Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five

Album This song officially appears on the Band On The Run (UK version) Official album.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1973

Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions



"Band On The Run" sessions #3

Late October / Early November 1973




Related interviews


Paul's fun on the run

Dec 08, 1973 • From Disc and Music Echo


Interview for Dutch magazine Algemeen Dagblad

Oct 15, 2010 • From Algemeen Dagblad


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Song facts

From Wikipedia:

“Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five” (sometimes written as “1985”) is a song by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released as the final track on their 1973 album Band on the Run. It has been featured on the 2001 documentary DVD Wingspan and Paul McCartney and Wings’ 1974 TV special One Hand Clapping. A 2016 remix of the song was nominated for a Grammy Award. The song was referenced in Brett Easton Ellis’s novel Glamorama, driving a group of fictional supermodels to extreme terrorist acts.

Lyrics and music

Paul McCartney has said that the song originated with just the first line.

“With a lot of songs I do, the first line is it. It’s all in the first line, and then you have to go on and write the second line. With ‘Eleanor Rigby’ I had ‘picks up the rice in the church where the wedding has been.’ that was the one big line that started me off on it. With this one it was ‘No one ever left alive in nineteen hundred and eighty-five.’ That’s all I had of that song for months. ‘No one ever left alive in nineteen hundred and eighty… six?’ It wouldn’t have worked!”

The tune is the climactic track from the album Band on the Run. It continues the album’s theme of escape by describing the singer achieving artistic freedom through love. Author Andrew Grant Jackson calls the lyrics “gibberish” and mere placeholders for the excitement and “cinematic purpose” of the music.”

The song has a grandiose ending with a full orchestra and the band. Other instrumentation includes mellotron, organ and horns. The album version ends with an excerpt of the opening song’s chorus. This song is featured on several episodes of Trigger Happy TV. In its early life, it was simply titled “Piano Thing”. […]

Live performances

“Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five” was never performed live by Wings. McCartney performed the song live for the first time ever during his 2010–2011 Up and Coming Tour. He played the song live again during his 2011–2012 On the Run Tour, his 2013–2015 Out There Tour, his 2016–2017 One on One Tour, his performance on 26 July 2018 in the Liverpool Cavern Club, his 2018–2019 Freshen Up tour and at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief.

Cover versions

[…] In 2016, German producer Timo Maas and Canadian DJ James Teej released a remix of the track with McCartney’s approval. Their version received a Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. […]

This was originally a little thing I couldn’t get words to, except for the first phrase. But the words just came to me the day we were due to record, and I think it’s turned out quite well.

Paul McCartney – From interview with Disc Magazine, 1973

Last updated on March 19, 2022

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.

"Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five" is one of the 154 songs covered.

Lyrics

Oh no one ever left alive in 1985, will ever do
She may be right
She may be fine
She may get love but she won't get mine
‘Cos I got you

Oh I Oh I

Well I just can't enough of that sweet stuff
My little lady gets behind

INTERLUDE

Oh my mama said the time would come when I
would find myself in love with you
I didn't think
I never dreamed
That I would be around to see it all come true

Woh I Oh I

Well I just can't enough of that sweet stuff
My little lady gets behind.

INTERLUDE

Oh no one ever left alive in 1985 . . .

FINALE

Variations


A Album version

A1993 1993 remaster

A1999 1999 remaster

A2010 2010 remaster

B DTS Mix / Quadraphonic version

C From "One Hand Clapping"

D 2016 remix by Timo Maas & James Teej - Original mix

D1 2016 remix by Timo Maas & James Teej - Radio edit

E 2016 remix by Timo Maas & James Teej - Club mix

F 2016 remix - Paul Woolford Rework

G 2016 remix - Kerri Chandler Kaoz 623 Again Vocal Mix

H 2016 remix - Tim Green Remix

Officially appears on


Band On The Run (US version)

Official album • Released in 1973

5:31 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Drums, Electric guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizers, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Organ, Shaker (?)
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Tony Visconti :
Orchestration
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant engineer
Pete Swettenham :
Assistant engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Horns, Strings

Session Recording:
October 1973
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Late October / Early November 1973
Studio :
Kingsway 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


Band On The Run (UK version)

Official album • Released in 1973

5:31 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Drums, Electric guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizers, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Organ, Shaker (?)
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Tony Visconti :
Orchestration
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant engineer
Pete Swettenham :
Assistant engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Horns, Strings

