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Released in 1979

Old Siam, Sir

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on February 9, 2020

Album This song officially appears on the Back To The Egg Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1979

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interview

From Wikipedia:

“Old Siam, Sir” is a hard rock single from Wings’ 1979 album, Back to the Egg. It was the A-side of the UK version of the single, reaching No. 35. The B-side in the UK was also a track from the album, “Spin it On”. “Old Siam, Sir” was also the B-side of the US single “Arrow Through Me“.

Recording

Wings drummer Steve Holley, while playing keyboards during a studio session, developed a chord sequence that was eventually used in the instrumental section of the song. Paul McCartney and guitarist Denny Laine later recorded an instrumental demo for the song called “Super Big Heatwave”.

The exact recording sequence is a bit of a blur, but over the month between June 29 and July 27 we recorded a core group of songs for the album. “Old Siam, Sir” was an early one, and Paul and I doubled up on the guitar riff. It was not unusual to find him wielding his Epiphone Casino, as he did here, with a dark growling tone. I played a Les Paul custom, adding a brighter harmony part.

Laurence Juber, in Guitar With Wings, 2014

In the case of “Old Siam, Sir,” we were jamming one day and Steve Holly was playing keyboards and had this chord sequence. I’m not sure if Paul was playing drums or if it was Linda because we’d trade off in a jamming situation, but what ended up happening was that ended up in the instrumental section of the song. I always felt that Steve should have received some sort of nod for that. Unfortunately, that’s the nature of the process in that you don’t always get full credit for what you contribute as a musician, especially as the song-writing is traditionally words and melody, not chords, licks and grooves.

Laurence Juber, interview with DAYTRIPPIN’ BEATLES MAGAZINE, 2010

Lyrics

In a village in

Old Siam Sir

Lived a lady

Who lost her way

In an effort

To find a man, sir

She found herself

In the old U.K.

*She waited round

In Walthamstow

She scouted round

In Scarborough

Repeat*

In a village

In old East Ham sir

She met a fellow

Who made her reel

Took her rushes

To show his mam Sir

Met his dad

At the wedding meal

In a letter from

Old Siam Sir

Came a terrible

Tale of woe

She decided

The only answer

Was to get up

A pile of dough

Repeat*

When a relative

Told her man sir

He directed her

Not to stay

In a village in

Old Siam Sir

Lives a lady

Who lost her way

**In a village in

Old Siam Sir

Lived a lady

Who lost her way

In an effort to

Find her man sir

She found herself in

The old U.K.

Repeat *

Repeat **

Walthamstow

Scarborough

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Old Siam, Sir”

Related film

Live performances

“Old Siam, Sir” has been played in 18 concerts.

Latest concerts where “Old Siam, Sir” has been played

See all concerts where “Old Siam, Sir” has been played

Going further

The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present

"Old Siam, Sir" is one of the songs featured in the book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present," published in 2021. The book explores Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, his time with the Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. It pairs the lyrics of 154 of his songs with his first-person commentary on the circumstances of their creation, the inspirations behind them, and his current thoughts on them.

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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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Paul McCartney writing

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