Anyway

Written by Paul McCartney

Album This song officially appears on the Chaos and Creation in the Backyard Official album.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 2005
Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 2004 (Paul McCartney was 62 years old)

Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions



Related interviews



Interview with Gary Crowley

July 2005 • From EMI


He Can Work It Out

October 2005 • From Bass Player

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Song facts

Anyway” is a track from Paul McCartney’s 2005 album “Chaos And Creation In The Backyard“. From an interview of Paul McCartney by Gary Crowley:

(Sings) ‘Anyway, anyway,’ yeah, it started off as the (sings) ‘If you need me,’ the little verse thing, (sings) ‘won’t you call me?’ which is just about, ‘If you love me will you call me?’ And  then, you know, it was going quite straightforward and for some reason I was getting this feeling, again, why do you get these feelings?  I don’t know, but I was getting this feeling as if it was the deep south of America, like Charlestown, Savannah, something about the chords, I think.  There was just something reminding me, almost sort of Randy Newman kind of thing, I thought I was doing.  As always it turns out nothing like him but at the time I think I’m doing this thing, so that was going on.  Then I got these other chords that sort of happen half way through the verse which were Oooh, really sort of started to inspire me then.  (Sings) ‘Only love is strong enough to take it on the chin,’ and that started to move it into a slightly other area which then led up to this, (sings) ‘Anyway, anyway, you can make that call.’  So then it was written and took it, recorded it in Los Angeles and then got our string arranger out there, we use two string people, one’s David Campbell, happens to be Beck’s dad, or Beck happens to be his son, and then we use a guy, Joby Talbot, over here who’s very good too, he’s our English guy, and took it to David and we did a little string arrangement on it and so that kind of sewed it all up, you know, and it was sort of a ballad Anyway.

Paul McCartney – from 2005 UK promotional-only interview CD, recorded July 2005 at Air Studios in London

Paul McCartney in "Conversations With McCartney", by Paul Du Noyer:

‘Anyway’ was a little song that became a bigger song. The thoughts in it are quite little, but somehow when you set it down as a song it becomes bigger. And those kind of surprises are what I do music for.

Last updated on January 17, 2021

Lyrics

If you love me, won't you call me
I've been waiting, waiting too long
In my soul is constant yearning
Always singing, singing this song

Only love is strong enough
To take it on the chin
When did I begin, to fall

Anyway, Anyway
You can make, that call
You feel free, to make yourself at home

If we could be, closer longer
That would help me, help me so much
We can cure each other's sorrow
Won't you please, please, please get in touch

If a love is strong enough, it may never end
Why would I pretend, to fall
Anyway, Anyway
You can make, that call
You feel free, to make yourself at home

Anyway, Anyway
Anyway, at all
Anyway that you can make that call

Officially appears on


Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (Special Edition)

Official album

3:50 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Bosendorfer grand piano, Cello, Gibson l5 electric guitar, Harmonium, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Moog, Steinway grand piano, Vocals.
Millennia Ensemble :
Strings and brass
Nigel Godrich :
Producer
Darrell Thorp :
Engineer
Joby Talbot :
Orchestra conductor, String arrangement
Dan Grech-Marguerat :
Production assistant

Session Recording:
November 2004
Studio :
Ocean Way Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA

Session Overdubs:
April 2005
Studio :
AIR Studios Lyndhurst, 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


Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (Special Edition)

Official album

3:50 • Studio versionA1 • Instrumental version

Paul McCartney :
Bosendorfer grand piano, Cello, Gibson l5 electric guitar, Harmonium, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Moog, Steinway grand piano
Millennia Ensemble :
Strings and brass
Nigel Godrich :
Producer
Darrell Thorp :
Engineer
Joby Talbot :
Orchestra conductor, String arrangement
Dan Grech-Marguerat :
Production assistant

Session Recording:
November 2004
Studio :
Ocean Way Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA

Session Overdubs:
April 2005
Studio :
AIR Studios Lyndhurst, 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


Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Japanese edition)

Official album • Released in 2005

3:50 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Bosendorfer grand piano, Cello, Gibson l5 electric guitar, Harmonium, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Moog, Steinway grand piano, Vocals.
Millennia Ensemble :
Strings and brass
Nigel Godrich :
Producer
Darrell Thorp :
Engineer
Joby Talbot :
Orchestra conductor, String arrangement
Dan Grech-Marguerat :
Production assistant

Session Recording:
November 2004
Studio :
Ocean Way Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA

Session Overdubs:
April 2005
Studio :
AIR Studios Lyndhurst, 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


Chaos and Creation in the Backyard

Official album • Released in 2005

3:50 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Bosendorfer grand piano, Cello, Gibson l5 electric guitar, Harmonium, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Moog, Steinway grand piano, Vocals.
Millennia Ensemble :
Strings and brass
Nigel Godrich :
Producer
Darrell Thorp :
Engineer
Joby Talbot :
Orchestra conductor, String arrangement
Dan Grech-Marguerat :
Production assistant

Session Recording:
November 2004
Studio :
Ocean Way Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA

Session Overdubs:
April 2005
Studio :
AIR Studios Lyndhurst, 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


Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Limited Edition - Gold LP)

Official album • Released in 2018

3:50 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Bosendorfer grand piano, Cello, Gibson l5 electric guitar, Harmonium, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Moog, Steinway grand piano, Vocals.
Millennia Ensemble :
Strings and brass
Nigel Godrich :
Producer
Darrell Thorp :
Engineer
Joby Talbot :
Orchestra conductor, String arrangement
Dan Grech-Marguerat :
Production assistant

Session Recording:
November 2004
Studio :
Ocean Way Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA

Session Overdubs:
April 2005
Studio :
AIR Studios Lyndhurst, 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


Acoustic

Unofficial album

3:50 • Outtake


Chronicles in the Backyard Disc 4

Unofficial album • Released in 2006

3:58 • Radio show


Chronicles in the Backyard Disc 4

Unofficial album • Released in 2006

3:50 • Studio versionA1 • Instrumental version

Paul McCartney :
Bosendorfer grand piano, Cello, Gibson l5 electric guitar, Harmonium, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Moog, Steinway grand piano
Millennia Ensemble :
Strings and brass
Nigel Godrich :
Producer
Darrell Thorp :
Engineer
Joby Talbot :
Orchestra conductor, String arrangement
Dan Grech-Marguerat :
Production assistant

Session Recording:
November 2004
Studio :
Ocean Way Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA

Session Overdubs:
April 2005
Studio :
AIR Studios Lyndhurst, 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


Chronicles in the Backyard Disc 2

Unofficial album • Released in 2006


Chaos And Creation In The Backyard - Ultimate Archive Collection

Unofficial album • Released in 2015

3:50 • Studio versionA1 • Instrumental version

Paul McCartney :
Bosendorfer grand piano, Cello, Gibson l5 electric guitar, Harmonium, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Moog, Steinway grand piano
Millennia Ensemble :
Strings and brass
Nigel Godrich :
Producer
Darrell Thorp :
Engineer
Joby Talbot :
Orchestra conductor, String arrangement
Dan Grech-Marguerat :
Production assistant

Session Recording:
November 2004
Studio :
Ocean Way Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA

Session Overdubs:
April 2005
Studio :
AIR Studios Lyndhurst, 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

Live performances

“Anyway” has been played in 3 concerts and 1 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where Anyway has been played


Zane Lowe Interviews McCartney

Sep 12, 2005 • • Radio show


Front Row, BBC Radio 4

Aug 29, 2005 • United Kingdom • Radio show


Sold On Song

Jul 27, 2005 • United Kingdom • London • Abbey Road Studios • Radio show

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