- Album This song officially appears on the McCartney II Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
June - July 1979
Oct 16, 1979
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Song facts
“Nobody Knows” is a song written and performed by Paul McCartney, released on his second solo album, “McCartney II“, released in 1980. From a Club Sandwich interview:
I believe the next track, “Nobody Know”, was also inspired by Alexis Korner’s TV series.
Yes, that also came about after watching the blues series. I’m a big fan of a lot of the blues players. One of the funny things for me is that in blues you’ll get what is supposed to be a 12-bar blues, then you get odd timings come in. For instance, sometimes they just hold over on one chord — like one bar longer than you should or that most people would do. On many blues records, they’re never very exact so, on this track, I do the same thing. That was the basic inspiration behind it.
“On The Way“, also on the “McCartney II” album, was also inspired by the same TV program.
A rough mix of “Nobody Knows” is available [A1] and is very similar to the released version on “McCartney II“.
‘Nobody Knows’ is craziness, ‘Summer’s Day Song’ is craziness, ‘Frozen Jap’ is craziness, ‘Bogey Music’ is craziness.
Paul McCartney, from McCartney II Archive Collection, 2011
Last updated on September 9, 2020
Lyrics
Which one of you can tell me
What it is I'm looking at
Anyone who can
Has got to be a crazy cat
'Cause I believe that
That nobody knows, no nobody knows
Yeah, nobody knows, no
Lord I cannot tell you
Well that's the way I like it
Yeah now, nobody knows
Nobody knows
Oh, nobody knows
Well Lord you know that nobody knows
Samson and Delilah would have made a crazy pair
If that silly woman hadn't shaven off his hair
I believe that nobody knows, no nobody knows
But that's the way I like it
Yeah now, nobody knows
That's the way I like it, nobody knows
I may go hungry, maybe next week
Well if I do then I'll still find something to eat
And you know, nobody knows, no nobody knows
Well, that's the way I like it, baby, nobody knows
And that includes you, honey (nobody knows)
I'll pay your rent
I'll do you right (nobody knows)
Most every night
But still there's nobody knows
No now, nobody knows
And that's the way I like to keep it
Just so nobody knows
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1980
2:54 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Eddie Klein :
- Mixing assistant
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
Official album • Released in 1993
2:54 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Eddie Klein :
- Mixing assistant
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
McCartney II - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2011
2:55 • Studio version • A2011 • 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Eddie Klein :
- Mixing assistant
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
McCartney II (Limited Clear LP)
LP • Released in 2017
2:55 • Studio version • A2011 • 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Eddie Klein :
- Mixing assistant
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
McCartney I II III Limited Edition Colour 3LP Box Set
LP • Released in 2022
2:55 • Studio version • A2011 • 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Eddie Klein :
- Mixing assistant
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
Official album • Released in 2022
2:55 • Studio version • A2011 • 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Eddie Klein :
- Mixing assistant
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
Unofficial album • Released in 2000
2:44 • Rough mix • A1
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
McCartney II - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
2:55 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Eddie Klein :
- Mixing assistant
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
2:46 • Rough mix • A1
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Home Studio, Peasmarsh, Sussex, UK
- Session Recording:
- June - July 1979
- Studio :
- Spirit Of Ranachan Studio, Campbeltown, Scotland
- Session Mixing:
- September 1979
- 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
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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I never knew why "Nobody Knows" was never released on 7" or never played in concert. Its a real funny uptempo song that stays in my head for days.