goal
Somedays I look
Somedays I look into your soul

Sometimes I laugh
I laugh to think how young we were.
Sometimes it's hard
It's hard to know which way to turn

Don't ask me where I found that picture on the wall
How much it cost or what it's worth
Sometimes I laugh
I laugh to think how young we were

We don't need anybody else
To tell us what is real
Inside each one of us is love
And we know how it feels

Somedays I cry,
I cry for those who live in fear
Somedays I don't
I don't remember why I'm here

No use reminding me, it's just the way it is
Who ran the race or came in first
Somedays I cry,
I cry for those who fear the worst

We don't need anybody else
To tell us what is real
Inside each one of us is love
And we know how it feels

Somedays I look,
I look at you with eyes that shine
Somedays I don't
I don't believe that you are mine

It's no good asking me what time of day it is,
Who won the match or scored the goal
Somedays I look
Somedays I look into your soul

Paul McCartney lead vocal, acoustic guitar, Spanish guitar, bass guitar

Writer Paul McCartney Orchestration George Martin
Producer Paul McCartney
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Orchestral session engineer Geoff Emerick, assisted by Geoff Foster
Studio location Sussex, England; orchestra recorded at AIR Lyndhurst, London, England
Recording began 1 November 1995

conductor David Snell; violins Keith Pascoe, Jackie Hartley, Rita Manning, Peter Manning;
celli Christian Kampen, Martin Loveday; violas Peter Lale, Levine Andade;
alto flute Andy Finddon; flutes Martin Parry, Michael Cox;
percussion Gary Kettel; harp Skaila Kanga; oboe/cor anglais Roy Carter

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Young Boy     audio-lyrics-chords                                                  Back to Top
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Young Boy extra
 
The emerging talent of young guitarist James McCartney had been prompting son-to-father questions about "early days". Among the pieces re-played from the vinyl years had been 'My Dark Hour', recorded by Steve Miller and (hiding under the pseudonymous surname Ramon) Paul McCartney in May 1969, after a Beatles Abbey Road session had broken up following a business quabble. Listening again to 'My Dark Hour' Paul was minded to resume the double-act after a 25 year pause, venturing out to Miller's studio in snowbound Idaho after the Beatles had completed 'Real Love'. The two musicians set to work in the same manner as before, Paul drumming while Steve wound up the lead guitar. Paul and Steve then played guitar tracks, Paul added bass and the lead vocal, and Steve contributed harmonies.

"This was another written against the clock. I wrote it in the time that it took Linda to cook a lunch for a feature in The New York Times. It was great to renew my Sixties friendship with Steve Miller; working with Steve again was like falling back into an old habit."

Young Boy    3:54
He's just a young boy looking for a way to find love
It isn't easy, nothing you can say will help him, find love
He's got to do it for himself
And it can take so long
He's just a young boy looking for a way to find love.

He doesn't need another helping hand from someone
But don't you think he doesn't understand what he wants, someone
Though independence means a lot
He's still got to be strong
He's just a young boy looking for a way to find love.

Find love, a perfect combination.
Find love, whatever you do.
Find love, a cause for celebration
And it might come looking
Come looking for you.

Find love, in any situation
Find love, whatever you do
Find love, a cause for celebration
Then it might come looking
Come looking for you

He's just a young boy looking for a way to find love
It isn't easy, nothing you can say will help him, find love
He's got to do it for himself
And it can take so long
He's just a young boy looking for a way to find love

Find love, a time for meditation
Find love, a source of inspiration
Find love, instead of confrontation
Find love
And love will come looking for you

Paul McCartney lead vocal, drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, Hammond organ
Steve Miller backing vocal, electric guitar, rhythm guitar

Writer Paul McCartney
Producer Paul McCartney
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith/Frank Farrell
Studio location Idaho, USA
Recording began 22 February 1995

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Calico Skies        audio-lyrics-chords                                       Back to Top
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Calico Skies extra

While it wreaked havoc in the north-east US, the category-three storm Hurricane Bob that made landfall in August 1991 prompted Paul (then staying in Long Island) to sit with an acoustic guitar and write what he describes as "a gentle love song that becomes a Sixties protest song". Paul invited George Martin to co-produce the piece, which - owing to its instrumental simplicity - was started, finished and mixed within a single session. The earliest recording on Flaming Pie.

"Bob, the hurricane, knocked out all the power; it was all candlelight, cooking at a woodfire. Very primitive, but we like that enforced simplicity. I couldn't play records, so I made up little acoustic pieces. This was one of them - it's a primitve little powercut memory."

