Don't Let It Bring You Down
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- Album This song officially appears on the London Town Official album.
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
Latest concerts where Don't Let It Bring You Down has been played
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.