Recording studio: Hog Hill Studio • Rye • UK
Previous session Aug 21-22, 1986 • "Beautiful Night" / "Loveliest Thing" session
Album Aug 22, 1986 • "Press To Play" by Paul McCartney released in the US
Article Aug 26, 1986 • "The Real Buddy Holly" released on home video in the UK
Session September / October 1986 • Overdubs for Cold Cuts project
Interview Autumn 1986 • Paul McCartney interview for Club Sandwich
Article Early September 1986 • 11th Buddy Holly Week
Next session Oct 31, 1986 • Mixing "Blue Sway", "A Love For You"
AlbumSome of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "McCartney II - Archive Collection" Official album
In Autumn 1986, Paul McCartney had another try at his project to make an album of unreleased songs – a project named Cold Cuts or Hot Hitz and Kold Kutz – with the help of arranger-producer Richard Niles.
In 1986 I was asked to meet Paul McCartney to work on an album to be called “Cold Cuts” – unreleased (‘cold’) tracks. He had heard my work on Grace Jones’ Slave To The Rhythm and wanted someone who, like George Martin, was an arranger-producer. He asked me to go through 14 tracks and add or replace whatever was necessary to complete them for release. One of these tracks was “Blue Sway” to which I added a large string section and the wonderful Dick Morrissey wailing away on tenor sax.
Richard Niles, from his official website
From the McCartney II archive collection, 2011:
I got a call saying that Paul McCartney wanted to see me about a project called Cold Cuts – tracks that had been unfinished over the past 20 years. George Martin was busy on another project and McCartney was looking for someone who, like Martin, was an arranger-producer. […]
I travelled down to his studio and as we went through every song, I told him what I thought each needed – orchestration, new drums or guitar, synthesiser or backing vocals. McCartney was absolutely happy to leave the entire recording to me. When he had ideas, they were expressed clearly in non-technical language. But when he was working with people he trusted, he let them do their job. […] Any musicians or studios I required were made available to me. And he himself was always focused and ready to work.
As for Blue Sway, it was one of the 14 songs I worked on. I took the tracks to the stage of rough mixes, but before the final mixes were done the project was put on indefinite hold as McCartney became involved in another project. […]
Richard Niles, from the McCartney II archive collection, 2011
The following track list for this nth version of Cold Cuts album was considered.
Side One:
Side Two:
This is Waterspout as it stood when it was being reworked in 1987 for that year’s version of the unreleased Cold Cuts project and later on All the Best. Although really close for inclusion on the latter album, it was ultimately dropped. Although lossy, we can tell that the track has been worked on quite a bit since it was last reworked for the scrapped 1981 version of Cold Cuts.
For starters, ad libs that were buried in the 1981 mix are now audible. The vocal is now single tracked, and a TON of backing vocals were added onto this version, turning into a full on choir during the bridges. There are small lyric changes during the verses. Instrumentally, the song is the same, although remixed. The bass is now at the front, and an extra bass drum is added. Whether this is an actual bass drum or a drum machine is totally up for debate. Contrary to popular belief, the brass parts were added during the 1981 sessions for Cold Cuts, so this was not an addition made in 1987.
Even though I usually list personnel for these tracks, I am not going to attempt here. The song was worked on at different stages throughout a ten year period so it is hard to pinpoint who worked on what throughout the years. My guess is the instrumental was all Paul. He, Linda and Denny are all present on the backing vocals, although it is only Paul and Linda (that we know of) who did backing vocals on the 1987 mix. Denny’s vocal parts in this version are sparse, really only showing up at the end.
From Waterspout (1987 Mix) – YouTube
Mixing "Blue Sway", "A Love For You"
Oct 31, 1986 • Songs recorded during this session appear on McCartney II - Archive Collection
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda Eastman / McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda Eastman / McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Written by Gerald H. Nelson, Fred B. Burch
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda Eastman / McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda Eastman / McCartney
Recording
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Best Friend (aka "Why Did You Treat Me So Bad?")
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda Eastman / McCartney
Recording
Cage (aka "Emotional Moments")
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording
Oct 31, 1986 • Mixing "Blue Sway", "A Love For You"
Oct 31, 1986 • Mixing "Blue Sway", "A Love For You"
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.
Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium
Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium is the ultimate look at the careers of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr beyond the Beatles. Every aspect of their professional careers as solo artists is explored, from recording sessions, record releases and tours, to television, film and music videos, including everything in between. From their early film soundtrack work to the officially released retrospectives, all solo efforts by the four men are exhaustively examined.
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