Calico Skies             2:39
It was written that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning when I first saw you
Gave me life under calico skies.

I will hold you for as long as you like
I'll hold you for the rest of my life

Always looking for ways to love you
Never failing to fight at your side
While the angels of love protect us
From the innermost secrets we hide

I'll hold you for as long as you like
I'll hold you for the rest of my life

Long live all of us were crazy soldiers who
were born under calico skies
May we never be called to handle
All the weapons of war we despise

I'll hold you for as long as you like
I'll hold you for the rest of my life
I'll hold you for as long as you like
I'll love you for the rest of my...
For the rest of my life

Paul McCartney vocal, acoustic guitar, knee slap/percussion

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Paul McCartney/George Martin
Engineer Bob Kraushaar
Studio location Sussex, England
Recorded 3 September 1992

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Flaming Pie                                                                         Back to Top
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The "pie" lyric that had arrived unto Paul on horseback fitted perfectly with some funky riffs he and Jeff Lynne had evolved days earlier while waiting to overdub guitars onto 'Souvenir'. With lyric and music suddenly fashioned, 'Flaming Pie' was recorded quickly - for, entirely appropriately, Paul suggested that the song be taped with the speed that the Beatles often worked, cutting three songs in a day. Setting themselves a four hour deadline, the track came together with relative ease, Paul singing live to his own piano accompaniment with Jeff on guitar before adding drums and bass, and then, guitars and harmony vocals.

"John joked that the name Beatles came in a vision from a man on a flaming pie, coming unto us... you are Beatles with an A. I was riding with my missus, thinking of lyrics, searching for a rhyme with 'sky'...'bye'... 'cry'... 'pie'. The story came back and I thought 'Ooo, flaming pie'."

Flaming Pie                  2:27
Makin' love underneath the bed
Shooting stars from a purple sky
I don't care how I do it.
I'm the man on the flaming pie

Stick my tongue out and lick my nose
Tuck my shirt in and zip my fly
Go ahead, have a vision.
I'm the man on the flaming pie

Everything I do has a simple explanation.
When I'm with you, you could do with a vacation
I took my brains out and stretched ‘em on a rack
Now I'm not so sure I'm gonna get 'em back

Cut my toes off to spite my feet.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry
Never mind, check my rhythm.
I'm the man on the flaming pie

I'm the man on the flaming pie
Now everything I do has a simple explanation
When I'm with you, you could do with a vacation.
I took my brains out and stretched ‘em on the rack.
Now I'm not too sure I'm gonna to get 'em back.

Paul McCartney lead vocal, harmony vocal, piano, drums, bass guitar, electric guitar
Jeff Lynne harmony vocal, electric guitar

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Paul McCartney/Jeff Lynne
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recorded 27 February 1996

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Heaven On A Sunday                                               Back to Top
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Paul's son, 19 year old James makes his first guitar appearance on disc. Paul said, 'I played thje acoustic stuff and left the Young Turk to play the hot electric stuff." When proud Dad suggested fomal lessons, James's response, "Well you didn't, Dad", echoed down the decades from 1950s Liverpool. Like father, like son. Or, as Paul puts it, "The saga continues..."

"I was out sailing in a small boat; just me, the sail, the wind. Peaceful, Like Heaven on a Sunday. That opening line led me through the song. I thought it's be nice to play with James, my son, so we traded phrases. Lovely to do."

Heaven On A Sunday    4:26
Peaceful, like heaven on a Sunday.
Wishful, not thinking what to do
We've been calling it love
But it's a dream we're going through

And if I only had one love
Yours would be the one I’d choose.
If I only had one love
Yours would be the one I’d choose.

Restful, like Devon on a Monday
Cooling my fingers in the bay
We've been learning a song
But it's a long and lonely blues

If I only had one love,
Yours would be the one I’d choose
If I only had one love
Yours would be the one I’d choose

It’s peaceful, like heaven on a Sunday
Wishful, not thinking what to do
We've been calling it love
But it's a dream we're going through

And if I only had one love
Yours would be the one I’d choose
If I only had one love
Yours would be the one I choose
If I only had one love
Yours would be the one I choose
If I only had one love
Yours would be the one I choose
If I only had one love
You’d be the one I choose
If I only had one love
Yours would be the one I choose
If I only had one love

You’d be the one I choose
If I only had one love

Paul McCartney lead vocal, backing vocals, drums, bass guitar, electric guitar
and acoustic solo, acoustic guitar, Fender Rhodes, harpsichord, vibraphone, percussion

