My Valentine

Written by Paul McCartney

Album This song officially appears on the Kisses On the Bottom Official album.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 2012
Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 2011 (Paul McCartney was 69 years old)

Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions




Original songs from the 'Kisses On The Bottom' sessions


Only Our Hearts

Officially appears on Kisses On the Bottom


New

Officially appears on New


Scared

Officially appears on New


If I Take You Home Tonight

Officially appears on Wallflower

Related interviews


Ich lag auf dem Teppich und lauschte

Jan 26, 2012 • From Die Zeit



Paul's Fresh Start

March 2012 • From RollingStone


All Our Yesterdays

March 2012 • From MOJO


Paul McCartney Blows 'Kisses' To His Father's Era

Mar 29, 2012 • From NPR Music




Twitter Q&A with Paul McCartney

Sep 10, 2018 • From Twitter


Interview for the Zane Lowe Show

Dec 21, 2020 • From Apple Music 1

Spread the love! If you like what you are seeing, share it on social networks and let others know about The Paul McCartney Project.

Song facts

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

Last updated on November 12, 2020

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.

"My Valentine" is one of the 154 songs covered.

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

Officially appears on


My Valentine

CD Single • Released in 2012

3:16 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano, Rhythm arrangement
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
Robert Hurst :
Bass
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
London Symphony Orchestra :
Orchestra
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
Roman Simovic :
Concertmaster
Eric Clapton :
Guitar
Sam Okell :
Assistant engineer (?)
Paul Pritchard :
Assistant engineer (?)
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Steve Genewick :
Additional engineering
Gordon Davidson :
Assistant engineer (?)
Fernando Lodeiro :
Assistant engineer
Elliot Scheiner :
Additional engineering
Brian Montgomery :
Additional engineering
Kris Burton :
Assistant engineer (?)

Session Recording:
May 2011 ?
Studio :
Avatar Studios, New York, USA

Session Orchestra overdubs:
Oct 05 - 06, 2011
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

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


Kisses On the Bottom

Official album • Released in 2012

3:16 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano, Rhythm arrangement
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
Robert Hurst :
Bass
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
London Symphony Orchestra :
Orchestra
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
Roman Simovic :
Concertmaster
Eric Clapton :
Guitar
Sam Okell :
Assistant engineer (?)
Paul Pritchard :
Assistant engineer (?)
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Steve Genewick :
Additional engineering
Gordon Davidson :
Assistant engineer (?)
Fernando Lodeiro :
Assistant engineer
Elliot Scheiner :
Additional engineering
Brian Montgomery :
Additional engineering
Kris Burton :
Assistant engineer (?)

Session Recording:
May 2011 ?
Studio :
Avatar Studios, New York, USA

Session Orchestra overdubs:
Oct 05 - 06, 2011
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

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


Kisses On the Bottom (Deluxe version)

Official album • Released in 2012

3:16 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano, Rhythm arrangement
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
Robert Hurst :
Bass
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
London Symphony Orchestra :
Orchestra
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
Roman Simovic :
Concertmaster
Eric Clapton :
Guitar
Sam Okell :
Assistant engineer (?)
Paul Pritchard :
Assistant engineer (?)
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Steve Genewick :
Additional engineering
Gordon Davidson :
Assistant engineer (?)
Fernando Lodeiro :
Assistant engineer
Elliot Scheiner :
Additional engineering
Brian Montgomery :
Additional engineering
Kris Burton :
Assistant engineer (?)

Session Recording:
May 2011 ?
Studio :
Avatar Studios, New York, USA

Session Orchestra overdubs:
Oct 05 - 06, 2011
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

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


iTunes Live from Capitol Studios

Official live • Released in 2012

3:22 • LiveL1

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra conductor
John Clayton :
Bass
Anthony Wilson :
Guitar
Gayle Levant :
Harp
Joel Derouin :
Violin
Joe Walsh :
Guitar
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith :
Principal cellist
Jodi Burnett :
Cello
Songa Lee :
Violin
Katia Popov :
Violin
Michele Richards :
Violin
Kathleen Sloan :
Violin
Marcy Vaj :
Concertmaster
Josefina Vergara :
Violin
Rob Brophy :
Viola
Rudy Stein :
Cello
Sid Page :
Violin
Mario DeLeon :
Violin
Henry Gronnier :
Violin
Tammy Hatwan :
Violin
Serena McKinney :
Violin
Evan Wilson :
Principal violist
Thomas Diener :
Viola
Leah Katz :
Viola
Jennifer Kuhn :
Cello

Concert From "Live From Capitol Studios" in Los Angeles, USA on Feb 09, 2012


Kisses On The Bottom - Complete Kisses

Official album • Released in 2012

3:16 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano, Rhythm arrangement
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
Robert Hurst :
Bass
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
London Symphony Orchestra :
Orchestra
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
Roman Simovic :
Concertmaster
Eric Clapton :
Guitar
Sam Okell :
Assistant engineer (?)
Paul Pritchard :
Assistant engineer (?)
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Steve Genewick :
Additional engineering
Gordon Davidson :
Assistant engineer (?)
Fernando Lodeiro :
Assistant engineer
Elliot Scheiner :
Additional engineering
Brian Montgomery :
Additional engineering
Kris Burton :
Assistant engineer (?)

