Keep Under Cover

Written by Paul McCartney

Album This song officially appears on the Pipes Of Peace Official album.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1983
Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1980 (Paul McCartney was 38 years old)

Master release


Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions


Home recordings

August 1980







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Song facts

Keep Under Cover” is a track from 1983 album “Pipes Of Peace“. Along with “Average Person” and “Sweetest Little Show“, this song has been written in 1980, 3 years before the release of “Pipes Of Peace“. It was demoed with Wings in late 1980 during one of their latest sessions together, and recorded during the Montserrat sessions in February 1981.

Paul’s handwritten lyrics for Take It Way & Keep Under Cover – From the “Tug Of War Archive Collection” @ 2015 MPL Communications Inc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOpArDD5vNI

Last updated on April 14, 2021

Lyrics

Love, I'm going to pick you up in the morning
Love, I'm going to take you out on a journey
I don't know where I'm going to
But I know what I've been going through
Without you by my side

What good is butter if you haven't got bread?
What good is art when it hurts your head?
Might as well be in bed

Keep under cover 'til the battle has ceased
Keep out of trouble 'til the prisoners are released

What good's a puzzle when you haven't a clue?
What good is me when I'm not with you?
Might as well stay in bed

Keep under cover 'til the clouds disappear
Keep out of trouble 'til the weather is bright and clear

Love, I'm gonna pick you up
I'm gonna take you out
I don't know what I'm going to do
But I know what I've been going through
Without you by my side
Without you by my side

What good is tennis when there isn't a ball?
What good's a curtain without a call?
Might as well be in bed

Keep under cover 'til the battle has ceased
Keep out of trouble 'til the prisoners are released

Love, I'm gonna pick you up
I'm gonna take you out
I don't know what I'm going to do
But I know what I've been going through
Without you by my side
Without you by my side

Keep under cover

Officially appears on


Pipes Of Peace

Official album • Released in 1983

3:06 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Arrangement, Backing vocals, Drums (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Electric guitar (?)
Stanley Clarke :
Bass
Eric Stewart :
Backing vocals
George Martin :
Arrangement, Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer, Recording engineer
Jon Jacobs :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Unknown musician(s) :
Strings

Session Recording:
Nov 30, Dec 7, Dec 8, 1980
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Overdubs:
Feb 11, 1981
Studio :
AIR Studios, Montserrat

Session Overdubs:
Mar 23, 1981
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Jan 25, 1983
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Pipes Of Peace (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

3:06 • Studio versionA1993 • 1993 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Arrangement, Backing vocals, Drums (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Electric guitar (?)
Stanley Clarke :
Bass
Eric Stewart :
Backing vocals
George Martin :
Arrangement, Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer, Recording engineer
Jon Jacobs :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Unknown musician(s) :
Strings

Session Recording:
Nov 30, Dec 7, Dec 8, 1980
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Overdubs:
Feb 11, 1981
Studio :
AIR Studios, Montserrat

Session Overdubs:
Mar 23, 1981
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Jan 25, 1983
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Pipes Of Peace - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2015

3:06 • Studio versionA2015 • 2015 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Arrangement, Backing vocals, Drums (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Electric guitar (?)
Stanley Clarke :
Bass
Eric Stewart :
Backing vocals
George Martin :
Arrangement, Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer, Recording engineer
Jon Jacobs :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Sam Okell :
Remastering
Alex Wharton :
Remastering
Unknown musician(s) :
Strings

Session Recording:
Nov 30, Dec 7, Dec 8, 1980
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Overdubs:
Feb 11, 1981
Studio :
AIR Studios, Montserrat

Session Overdubs:
Mar 23, 1981
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Jan 25, 1983
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Pipes Of Peace - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2015

3:43 • DemoB

Paul McCartney :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Performed by :
Paul McCartney
Alex Wharton :
Mastering

Session Recording:
August 1980
Studio :
Rude Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland

Bootlegs


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.15

Unofficial album

3:42 • Demo

Session Recording & mixing:
August 1980
Studio :
Rude Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.16

Unofficial album

6:11 • Rehearsal

Session Recording:
Oct 30, 1980
Studio :
Pugin Hall, Tenterden, Kent, UK


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.17

Unofficial album

8:05 • Rehearsal

Session Recording:
August 1980
Studio :
Pugin Hall, Tenterden, Kent, UK


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.17

Unofficial album

2:52 • Rehearsal

Session Recording:
August 1980
Studio :
Pugin Hall, Tenterden, Kent, UK


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol.17

Unofficial album

3:29 • Rehearsal

Session Recording:
August 1980
Studio :
Pugin Hall, Tenterden, Kent, UK


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.

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