Jeff Lynne backing vocals, acoustic guitar
James McCartney electric guitar solo
Linda McCartney backing vocals
Michael Thompson, Richard Bissill, Richard Watkins, John Pirgneguy French horn

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Paul McCartney/Jeff Lynne
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recording began 16 September 1996

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Used To Be Bad                                                           Back to Top
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Having enjoyed 'Young Boy' Steve Miller was keen to extend the collaboration, wanting to get Paul singing some "Texas blues". As a consequence, he arrived at their second set of sessions with dozens of guitar riffs; this prompted Paul to climb behind the drum kit and the pair played away for some time, kicking around ideas, until Miller began adding words to the jam, utilising blues lines like "I used to be bad but I don't have to be bad no more". Once the piece had gelled Paul overdubbed bass and Steve added some solos before they traded the vocal lines.

" This was just a jam, really. Steve whacked out these blues riffs, I got on the drums and we just went for it - a duet, sung on one mike. We did the vocal in one take. "

Used To Be Bad    4:08
I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
Yeah, I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
Well ain’t no doubt about it, people
It's something you can't ignore

Well, I ain't good looking
People, you know I've been up on a shelf
Yes, I know I ain't good looking
And I've been put up on the shelf
But I got a sweet disposition
I like to enjoy myself

I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
Yeah, I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
You know I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago

Well, no matter what you say
No matter what you do
You've got one life to live
It's gonna come back home to you
I used to be bad
But I don't have to be bad no more
Yeah, people, I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago

The good lord made this world
And everything that's in it
The way I see it, baby
You got to love it to the limit
Oh yes, now people
It's something you can't ignore
Yes I used to be bad
But I ain't gonna be bad no more

Well, the way you treat me darling
Made me understand
Never quit you baby
I’m gonna love you to the end.
Yeah, I used to be bad
But I ain't gonna be bad no more
Yes, I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago

Yes, I learned my lesson
A long, long time ago
Yes, I learned my lesson
You’re gonna reap just what you sow

Paul McCartney lead vocal, drums, bass guitar
Steve Miller lead vocal, electric guitar

Writers Steve Miller/Paul McCartney
Producer Paul McCartney
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recorded 5 May 1995

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Souvenirs                                                             Back to Top
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Written during a relaxing holiday in Jamaica in January 1995, the later studio recording of 'Souvenir' saw Paul anxious to replicate the easy atmosphere of his original demo, which carried the additional sounds of a ringing telephone and tropical downpour. So the demo was laid into the multi-track tape as a guide for the studio recording and each element of the original was carefully listened to and replicated. The 78-rpm-like coda was added after Jeff and Paul saw co-engineer Jon Jacobs carrying a key-fob with a built-in sound sampler. The end vocal effect was added using this as the medium.

" I had sort of Wilson Picket, R&B number in my mind with this. I could imagine some soul guy getting to grips with it. It's a favorite of mine and I'm lookinf forward, hopefully, to some R&B singer doing it. "

Souvenirs      3:38
When you're fed up shedding too many tears
And your memory seems like just so
many souvenirs
I will come to you to ease the pain

If you want me, tell me now
If I can be of any help, tell me how
Let me love you like a friend
Everything is gonna come right in the end

When you’re crying like a poor little child
And you feel like you never could
be reconciled
Don't forget a word of what I'm saying - oh

If you want me, tell me now
If I can be of any help, tell me how
Let me love you like a friend
Everything is gonna come right in the end

Well, I can hold you too tight
I could never let you go
But that wouldn't be right
So, why don't you let me know (let me know)
Let me know what you want to do

Everybody's got a handful of fear
But tomorrow it may only be a souvenir
Of the way it is 'til it went away

If you want me, tell me now
If I can be of any help, tell me how
Let me love you like a friend
Everything is gonna come right in the end

Well, I can hold you too tight
I could never let you go
But that wouldn't be right
So, why don't you let me know
Let me know what you want to do

If you want me, tell me now
If I can be of any help, tell me how
Let me love you like a friend
Everything is gonna come right in the end

Souvenir
No, not another souvenir
No, no, no, no, no, souvenir

Paul McCartney lead vocal, backing vocal, drums, piano, harpsichord,
piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar

Jeff Lynne backing vocal, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboard
Kevin Robinson trumpet
Chris 'Snake' Davis saxophone

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Jeff Lynne/Paul McCartney
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recording began 19 February 1996

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Little Willow                                                 Back to Top
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'Little Willow' was written after Paul learned of the death of a dear friend. He created the song not only as an immediate personal response to the sadness but, hopefully, as a salve for his late friend's children. The studio recording, begun ten months later (on the day that The Beatles Anthology 1, with 'Free As A Bird', was released), is an eloquent combination of voice and instrumentation, Paul's work being augmented by Jeff Lynne.

