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Released in 1986

Only Love Remains

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on December 26, 2022

Album This song officially appears on the Press To Play Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1986

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1985, when Paul McCartney was 43 years old)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

From Wikipedia:

“Only Love Remains” is the fourth single from Paul McCartney’s 1986 album, Press to Play. The song reached number 34 on the UK singles chart.

The song was released as a 7″ single and a 12″ maxi single. The single version of “Only Love Remains” is a remix by Jim Boyer and is different from the album version. The 12″ version of the single featured two more remixes of the songs from Press to Play.

People ask if I feel an album’s incomplete without a ballad, and I do think that a little bit. I know there are people who like them who will inevitably gravitate towards that track… People who’ve heard the album say ‘That’s the McCartney I like’. So I sorta put it on for them, and for myself, because I’m pretty romantic by nature. It’s not so much the feeling ‘Now we must do the compulsory ballad’, it’s more that I can write them, and I like them. I like the quiet moment, and this song is that reflective moment – and it comes at the end of side one, so if you’re not in that mood, you can always take it off !

Paul McCartney, about “Only Love Remains”, from the Press To Play press kit
From “Club Sandwich 42 – Autumn 1986“:

“People who’ve heard the album say ‘That’s the McCartney I like’. So I sorta put it on for them, and for myself, because I’m pretty romantic by nature… I like the quiet moment, and this song is that reflective moment“. John Bradbury leads the orchestra in Tony Visconti’s arrangement and Paul reasserts the oldest cure for most of life’s problems: “Find the right boy or the right girl.“

Club Sandwich No 42 Autumn 1986

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From the “Press To Play” sleeve – These coloured diagrams by Paul show the position of the voices and instruments in the mix of each track.

In 2022, a unique mix of “Only Love Remains” was released as part of the “The 7” Singles Box“. It’s not known if MPL decided to consciously include this mix or if it was a mistake.

Are there differences between the true 7” mix of “Only Love Remains” and the previously unreleased mix on the 7” Singles box? Or are they minor?

The sax is a completely different take which is the standout difference. (IMO sounds like an earlier run through of the sax as it’s not quite there unlike the true single mix.) There are lots of other smaller differences as well, eg – The bongos run right through the Singles Box mix, but stop/start in places on the true single mix. There is a second tambourine on the true single mix (from ‘Old enough’) which is missing from the Singles Box Mix. Finally when the full drums kick in they are a lot more forward in the Singles Box mix.

From Paul McCartney – The 7″ Singles [Release date December 2nd 2022] | Page 80 | Steve Hoffman Music Forums

Lyrics

And if you take your love away from me,

I'm only going to want it back.

I'll probably pretend I didn't see,

But knowing me, I'll want you back again, and again,

'Til the word has lost it's meaning,

And love is all that stays. Only love remains.

If you should ever feel that something's wrong,

I'm going to want to put it right,

To bring a happy ending to our song,

I'll carry on believing in a love.

If your love was to trickle through my fingers,

What would it leave me with?

Only love remains. Only love remains…

Old enough and strong enough to stretch across the world.

Taking the sand inside an oyster, changing it into a pearl.

Making another magic transformation,

Find the right boy for the right girl.

When all our friends have gone and we're alone,

There's nothing left to shout about,

Together we'll explore the great unknown.

I'd say we won't be going out tonight,

Let tonight be the one that we remember,

When love is all that stays,

Only love remains… Only love remains…

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Only Love Remains”

Related film

Live performances

“Only Love Remains” has been played in 2 concerts.

Latest concerts where “Only Love Remains” has been played

  • The Tube

    Dec 12, 1986 • United Kingdom • Newcastle • Tyne Tees Television • TV show

  • Royal Variety Performance

    Nov 24, 1986 • United Kingdom • London • Theatre Royal

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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Paul McCartney writing

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Peerke • 9 years ago

The version on Pizza and Fairytales is a live version , recorded on November 24, 1986, during the Royal Variety Show. You can hear the introduction to 'Talk More Talk': "If you don't mind, this time you could just keep the noise of the jewelry down"

The band was: Paul (piano), Linda and Tessa Niles (bg vocals), Eric Stewart (acoustic guitar), Jamie Talbot (sax), Graham Ward (drums), Preston Heymen and Nick Glennie-Smith (percussion).

Futhermore, Paul played the song live on the British TV-show The Tube, on December 11, 1986 with only Jamie Talbot on sax and Linda and Tessa Niles on backing vocals.

admin • 9 years ago

Hi Peerke, many thanks for this - I didn't know about this concert !!

Lon Pinko • 8 years ago

Also played live on the UK TV show "The Tube": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd2hrLzglhY

The PaulMcCartney Project • 8 years ago

Thanks very much Lon Pinko, will add that !!

Wogew • 2 years ago

New remix in the 7-inch singles boxed set.

The PaulMcCartney Project • 2 years ago

Thanks Wogew ! Update coming soon.

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