Session Recording:
May 2011 ?
Studio :
Avatar Studios, New York, USA

Session Orchestra overdubs:
Oct 05 - 06, 2011
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

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


Kisses On The Bottom - Complete Kisses

Official album • Released in 2012

3:12 • Studio versionB • Johnny Mandel Original Arrangement

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer

Kisses On The Bottom - Complete Kisses

Official album • Released in 2012

3:31 • LiveL1 • Live From Capitol Studios

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra conductor
John Clayton :
Bass
Anthony Wilson :
Guitar
Gayle Levant :
Harp
Joel Derouin :
Violin
Joe Walsh :
Guitar
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith :
Principal cellist
Jodi Burnett :
Cello
Songa Lee :
Violin
Katia Popov :
Violin
Michele Richards :
Violin
Kathleen Sloan :
Violin
Marcy Vaj :
Concertmaster
Josefina Vergara :
Violin
Rob Brophy :
Viola
Rudy Stein :
Cello
Sid Page :
Violin
Mario DeLeon :
Violin
Henry Gronnier :
Violin
Tammy Hatwan :
Violin
Serena McKinney :
Violin
Evan Wilson :
Principal violist
Thomas Diener :
Viola
Leah Katz :
Viola
Jennifer Kuhn :
Cello

Concert From "Live From Capitol Studios" in Los Angeles, USA on Feb 09, 2012


Pure McCartney

Official album • Released in 2016

3:16 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano, Rhythm arrangement
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
Robert Hurst :
Bass
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
London Symphony Orchestra :
Orchestra
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
Roman Simovic :
Concertmaster
Eric Clapton :
Guitar
Sam Okell :
Assistant engineer (?)
Paul Pritchard :
Assistant engineer (?)
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Steve Genewick :
Additional engineering
Gordon Davidson :
Assistant engineer (?)
Fernando Lodeiro :
Assistant engineer
Elliot Scheiner :
Additional engineering
Brian Montgomery :
Additional engineering
Kris Burton :
Assistant engineer (?)

Session Recording:
May 2011 ?
Studio :
Avatar Studios, New York, USA

Session Orchestra overdubs:
Oct 05 - 06, 2011
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

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


Pure McCartney (Deluxe)

Official album • Released in 2016

3:16 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano, Rhythm arrangement
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
Robert Hurst :
Bass
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
London Symphony Orchestra :
Orchestra
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
Roman Simovic :
Concertmaster
Eric Clapton :
Guitar
Sam Okell :
Assistant engineer (?)
Paul Pritchard :
Assistant engineer (?)
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Steve Genewick :
Additional engineering
Gordon Davidson :
Assistant engineer (?)
Fernando Lodeiro :
Assistant engineer
Elliot Scheiner :
Additional engineering
Brian Montgomery :
Additional engineering
Kris Burton :
Assistant engineer (?)

Session Recording:
May 2011 ?
Studio :
Avatar Studios, New York, USA

Session Orchestra overdubs:
Oct 05 - 06, 2011
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

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



Bootlegs


Kisses on the bottom - Ultimate Archive Collection

Unofficial album • Released in 2015

2:11 • Studio versionA1 • Promo edit

Paul McCartney :
Vocals
Tommy LiPuma :
Producer
Diana Krall :
Piano, Rhythm arrangement
Karriem Riggins :
Drums
Robert Hurst :
Bass
John Pizzarelli :
Guitar
London Symphony Orchestra :
Orchestra
Alan Broadbent :
Orchestra arrangement, Orchestra conductor
Roman Simovic :
Concertmaster
Eric Clapton :
Guitar
Sam Okell :
Assistant engineer (?)
Paul Pritchard :
Assistant engineer (?)
Al Schmitt :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Steve Genewick :
Additional engineering
Gordon Davidson :
Assistant engineer (?)
Fernando Lodeiro :
Assistant engineer
Elliot Scheiner :
Additional engineering
Brian Montgomery :
Additional engineering
Kris Burton :
Assistant engineer (?)

Session Recording:
May 2011 ?
Studio :
Avatar Studios, New York, USA

Session Orchestra overdubs:
Oct 05 - 06, 2011
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

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


Kisses on the bottom - Ultimate Archive Collection

Unofficial album • Released in 2015

3:14 • Studio versionA2 • Alternate guitar solo by Eric Clapton


Kisses on the bottom - Ultimate Archive Collection

Unofficial album • Released in 2015

3:31 • Live • With alternate guitar solo ?

Concert From "Live From Capitol Studios" in Los Angeles, USA on Feb 09, 2012




Films


My Valentine

2012 • For Paul McCartney • Directed by Paul McCartney

Videos

Live performances

“My Valentine” has been played in 278 concerts and 13 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where My Valentine has been played







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