" I wanted to somehow convey how much I thought of her. For her and her kids. It certainly is heartfelt and I hope it will help a bit. "

Little Willow      2:55
Bend, little willow
Wind's gonna blow you
Hard and cold tonight

Life, as it happens
Nobody warns you
Willow, hold on tight.

Nothing's gonna shake your love
Take your love away
No one's out to break your heart
It only seems that way...hey

Sleep little willow
Peace gonna follow
Time's gonna heal your wounds
Grow to the heavens
Now and forever
Always came too soon.

Little willow

Nothing's gonna shake your love
Take your love away
No one's out to break your heart
It only seems that way...hey

Bend, little willow
Wind's gonna blow you
Hard and cold tonight
Life, as it happens
Nobody warns you
Willow, hold on tight.

Ahhh, little willow
Little willow

Paul McCartney lead vocal, backing vocal, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, Spanish guitar,
electric guitar, piano, harpsichord, harmonium, mellotron, percussion effects

Jeff Lynne backing vocal, electric spinette, harpsichord

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Paul McCartney/Jeff Lynne
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recording began 21 November 1995

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Really Love You                                                              Back to Top
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The day after Ringo and Paul recorded 'Beautiful Night' the pair returned to the studio and began a jam session, Paul plucking his Hofner Violin bass, Ringo beating the drums and Jeff Lynne playing guitar. Three pieces evolved inside half an hour, 'Really Love You' best charting the desired R&B groove, with Paul adding an off-the-cuff vocal. Credited to McCartney/Starkey - a first-ever credit for a released tune - the jam was completed by some guitar and vocal overdubs and mixed after Ringo had returned home. Played to him over the telephone by Paul, Ringo's response - "It's relentless!"  remains the best description of the finished result.

" Doing Beautiful Night with Ringo wasn't enough. I wanted more fun. So we jammed. The actor's worst dream being on stage not knowing what play he's in - doing this vocal was like that, you can go anywhere. You've got to clear your mind - and play bass - let your head go and ad-lib it all. "

Really Love You    5:14
Well, I need you
Through the night
When morning comes
I love the light.
But in the night-time
That dark is black
Come on baby
You got to help me get back

I love you, oh yeah
I really love you, oh yeah
ooh ooh ooh ooh

Do one thing
Do one thing for me
If you’ve got love
Then let me see

If you feel it in your heart
Then show it right now
You know I love you baby
I gotta get to you, get to you somehow

Oh yeah, I really love you
Oh yeah, I really love you
You know it's true

I really love you
Day and night
Yeah, I really love you
In the morning light
I really love you
Sure be right
Come on little baby
Gotta find out somehow

Yeah, yeah, really love you
Oh yeah, really love you

I love the things
You say and do
I can’t get over
How much I love you

You know you do something
Special to me
And that’s the way
I want it always to be, yeah

Oh yeah, I really love you
Oh yeah, I really love you

I need your love
Like a bear needs a break

I need your heart, baby
Hopping on a plate

I need the sunshine
Of your smile
Help me walk
Help me walk that extra mile

Little baby, I love you
Oh yeah, you know I really love you
Oh yeah, you know it’s true
Oh yeah, I love you

I love you

Paul McCartney lead vocal, backing vocal, bass guitar, electric guitar, Wurlitzer piano
Jeff Lynne backing vocal, electric guitar
Ringo Starr drums

Writers Paul McCartney/Richard Starkey
Producers Paul McCartney/Jeff Lynne
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Studio location Sussex, England
Recording began 14 May 1996

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Beautiful Night                                                              Back to Top
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Working on the Anthology prompted Paul to suggest that he and Ringo renew a collaboration not experienced for ten years. 'Beautiful Night' was a decade old itself, and a recording made in New York had been on the shelf, unused, since 1986. With Paul at the piano and Ringo on drums (playing, incidentally, a replica arrangement of his own kit, which Paul had bought and modelled on Ringo's set up after the 'Real Love sessions) the song came together comfortably. Wanting to play some guitar on the end, Paul also introduced a new element to his composition, the uptempo finale. Finally, the recording was enhanced by an orchestral arrangement scored by George Martin and overdubbed at Abbey Road on St Valentine's Day 1997.