Session Recording:
October 1973
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Late October / Early November 1973
Studio :
Kingsway 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


Band On The Run (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

5:31 • Studio versionA1993 • 1993 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Drums, Electric guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizers, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Organ, Shaker (?)
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Tony Visconti :
Orchestration
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant engineer
Pete Swettenham :
Assistant engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Horns, Strings
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
October 1973
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Late October / Early November 1973
Studio :
Kingsway 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


Band On The Run (DTS 5.1)

Official album • Released in 1996

5:31 • Studio versionB • DTS Mix / Quadraphonic version

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Drums, Electric guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizers, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Organ, Shaker (?)
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Tony Visconti :
Orchestration
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant engineer
Pete Swettenham :
Assistant engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Horns, Strings

Session Recording:
October 1973
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Early 1974
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


Band On The Run (25th Anniversary)

Official album • Released in 1999

5:31 • Studio versionA1999 • 1999 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Drums, Electric guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizers, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Organ, Shaker (?)
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Tony Visconti :
Orchestration
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer, Remastering
Monday :
Assistant engineer
Pete Swettenham :
Assistant engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Horns, Strings
Greg Calbi :
Remastering

Session Recording:
October 1973
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Late October / Early November 1973
Studio :
Kingsway 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


Band On The Run - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2010

5:32 • Studio versionA2010 • 2010 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Drums, Electric guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Shaker (?), Synthesizers, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Organ, Shaker (?)
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Tony Visconti :
Orchestration
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant engineer
Pete Swettenham :
Assistant engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Horns, Strings
Steve Rooke :
Remastering
Simon Gibson :
Remastering
Sam Okell :
Remastering

Session Recording:
October 1973
Studio :
AIR Studios, London, UK

Session Mixing:
Late October / Early November 1973
Studio :
Kingsway 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


Band On The Run - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2010

6:00 • TV showC • From "One Hand Clapping"

Performed by :
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartneyDenny LaineJimmy McCullochGeoff Britton
Paul McCartney :
Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Mark Vigars :
Assistant recording engineer
John Barrett :
Assistant mixing engineer

Session Recording:
Aug 30, 1974
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Sep 29, 1974
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road


Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five

12" Single • Released in 2016

6:01 • Studio versionD • Remix

Performed by :
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartneyDenny Laine
Paul McCartney :
Producer
Tony Visconti :
Conductor
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant recording engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Orchestra
James Teej :
Mixing engineer, Producer, Programming
Timo Maas :
Mixing engineer, Producer, Programming
David Katz :
Orchestra contractor
Peter Swettenham :
Assistant recording engineer
Sascha "Busy" Bühren :
Mastering engineer

Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five

12" Single • Released in 2016

5:08 • Studio versionE • Club Mix

Performed by :
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartneyDenny Laine
Paul McCartney :
Producer
Tony Visconti :
Conductor
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant recording engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Orchestra
James Teej :
Mixing engineer, Producer, Programming
Timo Maas :
Mixing engineer, Producer, Programming
David Katz :
Orchestra contractor
Peter Swettenham :
Assistant recording engineer
Sascha "Busy" Bühren :
Mastering engineer

Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five

12" Single • Released in 2016

6:01 • Studio versionD • Original Mix

Performed by :
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartneyDenny Laine
Paul McCartney :
Producer
Tony Visconti :
Conductor
Geoff Emerick :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Monday :
Assistant recording engineer
Beaux Arts Orchestra :
Orchestra
James Teej :
Mixing engineer, Producer, Programming
Timo Maas :
Mixing engineer, Producer, Programming
David Katz :
Orchestra contractor
Peter Swettenham :
Assistant recording engineer
Sascha "Busy" Bühren :
Mastering engineer

Films


Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five

1974 • Directed by David Litchfield


Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five

2016 • For Paul McCartney • Directed by Can Evgin

Live performances

“Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five” has been played in 334 concerts and 15 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five has been played







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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Contribute!

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turbanguy4k 4 years ago

Where is the mellotron in this song?


bill 3 years ago

In the verse section, some kind of flute-like keyboard doubles the descending piano riff. I couldn't say if it's mellotron or synth, but it sounds mellotron-like.


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