- Album This song officially appears on the Off The Ground Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
December 1991 - July 1992
Overdubs for "Golden Earth Girl"
May 18, 1992
September - October 1992
"Working Classical" session for string quartet pieces
February 21-25th, 1999
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Song facts
“Golden Earth Girl” is a ballad from 1993 album “Off The Ground“.
Paul was thinking of doing that with an orchestra and I don’t quite know how it became a band number. But it works. All we added was a flute and an oboe playing the melody in the solo section.
Hamish Stuart – From the “New World Tour” tour book
The orchestra part was arranged by Carl Davis, who previously worked with Paul on the Liverpool Oratorio. Gordon Hunt played oboe and Susan Milan flute.
Carl Davis: Paul was able to say, ‘I want to add a flute here and there’, and this is what I want them to play. The score was done by me, but very dictated by Paul.
Gordon Hunt: […] The music was all written down. Carl was in the studio when I got there. Paul came out from the recording box and talked to us, me and Susan Milan on flute. […] He knew exactly where he wanted it to go… He got a very clear idea about the solo: how it should be phrased, how it should be sounding. I was very impressed by that […]
Exclusive interview from Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013)
Last updated on June 15, 2019
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.
"Golden Earth Girl" is one of the 154 songs covered.
Lyrics
Golden earth girl, female animal
Sings to the wind, resting at sunset
In a mossy nest
Sensing moonlight in the air
(Moonlight in the air)
Good clear water friend of wilderness
Sees in the pool her own reflection.
In another world
Someone over there is counting.
Fish in a sunbeam,
In eggshell seas.
Fish in a sunbeam.
Eggshell finish.
Natures lover climbs the primrose hill,
Smiles at the sky watching the sunset
From a mossy nest.
As she falls asleep she's counting ...
Fish in a sunbeam,
In eggshell seas.
Fish in a sunbeam.
Eggshell finish.
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1993
3:45 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Arrangement, Backing vocals, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Harmonium
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Paul Wickens :
- Keyboards, Percussion
- Blair Cunningham :
- Drums
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Gordon Hunt :
- Oboe
- Susan Milan :
- Flute
- Carl Davis :
- Arrangement, Orchestra conductor
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- May 18, 1992
- Studio :
- The Hit Factory - Whitfield Street Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Off the Ground - The Complete Works
Official album • Released in 1993
3:45 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Arrangement, Backing vocals, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Harmonium
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Paul Wickens :
- Keyboards, Percussion
- Blair Cunningham :
- Drums
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Gordon Hunt :
- Oboe
- Susan Milan :
- Flute
- Carl Davis :
- Arrangement, Orchestra conductor
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- May 18, 1992
- Studio :
- The Hit Factory - Whitfield Street Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1999
1:57 • Classical version • B
- Paul McCartney :
- Executive producer
- Eddie Klein :
- Recording engineer
- Keith Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Steve Rooke :
- Mastering
- Krista Bennion Feeney :
- First violin
- Anca Nicolau :
- Second violin
- Joanna Hood :
- Viola
- Myron Lutzke :
- Cello
- Loma Mar Quartet :
- Arranger
- Performed by :
- Loma Mar Quartet
- John Fraser :
- Producer
- Arne Akselberg :
- Balance engineer
- Paul Baily :
- Editor
- Caroline Haigh :
- Editor
- Session Recording:
- February 21-25th, 1999
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
Off The Ground - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
3:45 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Arrangement, Backing vocals, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Harmonium
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Paul Wickens :
- Keyboards, Percussion
- Blair Cunningham :
- Drums
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Gordon Hunt :
- Oboe
- Susan Milan :
- Flute
- Carl Davis :
- Arrangement, Orchestra conductor
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- May 18, 1992
- Studio :
- The Hit Factory - Whitfield Street Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
3:43 • Studio version • Backing track channel mix
Live performances
“Golden Earth Girl” has been played in 1 concerts.
Latest concerts where Golden Earth Girl has been played
London • Royal Albert Hall • United Kingdom
Nov 03, 2006 • Part of Ecce Cor Meum
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I would like to know Pauls story behind this song….