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Released in 2012

My Valentine

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on November 12, 2020

Album This song officially appears on the Kisses On the Bottom Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 2012

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 2011, when Paul McCartney was 69 years old)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Original songs from the 'Kisses On The Bottom' sessions

Related interviews

“My Valentine” is a song written by Paul McCartney. It was one of the two original songs featured on his 2012 album “Kisses On The Bottom” (the other one being “Only Our Hearts“).

“My Valentine” was written for his third wife, Nancy Shevell, whom he married in October 2011. From DailyMail:

They wed in a lavish ceremony in October last year. And Paul McCartney, 70, has now lifted the lid on how a rainy day inspired him to write a song about wife Nancy Shevell. The singer famously wrote a love letter to his American heiress wife on Valentine’s Day while on holiday in Morocco. […]

The former Beatles star wrote the tune on a rainy day while on holiday in Morocco as the couple about their hotel to keep dry. Paul revealed: ‘We were on holiday together, Nancy and I, and it was raining, it’s kind of led me towards a kind of minor-y type thing and the sentiment of you know, oh it’s raining.’

I was in Morocco with Nancy, who’s now my wife, and we were having a nice holiday but it was raining rather a lot. I said, “A pity it’s raining” and she said “It doesn’t matter, we can still have a good time.” And I’m like that, too, I don’t mind at all. So there was an old piano, slightly out of tune, in the foyer of the hotel. And there was this lovely Irish guy who knew so much old stuff, like Beautiful Dreamer, If You Were The Only Girl In The World … Again, stuff from my Dad’s era. I used to enjoy listening to him and he put me in mind of that genre.

So one afternoon, when it was raining, I was in that foyer, and without anyone noticing except a couple of waiters who were clearing up, I sat at the piano and started knocking around with this little tune: “What if it rained? We didn’t care. She said that someday soon the sun was gonna shine … ” So we did that one and eventually I had the pleasure of working with Eric (Clapton), who put a lovely acoustic guitar part on. And by the way, I forgot the important ingredient, the day I wrote it was Valentine’s Day, a fairly important fact! It was our first dance, very romantic.

Paul McCartney – from the “Kisses On The Bottom” liner notes

Prior to the recording for “Kisses On The Bottom“, McCartney performed “My Valentine” for Nancy at their wedding:

Paul performed a special song late in the evening. He had written it especially for ‘his lovely’ Nancy for this day.

It was lovely. She was truly touched and looked as though she shed a tear. I had a lovely time. It was superb. It couldn’t have been more superb or perfect a wedding.

Sir David Frost

“My Valentine” was recorded with Eric Clapton on guitar (he also played on “Get Yourself Another Fool“, another track of “Kisses On The Bottom“).

When I played it to Tommy [LiPuma], he said ‘Yeah, I love it, great.’ So we did that one and eventually I had the pleasure of working with Eric [Clapton], who put a lovely acoustic guitar part on.

Paul McCartney

When we were recording [My Valentine] we were in Abbey Road, and I said, ‘Say Eric, the last time we were working here together, was when you were sitting over there playing guitar on George’s song ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’.’ So there was an, I don’t know what, 40 year gap, and only 10 yards physically.

Paul McCartney

Lyrics

What if it rained

We didn't care

She said that someday soon the sun was gonna shine

And she was right, this love of mine

My valentine

As days and night

Would pass me by

I’d tell myself that I was waiting for a sign

Then she appeared, a love so fine

My valentine

And I will love her for life

And I will never let a day go by

Without remembering the reasons why

She makes me certain that I can fly

And so I do

Without a care

I know that someday soon the sun is gonna shine

And she'll be there, this love of mine

My valentine

Solo

What if it rained

We didn't care

She said that someday soon the sun was gonna shine

And she was right, this love of mine

My valentine

Variations

  • A • From "Kisses On the Bottom"
  • A1 Promo edit
  • A2 Alternate guitar solo by Eric Clapton
  • B Johnny Mandel Original Arrangement
  • C
  • L1 Live version • "Live From Capitol Studios" • Feb 09, 2012
  • L2 Live version • ""Under The Staircase" Spotify show" • Jul 23, 2018

Officially appears on

See all official recordings containing “My Valentine”

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “My Valentine”

Related film

  • My Valentine

    2012 • For Paul McCartney • Directed by Paul McCartney

Videos

Album Kisses On the Bottom

Album Higher

Concert May 09, 2013 in Fortaleza

Concert Sep 07, 2018 in New York

Live performances

“My Valentine” has been played in 304 concerts and 14 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where “My Valentine” has been played

See all concerts where “My Valentine” has been played

Going further

The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present

"My Valentine" is one of the songs featured in the book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present," published in 2021. The book explores Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, his time with the Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. It pairs the lyrics of 154 of his songs with his first-person commentary on the circumstances of their creation, the inspirations behind them, and his current thoughts on them.

Buy on Amazon

Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 2) 1990-2012

This new book by Luca Perasi traces Paul McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1990 to 2012 in the form of 250 song entries, filled with details about the recordings, stories behind the sessions and musical analysis. His pop albums, his forays into classical and avant-garde music, his penchant for covering old standards: a complete book to discover how these languages cross-pollinate and influence each other.

The second volume in a series that has established itself as a unique guide to take the reader on a journey into the astonishing creativity of Paul McCartney.

Read our exclusive interview with Luca Perasi

Buy on Amazon

Paul McCartney writing

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