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- Album This song officially appears on the Water from the Wells of Home Official album.
- Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1987 (Paul McCartney was 45 years old)
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Recording "New Moon Over Jamaica"
May 09, 1988
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Song facts
From The Beatles Rarity:
[…] Many Paul McCartney fans are aware of Paul’s fondness for holidays in Jamaica, and that he has taken quite a few vacations there over the years. Another music legend by the name of Johnny Cash liked the place so much that he actually bought a house there. On one of Paul and Linda’s mid-1980′s trips to the island, Johnny invited them over to his house for dinner, and while Paul was there, he penned the song […] while looking at the moon. The song is called “New Moon Over Jamaica.”
In May of 1988, Johnny showed up at Paul’s studio in England wanting to record the song, for inclusion on his upcoming album Water From The Wells Of Home. He had brought along Tom T. Hall, another country singer friend of his and the two of them had made a few modifications to the song. Paul shared a vocal with Johnny on the song and also played bass. Tom and Linda McCartney sang harmony vocals. […]
TO CHANGE:
Unlike Johnny’s country version, Paul’s demo is done with a reggae beat. On June 18, 1995, Paul featured his reggae demo of the song, segued with Johnny’s version, in his Oobu Joobu radio show and that is the version I give you here
Last updated on March 19, 2022
Lyrics
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And the new year just got here, you see
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And I’m living with an old memory
So won’t you come back to Jamaica?
You know it isn’t so far
Look up in the sky where you left me that night
I’ll be standing right under that star
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And the new year just got here, you see
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And I’m living with an old memory
I said good evening to Venus
She said good evening too
Out there somewhere, you know I could swear
She sent a message of true love from you
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And the new year just got here, you see
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And I’m living with an old memory
A new moon makes someone feel happy
A new moon makes someone lovesick
I’m thinking of you, but what can I do?
New moons and new years and old loves don’t mix
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And the new year just got here, you see
There’s a new moon over Jamaica
And I’m living with an old memory
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1988
3:12 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Vocals
- Hamish Stuart :
- Guitar
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Chris Whitten :
- Drums
- Tom T. Hall :
- Backing vocals
- Johnny Cash :
- Vocals
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer
- Jack Clement :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- June Carter :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- May 09, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, 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.
Contribute!
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Your link tot he demo is broken. This one works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M9tYXu4qmQ
Thanks !!