Arrow Through Me

Written by Paul McCartney

Album This song officially appears on the Back To The Egg Official album.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1979

Master release


Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions


"Back To The Egg" sessions #1

June 29 - July 27, 1978


"Back To The Egg" sessions #3

October - December 1978

Related interviews




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Song facts

There are some songs that I just hadn’t heard literally since I recorded them. One was called Arrow Through Me. That is a kind of funky little thing.

Paul McCartney, 2016

Arrow Through Me” is a track from “Back To The Egg“, the latest album by Wings released in 1979. From Wikipedia:

Arrow Through Me“, unlike most songs on Back to the Egg, is more pop-oriented than rock-oriented. Ultimate Classic Rock contributor Nick DeRiso compared the keyboard bass line to those of Stevie Wonder and also praised the “inventive undulating polyrhythm” played by drummer Steve Holley. DeRiso rated “Arrow Right Through Me” to be Wings’ 8th greatest song.

It was the A-side of the second US single released from Back to the Egg and peaked at number 29. The B-side was “Old Siam, Sir“, which was the A-side of the first UK single.

The rumour that it inspired ABC’s 1982 hit “Poison Arrow” is false, although there are similarities in its music video to that of Wings’ “Goodnight Tonight“, released the same year.

The song was used with the opening credits of, and as a main melody line through, the 1980 movie Oh! Heavenly Dog, starring Chevy Chase, Jane Seymour and Benji. In 2010, neo-soul artist Erykah Badu sampled “Arrow Through Me” on an album track called “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long” on her CD ‘New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh‘. It also appeared in the WKRP in Cincinnati episode “God Talks to Johnny” (1979).

From Club Sandwich N°16, 1979:

“Arrow Through Me” at the end of side one was next on the Agenda. This is the only song on the L.P. using a full band line up but without using a proper Bass or Bass guitar part. The format is drums, moog synthesizers, a clavinet and the Fender Rhodes electric Piano which assumes a Bass role. The brass was added to this track later in the year by Wings usual Horn section of Tony Dorsey, Steve Howard, Thadeus Richard and Howie Casey.

Mark Vigars

That’s a killer song and, I think, one of Paul’s most underrated compositions. It’s been forgotten because rock radio has only embraced the stuff that got the heavy airplay. I think it was Steve’s idea to do the double-speed drums. There are two drum parts – the regular drum part and the double-speed part. Of the Wings drummers, Steve Holly was the most classic English rocker of all. Denny Seiwell was a great drummer, but he was basically an American jazz drummer. Joe English was a American style drummer, too, whereas Steve, of all the drummers that Paul has worked with, was probably the one that played the least like Paul – and the least like Ringo. Paul has the tendency to choose drummers that play more like him, or more like Ringo. But Steve Holly stands out, because he comes from a different space.

Laurence Juber – 2012 interview for Something Else!

There are occasions in the recording process where tracks can be laid down with just a few players. “Arrow Through Me” is based on only a Fender Rhodes electric piano, and two drum tracks from Steve, one recorded with tape slowed down to half its normal speed and then played back normally. Some time later, we were overdubbing the horn section at Abbey Road in Studio 3 when Paul Simon stopped by and remarked on the great bass sound. He was shocked to learn that it was Paul’s left hand keyboard part. I’ve always enjoyed the understated harmonic sophistication of this tune and revisited it for my One Wing album.

Laurence Juber, in Guitar With Wings, 2014

Q: Was there anything when you went through the stuff that surprised you at what you did?

A: There are some songs that I just hadn’t heard literally since I recorded them. One was called Arrow Through Me. That is a kind of funky little thing. Interesting harmonies, interesting brass riff. As I say, something I recorded and then not listened to again.

Q: Was that from Back To The Egg?

A: You tell me! I am my worst analyst. I have no idea. I am terrible you know. I just recorded them and sort of move on.​

Paul McCartney in 2016, while promoting “Pure McCartney”

Arrow Through Me. Denny and I had the day off! No guitar at all.

Laurence Juber, from Club Sandwich N°14, April / May 1979

Last updated on March 7, 2020

The book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present", published in 2021, covers Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, the Beatles, Wings, and solo careers, by pairing the lyrics of 154 of his songs with first-person commentaries of the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.

"Arrow Through Me" is one of the 154 songs covered.

Lyrics

oh baby you couldn't
Have done a worse thing to me
If you'd have taken an arrow
And run it right through me*
Ooh ooh baby a bird in the hand
Is worth two flying
But when it came to love
I knew you'd be lying

It could have been
A finer fling
Would have been a
Major attraction
With no other thing
Offering a
Note of distraction
Come on get up
Get under way
And bring your love

**Ooh baby you wouldn't have
Found a more down hero
If you'd have started at nothing
And counted to zero

Repeat*
It could have been
A finer fling
Flying in a righter direction
With no other thing
Featuring but love and affection
Come on get up
Get under way
And bring your love

**Ooh baby you wouldn't have
Found a more down hero
If you'd have started at nothing
And counted to zero

Repeat*

It could have been
A finer fling
Flying in a righter direction
With no other thing
Featuring but love and affection
Come on get up
Get under way
And bring your love

Repeat**

Officially appears on


Back To The Egg

Official album • Released in 1979

3:37 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Arrow Through Me

7" Single • Released in 1979

3:37 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Arrow Through Me

7" Single • Released in 1979

3:37 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Arrow Through Me / Old Siam, Sir

7" Single • Released in 1979

3:37 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Back To The Egg (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

3:37 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Pure McCartney

Official album • Released in 2016

3:37 • Studio versionA2016 • 2016 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns
Alex Wharton :
Remastering

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Pure McCartney (Deluxe)

Official album • Released in 2016

3:37 • Studio versionA2016 • 2016 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns
Alex Wharton :
Remastering

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


The 7” Singles Box

7" Single • Released in 2022

3:37 • Studio versionA2016

Paul McCartney :
Electric piano, Producer, Synthesizers, Vocals
Howie Casey :
Horns
Steve Holley :
Drums, Flexatone
Thaddeus Richard :
Horns
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Phil McDonald :
Recording engineer
Chris Thomas :
Producer
Steve Howard :
Horns
Tony Dorsey :
Horns
Alex Wharton :
Remastering

Session Recording:
June 29 - July 27, 1978
Studio :
Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

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


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.12

Unofficial album

3:35 • Studio version


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.12

Unofficial album

3:43 • Studio version


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.14

Unofficial album

3:49 • Studio version


Eggs Up

Unofficial album

3:42 • Outtake


Eggs Up

Unofficial album

2:59 • Outtake


Films


Arrow Through Me

1979 • For Wings • Directed by Keith McMillan

Live performances

“Arrow Through Me” has been played in 18 concerts.

Latest concerts where Arrow Through Me has been played


Concert For The People of Kampuchea

Dec 29, 1979 • United Kingdom • London • Hammersmith Odeon






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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Bill Cushing 3 years ago

Arrow Through Me is also prominently featured in Episode 2 of Hulu’s High Fidelity.



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