- Album This song officially appears on the London Town Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
May 1 to May 31, 1977
October 25 to December 1, 1977
December 3 to 14, 1977
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Song facts
From popmatters, June 14, 2012 – Seven of Paul McCartney’s Most Underrated Songs:
There are two different types of people in the world. Those who think “Morse Moose & The Grey Goose”, is a completely silly mess, and those who love it. I happen to belong to the latter group, and I saw we’re a lot more fun! I mean, how can anyone hate this? Equivalent to an ambitious sequel of “Yellow Submarine” with echoes of “Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey”, the song details a really rocking radio conversation between a warplane (Grey Goose) and a sub (Morse Moose).
Last updated on October 16, 2016
Lyrics
Right on down at the bottom of the sea
Tell me are you receiving me?
My name is Morse Moose and I'm calling you
The Grey Goose was a steady boat
People said she'd never float
One night when the moon was high
The grey goose flew away
As we were sailing ‘round the rocks
The mate took out his compass box
And said the wind is like a fox
But the grey goose flew away
When out upon the open sea
The Admiral, the Mate and me
Prepared to face eternity
But the grey goose flew away
She flew into the stormy sea
Davy Jones was calling me
But heading for tranquility
The grey goose flew away
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1978
6:34 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Electric piano, Mellotron, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Piano
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Joe English :
- Drums
- Mark Vigars :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Henderson :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Churchyard :
- Assistant engineer
- Gavin Wright :
- Violin
- Session Recording:
- May 1 to May 31, 1977
- Studio :
- Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin Islands
- Session Overdubs:
- November 1977
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- December 3 to 14, 1977
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1993
6:34 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Electric piano, Mellotron, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Keyboards
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Piano
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Electric guitar
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Joe English :
- Drums
- Mark Vigars :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Henderson :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Churchyard :
- Assistant engineer
- Gavin Wright :
- Violin
- Session Recording:
- May 1 to May 31, 1977
- Studio :
- Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin Islands
- Session Overdubs:
- November 1977
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- December 3 to 14, 1977
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Bootlegs
Unofficial album • Released in 1999
6:37 • Rough mix • From Stereo 1978 Test Pressing Acetate - With Rough Different Mix
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
Going further
Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989
With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.
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I love this song, to me it is a superb rocker, and Paul plays a really mean bass plus agressive unmatched vocals.
This is (yet another) unregarded gem of Paul's. Had he not written so many other brilliant songs this one would, perhaps, garner more attention. The story is nonsense of course, but the music and its arrangement are urgent and sublime.
There is also this extended (14:45) fan mix of it on YouTube that is especially well done:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Cl8G6DwRg
I'm fascinated by this track. Does the Grey Goose start as a boat and then become a plane?
Another one of those cryptic lyrics that everyone can interpret in different ways, I presume :) The London Town pages are pretty weak for now - hope for "London Town" reissue in 2022 to force me to revisit and enrich those !
Brilliant, brillant song
good