Written in 1995
Written by Yoko Ono • Unreleased
Last updated on August 10, 2025
Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1995, when Paul McCartney was 53 years old)
This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:
"Hiroshima Sky Is Always Blue" session
Jan 28, 1995
From Daily News, August 6, 1995:
Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono have officially buried the hatchet they’ve collaborated on a song to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima. “Hiroshima Sky Is Always Blue” will be broadcast on Japanese television tomorrow on the 50th anniversary of the atomic bomb explosion, a spokeswoman for Japan’s NHK public television said yesterday. The song ends a three-decade feud between the ex-Beatle and John Lennon’s Japanese-born widow, who has been blamed for breaking up the most famous pop group ever. Adding to the spirit of reconciliation, the song was recorded with both Lennon and McCartney’s children. Though McCartney is one of the world’s most famous songwriters, “Hiroshima Sky” was written by Ono. The song was taped in a secret Jan. 28 recording session when Ono and Sean Lennon her son with John spent a weekend at McCartney’s house outside London. McCartney showed them around his private studio and suggested recording a song together. Ono told him about a song she had written from her memories of World War II Japan, when she saw newspaper photographs of bomb victims suffering from burns and leukemia. Ono sang and Sean played the harpsichord
his father used on the song “Julia” on the Beatles’ “White Album.McCartney’s wife, Linda, played the organ, their son James played guitar and their daughters did the percussion. McCartney played bass not the sort everyone remembers from the Beatles, but an upright model used by one of Elvis Presley’s bassists.
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Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass Linda Eastman / McCartney : Celeste James McCartney : Guitar Heather Eastman / McCartney : Backing vocals, Percussion Yoko Ono : Vocal Mary McCartney : Backing vocals, Percussion Stella McCartney : Backing vocals, Percussion Sean Lennon : Guitar
SessionRecording : Jan 28, 1995 • Studio : Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
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Josie • Feb 03, 2023 • 3 years ago
Hey legend! Great work you are doing.
Just noticed this:
[Ono sang and Sean played the harpsichord his father used on the song “Julia” on the Beatles’ “White Album]
I’m pretty sure there’s no harpsichord in “Julia”. Have read an other source that says it’s “Because” which makes more sense to me.
Anyway, great job.
Andrea • Feb 01, 2025 • 1 year ago
I don't think it was officially released in 1995 as stated here.
I know there was in 2011 a Yoko Ono book+CD sold exclusively in the Hiroshima museum, and the CD contains this song, but we don't even know if it's the same version recorded with the McCartneys, since there are no credits.
The PaulMcCartney Project • Feb 02, 2025 • 1 year ago
Thanks Andrea - you're right, it's wrong to see it was officially released in 1995. I'm fixing this !
DJ Readie • Aug 05, 2025 • 7 months ago
John Lennon plays solo acoustic guitar on the song "Julia" on the White Album - so the harpsichord played by Sean Lennon could not have been "the same one" played by John on "Julia". Could it perhaps have been the harpsichord played by Chris Thomas on "Piggies" from the same album? I noticed Josie has commented on this as well. It may have been the harpsichord on "Because", which was played by George Martin.
The PaulMcCartney Project • Aug 10, 2025 • 7 months ago
You're right, DJ Readie. I need to improve this page, which is pretty weak at the moment.