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- Album This song officially appears on the Egypt Station (Deluxe edition) Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
2018 ?
Other songs co-written with Ryan Tedder
Officially appears on Egypt Station
Officially appears on Get Enough
Officially appears on Egypt Station (Deluxe edition)
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Song facts
“Nothing For Free” is one of the two bonus tracks released on the deluxe edition of “Egypt Station”, in 2018 (the other bonus track is “Get Started“). As “Fuh You” and “Get Enough“, this song has been co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder.
It was not reported where the track was recorded, but it is likely the work had started at Hog Hill Mill. We also assume some extra work was done when Paul McCartney and Ryan Tedder worked on “Fuh You” in Los Angeles.
I did three tracks with Ryan and [Fuh You] is the one on the album and then there’s two others, they’re nice. We only had a week, because there was a time when Greg was doing something else and my manager rung up and said you could maybe get with another producer, just to switch it up a bit, so he sent me some suggestions and I liked Ryan’s stuff. I rang him, and I think we decided he’d come to my studio for a week and we’d just see how we went. I said, ‘I’ve got a lot of songs we could do,’ but in the end, he just fancied making it up, so we just, you know, we went in with nothing, just got a beat, got a thing, got an idea for some lyrics and just built it up, you know, but he knows what he’s doing.
Paul McCartney – interviewed for Sodajerkerpodcast, 2018
A remix by DJ Chris Holmes was released on Spotify, Vevo and as download on July 1, 2019.
Last updated on March 28, 2021
Lyrics
Okay, okay, okay
I wonder why you're coming to me
I think you must want something for free
I try to work out what I could say
But my brain's not working today
I know you need something
You were talking to me
You were talking to me
I know you need something
Well, what can it be?
Well, what can it be?
I know you need something
You're talking to me
But you don't get nothing for free
Okay, okay, okay (Nothing's for free)
You've got a real cool way about you
Is there a lot you want me to do? (Yeah)
I'd love to help out in any way
But my brain stopped working today
I know you need something
You were talking to me
You were talking to me
I know you need something
Well, what can it be?
Well, what can it be?
I know you need something
You're talking to me
But you don't get nothing for free
I want to tell you what it means to me
I love you every way and now, and now
But I can't make up my mi-mi-mind
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
I wonder why you're coming to me
I think you must want something for free
I'd love to help out in any way
But-but my brain stopped working today
I know you need something
You were talking to me
You were talking to me
I know you need something
Well, what can it be?
Well, what can it be?
I know you need something
You're talking to me
But you don't get nothing for free
Okay, okay, okay
My brain stopped working
My brain stopped working
My brain stopped working today
Officially appears on
Egypt Station (Deluxe edition)
Official album • Released in 2018
3:15 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Electric guitar, Harpsichord, Piano, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Ryan Tedder :
- Background vocals, Producer, Programming
- Steve Orchard :
- Recording engineer
- Rich Rich :
- Recording engineer
- Jamie Kirkham :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Mark 'Spike' Stent :
- Mixing engineer
- Michael Freeman :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Zach Skelton :
- Producer, Programming
- Randy Merrill :
- Mastering engineer
- Session Recording:
- 2016-2018 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK ?
- Session Recording:
- 2018 ?
- Studio :
- Patriot Studios, Los Angeles, USA ?
Egypt Station - Explorer's Edition
Official album • Released in 2019
3:15 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Electric guitar, Harpsichord, Piano, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Ryan Tedder :
- Background vocals, Producer, Programming
- Steve Orchard :
- Recording engineer
- Rich Rich :
- Recording engineer
- Jamie Kirkham :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Mark 'Spike' Stent :
- Mixing engineer
- Michael Freeman :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Zach Skelton :
- Producer, Programming
- Randy Merrill :
- Mastering engineer
- Session Recording:
- 2016-2018 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK ?
- Session Recording:
- 2018 ?
- Studio :
- Patriot Studios, Los Angeles, USA ?
Egypt Station - Traveller's Edition
Official album • Released in 2019
3:15 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Electric guitar, Harpsichord, Piano, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Ryan Tedder :
- Background vocals, Producer, Programming
- Steve Orchard :
- Recording engineer
- Rich Rich :
- Recording engineer
- Jamie Kirkham :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Mark 'Spike' Stent :
- Mixing engineer
- Michael Freeman :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Zach Skelton :
- Producer, Programming
- Randy Merrill :
- Mastering engineer
- Session Recording:
- 2016-2018 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK ?
- Session Recording:
- 2018 ?
- Studio :
- Patriot Studios, Los Angeles, USA ?
Nothing For Free (DJ Chris Holmes Remix)
Streaming • Released in 2019
3:38 • Studio version • B • DJ Chris Holmes Remix
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Electric guitar, Harpsichord, Piano, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Chris Holmes :
- Remixing
- Ryan Tedder :
- Background vocals, Producer, Programming
- Steve Orchard :
- Recording engineer
- Rich Rich :
- Recording engineer
- Jamie Kirkham :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Mark 'Spike' Stent :
- Mixing engineer
- Michael Freeman :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Zach Skelton :
- Producer, Programming
- Randy Merrill :
- Mastering engineer
- Cory Nitta :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- 2016-2018 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK ?
- Session Recording:
- 2018 ?
- Studio :
- Patriot Studios, Los Angeles, USA ?
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
Contribute!
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Written with Ryan Tedder
Thanks Vishekh ! Will do the change !
This sounds like it could have been on McCartney II
Thanks Robert. I have yet to listen to it !!! Haven't listened to the 2 bonus tracks yet !!
BOTH BONUS SONGS ARE FANTASTIC. SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ALBUM....
Is Paul the only one singing on the track Nothing for Free?? Cool voice effect but not sure if both high and low voice is his...
Hi Luis, unfortunately, I was unable to locate the credits for "Nothing For Free" :( (and I haven't listened to it yet, frustrating ...)
Cannot listen to this song. Tried on Spotify without success; any assistance would be appreciated!
Nothing for free is a great song; worth to be on the regular Egypt Station. Just as good to be a next single. A brother-song of 'Fuh you'. I hope for more Macca Tedder corporations. It's refreshing.
@Paul - I haven't listened to it yet ! The only way seems to buy this deluxe CD edition, from some retailers ! See the list here https://www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/album/egypt-station-target-edition/
Both deluxe tracks are on YouTube now.
Nice.