" I unearthed this old song for when Ringo was coming, changed a dew lyrics and it was really like the old days, I realised that we hadn't done this for so long, but it was very comfortable. And it was still there. "

Beautiful Night     5:03
Someone's gone out fishing
Someone's high and dry.
Someone's on a mission to the lonely Lorelei.
Some folk’s got a vision of a castle in the sky
And I'm left stranded, wondering why.

You and me together
Nothing feels so good
Even if I get a medal from my local neighbourhood
I won't need a castle, they've got castles in Versailles
And I'm still stranded, wondering why.

Make it a beautiful night for me
It's a beautiful night for love
A wonderful sight for lovers of love to behold
Make it a beautiful night for me
It's a beautiful night for love
A wonderful sight for lovers of love to behold

Some boat’s on the ocean
We’re here in this room
Seems to me the perfect way to spend an afternoon
We can look for castles, pretty castles in the sky
No more wondering, wondering why.

Things can go wrong, things can go right
Things can go bump, in the dead of the night
So let me be there, let me be there
Let me be there with you in the dead of the night

Make it a beautiful night for me
It's a beautiful night for love
A wonderful sight for lovers of love to behold
Make it a beautiful night for me
It's a beautiful night for love
A wonderful sight for lovers of love to behold

Yeah, it's a beautiful night
Yeah, it's a beautiful night

Yeah, beautiful night, beautiful night
It’s such a beautiful night, beautiful night
(repeat to fade)

Paul McCartney lead vocal, backing vocal, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar,
piano, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond organ, additional percussion

Jeff Lynne backing vocal, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Ringo Starr drums, backing vocal at end, additional percussion
Linda McCartney backing vocals

Writer Paul McCartney Orchestration George Martin
Producers Paul McCartney/Jeff Lynne
Engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs, assisted by Keith Smith
Orchestral session engineers Geoff Emerick/Jon Jacobs/Peter Cobbin, assisted by Paul Hicks
Studio location Sussex, England; orchestra recorded at Abbey Road, London, England
Recording began 13 May 1996

Conductor David Snell; trumpets John Barclay, Andrew Crowley, Mark Bennett;
trombones Richard Edwards, Andy Fawbert; horns Michael Thompson, Richard Watkins, Nigel Black;
violins Marcia Crayford, Adrian Levine, Belinda Bunt, Bernard Partridge, Jackie Hartley,
Keith Pascoe, David Woodcock, Roger Garland, Julian Tear, Briony Shaw, Rita Manning,
Jeremy Williams, David Ogden, Botustav Kostecki, Maciej Rakowski, Jonathan Rees;
violas Robert Smissen, Stephen Tees, Levine Andade, Philip Dukey, Ivo Van Der Werff, Graeme Scott;
celli Anthony Pleeth, Stephen Orton, Martin Loveday, Robert Bailey; double bass Chriss Laurence,
Robin McGee; flute Susan Milan; oboe David Theodore

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Great Day                                                       Back to Top
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Seeking a short, simple song to close Flaming Pie, Paul McCartney has searched back 25 years to find 'Great Day', an acoustic number that he and Linda used to perform "sitting around the kitchen or when the children were dancing". The candlelit evenings in Long Island, enforced by Hurricane Bob in August 1991, not only led Paul to write 'Calico Skies' but also found him plucking this one from the memory vault. So, a year later, in the same session that he recorded his new number with George Martin, Paul also committed 'Great Day' to tape for the first time (despite its years), not changing a hair of the arrangement or lyric.

" It's just a little upbeat song of hope - to the point and in the spirit of this whole album. "

Great Day     2:06
When you're wide awake
Say it for goodness sake
It's gonna be a great day,
While you’re standing there
Get up and grab a chair,
It's gonna be a great day.

And it won't be long, oh no
It won't be long, it won't be long, no no
It won't be long, it won't be long, oh no
It won’t be long, it won’t be long, ooh yeah

Ooh, ooh, yeah
Gonna be a great day

And it won't be long, oh no
It won't be long, it won't be long, no no
It won't be long, it won't be long, oh no
It won’t be long, it won’t be long, oh

When you're wide awake
Say it for goodness sake,
It's gonna be a great day.
While you’re standing there
Get up and grab a chair
It's gonna be a great day.

Paul McCartney vocal, acoustic guitar, leg slap/percussion
Linda McCartney backing vocals

Writer Paul McCartney
Producers Paul McCartney/George Martin
Engineer Bob Kraushaar
Studio location Sussex, England
Recorded 3 September 1992