- Album This song officially appears on the London Town Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Recording "Don't Let It Bring You Down"
May 25, 1977
October 25 to December 1, 1977
Overdubs for "Don't Let It Bring You Down"
Nov 24, 1977
Mixing "Don't Let It Bring You Down"
Jan 18, 1978
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Song facts
Paul first started working on the song in September 1975, during the Scottish leg of the Wings World Tour: “I (was) sitting in our hotel bedroom just before we were going to turn in for the night and I had my 12-string guitar with me (…) I started plonking out a little tune and it became Don’t Let It Bring You Down.”
“I think we were in Aberdeen, sitting in our hotel bedroom, just before we were going to turn in for the night, and I started plonking out a little tune and it became “Don’t Let It Bring You Down.”
Last updated on February 19, 2021
Lyrics
Though some things in life are hard to bear
Don't let it bring you down
Should the sand of time run out on you
Don't let it bring you down
Don't go down - don't go underground
Things seem strange, but they change
How they change
Up and down your carousel will go
Don't let it bring you down
Don't go down - don't get out of town
Get to know how it goes, how it goes
When the price you have to pay is high
Don't let it bring you down
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1978
4:35 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Irish tin whistle, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Irish tin whistle
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Acoustic guitar (?)
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Joe English :
- Brushes, Drums
- Mark Vigars :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Henderson :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Churchyard :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- May 25, 1977
- Studio :
- Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin
- Session Overdubs:
- November 24, 1977
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Wednesday, January 18, 1978
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
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
4:35 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Irish tin whistle, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Irish tin whistle
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Acoustic guitar (?)
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Joe English :
- Brushes, Drums
- Mark Vigars :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Henderson :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Churchyard :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- May 25, 1977
- Studio :
- Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin
- Session Overdubs:
- November 24, 1977
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Wednesday, January 18, 1978
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
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 2016
4:35 • Studio version • A2016 • 2016 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Irish tin whistle, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Irish tin whistle
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Acoustic guitar (?)
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Joe English :
- Brushes, Drums
- Mark Vigars :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Henderson :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Churchyard :
- Assistant engineer
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- May 25, 1977
- Studio :
- Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin
- Session Overdubs:
- November 24, 1977
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Wednesday, January 18, 1978
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
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
4:43 • Rough mix • From Stereo 1978 Test Pressing Acetate - With Rough Different Mix
London Town - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
4:35 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Irish tin whistle, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Irish tin whistle
- Jimmy McCulloch :
- Acoustic guitar (?)
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Joe English :
- Brushes, Drums
- Mark Vigars :
- Assistant engineer
- Pete Henderson :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Churchyard :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- May 25, 1977
- Studio :
- Record Plant Mobile Studio, Fair Carol Yacht, US Virgin
- Session Overdubs:
- November 24, 1977
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Wednesday, January 18, 1978
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
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
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.
https://macca-news.blogspot.com/2020/04/paul-mccartney-dont-let-it-bring-you-down.html
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To my ear that is Denny Laine on electric guitar in the musical intro.
Interesting thought Pete. I came here to check who was credited to the electric guitar work in the song.