Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Get Back sessions - January 24, 1969 - Day 13
Jan 24, 1969
"McCartney" sessions at Morgan Studios
Feb 12-20, 1970
Mixing "Hot As Sun", "Every Night"
Feb 24, 1970
April 1980
Other songs from the "McCartney" instrumental medley
Officially appears on McCartney - Archive Collection
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Song facts
“Hot As Sun” is a fragment of a 3-parts instrumental track on Paul McCartney’s debut solo album, “McCartney“, released in April 1970 – the two other parts being “Glasses” and a very few seconds of “Suicide“.
“Hot As Sun” dates from The Quarry Men era, circa 1958 or 1959. When it was first recorded with The Beatles during the “Get Back” sessions on January 24, 1969, it was mostly an instrumental track with Paul McCartney adding some vocal sounds and a spoken word passage: “Welcome to the South Sea Islands, where the sound of a wave landing on the sand brings joy to the air”.
In February 1970, “Hot As Sun” was recorded for the “McCartney” album, with elements of Hawaiian and Calypso styles, according to author Adrian Allan:
There are elements of the Hawaiian style in Hot As Sun; but only in a broad and generic fashion.
For example, the pedal steel guitar originated in Hawaii in the 1920s. A key feature of the pedal steel technique involves the use of harmonised sixths, which are in abundance in Hot As Sun. The steel string guitar on the track is recorded very brightly, and gives the impression of a steel guitar.
The only thing that is missing is any use of slide bottleneck technique in McCartney’s playing. Hot As Sun consists of parallel sixth movements and could indeed be played in a bottleneck or slide style, but unlike George Harrison, McCartney never developed a proficient slide guitar technique in his career.
Hot As Sun displays some elements of the Calypso style. Indeed, there is an ill-defined blur between the styles. For example, Harry Belafonte’s Jamaica Farewell begins with an acoustic guitar solo in sixths, features the primary chords of A, D and E major and has a syncopated bass line that is stylistically very similar to Hot As Sun.
It is impossible to escape the significance of Belafonte’s Calypso album, released in 1956. It became the first LP record album to sell over one million copies.
As a teenager in the late 1950s, McCartney would have been acutely aware of Belafonte and undoubtedly absorbed traits of the calypso style, as a part of his ever-widening musical palette.
From Hot As Sun – The Evolution of An Early McCartney Composition – Paul McCartney After The Beatles: A Musical Appreciation
Paul McCartney and Wings performed “Hot As Sun” in a pronounced reggae style during their last UK tour in 1979, as well as at the Concert For The People of Kampuchea, a charity concert organized on December 29, 1979.
We’re going to do a bit of Caribbean number with Paul on the guitar.
Denny Laine – Introducing “Hot As Sun” during the Concert for The People of Kampuchea, December 29, 1979
A song written in about 1958 or 9 or maybe earlier, when it was one of those songs that you play now and then. The middle was added in Morgan Studio, where the track was recorded recently.
1 acoustic guitar.
Paul McCartney, from the press release of “McCartney”, April 1970
2 electric guitar.
3 drums.
4 rhythm guitar.
5 organ.
6 maracas.
7 bass.
8 bongos.
In the early eighties, lyricist Tim Rice added words to “Hot As Sun“. Singer Noosha Fox released a version of “Hot As Sun” with lyrics in July 1981. Elaine Page also covered the song in her eponym album released later in 1981, the sleeve notes erroneously mentioning that Paul had written the song specifically for her.
Last updated on April 13, 2022
Variations
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1970
1:28 • Studio version • A • Stereo • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide"
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12-20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
McCartney (by DCC Compact Classics)
CD • Released in 1992
1:28 • Studio version • A1992 • Stereo • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide" - 1992 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Steve Hoffman :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12-20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1993
1:28 • Studio version • A1993 • Stereo • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide" - 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Peter Mew :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12-20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
McCartney - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2011
1:28 • Studio version • A2011 • Stereo • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide" - 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12 to ~20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
McCartney - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2011
2:28 • Live • L1 • Stereo
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Denny Laine • Laurence Juber • Steve Holley
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer
- Eddie Klein :
- Recording engineer
- Jon Jacobs :
- Mixing engineer assistant
- Mark Vigars :
- Recording engineer
- Jim Jones :
- Recording assistant
Concert From the concert in Glasgow, United Kingdom on Dec 17, 1979
- Session Mixing:
- April 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
LP • Released in 2017
1:28 • Studio version • A2011 • Stereo • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide" - 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12 to ~20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 2020
1:28 • Studio version • A2020 • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide" - 2020 half-speed mastering
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Miles Showell :
- Mastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12-20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
McCartney I II III Limited Edition Colour 3LP Box Set
LP • Released in 2022
1:28 • Studio version • A2011 • Stereo • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide" - 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12 to ~20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 2022
1:28 • Studio version • A2011 • Stereo • Medley with "Glasses", "Suicide" - 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Simon Gibson :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12 to ~20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Bootlegs
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 24th, 1969 - 3 & 4
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
1:35 • Rehearsal • Jan.24 - D3-20 - Hot As Sun 24.63
- Session Recording:
- Jan 24, 1969
- Studio :
- Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London
Unofficial album • Released in 2014
1:28 • Studio version • A • Stereo • Complete version of "Hot As Sun / Glasses / Suicide" medley
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Maracas, Organ, Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Robin Black :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 12-20, 1970
- Studio :
- Morgan Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 24, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Unofficial live • Released in 1998
3:00 • Live
Concert From the concert in Glasgow, United Kingdom on Dec 17, 1979
Unofficial album
Unofficial album
2:25 • Live
Concert From the concert in Glasgow, United Kingdom on Dec 17, 1979
Films
Hot As Sun (Live at Concert for the People of Kampuchea)
2011 • For Wings • Directed by Keith McMillan
Live performances
“Hot As Sun” has been played in 18 concerts and 1 soundchecks.
Latest concerts where Hot As Sun has been played
Concert For The People of Kampuchea
Dec 29, 1979 • United Kingdom • London • Hammersmith Odeon
Glasgow • Apollo Centre • United Kingdom
Dec 17, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
Glasgow • Apollo Centre • United Kingdom
Dec 16, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
Newcastle upon Tyne • City Hall • United Kingdom
Dec 14, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
Birmingham • Odeon Cinema • United Kingdom
Dec 12, 1979 • Part of Wings 1979 UK Tour
Going further
If we like to think, in all modesty, that the Paul McCartney Project is the best online ressource for everything Paul McCartney, The Beatles Bible is for sure the definitive online site focused on the Beatles. There are obviously some overlap in terms of content between the two sites, but also some major differences in terms of approach.
http://www.popmatters.com/post/127517-paul-mccartney-hot-as-sun-glasses/
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I am a lifelong New Yorker - My first thought when I heard this was "I used to hear this when I watched cartoons, but this seems slower..."