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Released in 2018

Come On To Me

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on March 27, 2021

Album This song officially appears on the I Don't Know / Come On To Me Streaming.

Timeline This song was officially released in 2018

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interviews

“Come On To Me” is a song written by Paul McCartney, and released alongside “I Don’t Know” as a Double-A single in June 2018, ahead of the release of McCartney’s 2018 “Egypt Station” album. From the press release:

Following a whirlwind week that saw his Instagram presence rebooted as he played one of the most intimate gigs of his storied career, Paul McCartney is done keeping the world in suspense: ‘I Don’t Know’ and ‘Come On To Me’, will be released tomorrow as a double A-Side single.

The first tastes of Paul’s brand new studio album due out later this year on Capitol Records, the two A-sides are polar opposites: ‘I Don’t Know’ being a plaintive, soul-soothing ballad as only Paul can deliver, and ‘Come On To Me’ a raucous stomper that fans that first spark of chemistry into a rocking blaze.

Worldwide speculation about a new Paul McCartney album instantly reached fever pitch as his Instagram account whited out last week—only to ratchet higher as Paul was spotted taking selfies at landmarks in Liverpool the same day. The evening’s climactic event was a surprise gig at the tiny Liverpool Philharmonic Pub, during which ‘Come On To Me’ made its live debut alongside a set of classics spanning Paul’s career.

From “Words Between The Tracks” YouTube series:

“Come On To Me” is sort of a pick-up song, and I’m imagining myself, probably in the sixties, going to a party and seeing someone and thinking “oh okay, how do I make an approach here?”. So it’s a sort of, it’s an imaginary song, a fantasy song about a guy seeing someone and thinking “we should try and find a place to be alone here, and maybe exchange information and stuff, and hey you look like you flashed a smile and said to me you wanted so much more than casual conversation. So would you come on to me, or am I going to come on to you?

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney interviewed for Sodajerker podcast, 2018:

Come On To Me, was another one that held up great with the older stuff at the Abbey Road gig, it’s another kind of spicy lyric, that one, isn’t it?

Yeah, I mean, let’s face it, we all have these thoughts and for me, I often remember, occasions and places where it was, and to me, that’s straight out of the sixties. Some of the parties in the sixties, where you’d see a beautiful girl and she’d just give you a sort of look and you’d go, ‘oh, I’m on, I’m on or whatever,’ you know, and we all know about that! So it just seemed like a good subject for a song and then once I got the idea – I saw you flash a smile, seemed to me to say you wanted so much more than casual conversation – and I was off. That was sort of how it happened in the sixties at the parties, it’s just an imaginary thing and I write a lot of those, like, little mini novels or little short stories based on something I’ve seen or thought or done.

Paul McCartney

McCartney’s first live performance of “Come On to Me” was at a surprise intimate show at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Dining Rooms on 9 June 2018, as part of the taping of his “Carpool Karaoke” segment for The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Three music videos showing three different characters, working the night shift and dancing on the song “Come On To Me”, were produced, and finally mixed together into a fourth version. All those videos were released in October 2018.

From Twitter – ‘Come On To Me’ #EgyptStation #PaulMcCartney
Each track of “Egypt Station” has been given individual artwork that was first published on Twitter on August 14, 2018

Lyrics

I saw you flash a smile

That seemed to me to say

You wanted so much more

Than casual conversation

I swear I caught a look

Before you turned away

Now I don't see the point

Resisting your temptation

Did you come on to me

Will I come home to you

If you come on to me

Well I'll come on to you

I don't think I can wait

Like I'm supposed to do

How soon can we arrange

A formal introduction

We need to find a place

Where we can be alone

To spend some special time

Without an interruption

If you come on to me

Will I come on to you

If you come on to me

Well I'll come on to you

Before you grab your coat, I'll try to be discreet

You know we can't be seen

Exchanging information

I saw you flash a smile

That seemed to me to say

You wanted so much more

Than casual conversation

If you come on to me

Then I'll come on to you

If you come on to me

Then I'll come on to you

Yes I will, yes I will, yes I will now

Yes I will, yes I will, yes I will now

If you come on to me

Then I'll come on to you

If you come on to me

Then I'll come on to you

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Variations

  • A Original version
  • A1 Radio edit
  • L1 Live at Abbey Road Studios

Officially appears on

See all official recordings containing “Come On To Me”

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Come On To Me”

Related films

Videos

Album Egypt Station - Explorer's Edition

Album Egypt Station - Traveller's Edition

Concert Sep 07, 2018 in New York

Live performances

“Come On To Me” has been played in 106 concerts and 3 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where “Come On To Me” has been played

See all concerts where “Come On To Me” has been played

Going further

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

T.M. • 7 years ago

The chorus lyrics in the "Lyrics" section of this page differ from those shown in the photo of Macca's notes.

The PaulMcCartney Project • 7 years ago

Thanks T.M. Many mistakes in those lyrics - but good news, we now have a detailed view on the deluxe package, with readable lyrics - https://s3.amazonaws.com/broadtime_photo/418459501370 ! I've updated accordingly !

Linda • 1 year ago

It's strange that McCartney feels the need to explain this song as if it has some esoteric meaning. Or that it's imaginary. Why the 60's? This mundane situation could take place in any decade.

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