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- Album This song officially appears on the Flowers In The Dirt Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Jun 23, 1988
Dec 10, 1988
April 20-21, 1989
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Song facts
“Où Est Le Soleil?” is a dance tracked released as a bonus track on the CD & cassette editions of “Flowers In The Dirt“. Quite wacky, as Paul described it by himself ; and nonetheless multiple remixes have been published.
“A very wacky thing where we decided to make something up…Trevor said ‘Have you got anything for one of the verses?’ I said ‘Well I’ve got this really silly idea…’, which is like just some French words that say ‘Ou est le soleil? Dans la tete. Travaillez.’ Those are the complete lyrics…So we’ve got this silly French dance track now, which I love!
From “In Their Own Words: The Producers discuss McCartney’s Flowers in the Dirt“, by Super Deluxe Edition blog:
[…] Trevor Horn: I thought we’d done pretty well, very short bursts and everything was good but if I’m honest, by I think by the time it got to Ou Est Le Soleil I’d been sucked into it a bit. I always see part of it was his personality, he was such good fun to work with him and he was so full of beans. But it sort of developed from a jam I think. I think Steve had a little bit of writing on it. Not officially, but I think he did.
Stephen Lipson: The night before, he said “well why don’t we come in tomorrow morning and just see what happens.” We came in the next day and he goes “anyone got any ideas?” I went “yes, I have”. I hit play on my computer and, forgetting the vocal and backwards guitar – [Steve plays the track from the start for about 50 seconds] – that came out from beginning to end. Which is why Trevor says what he said. And then Paul put seven words in French on one note on the top and said he had written the song, which actually, [as] he said it is lyrics and melody, you can’t really argue. I had a discussion with him about it and you know what… it worked out fine. I think I got an arrangement credit or something, and we did some deal. Whatever. But it is fine, he didn’t want to give me a writing credit and I think that is his prerogative. It would have been nice, but it is his prerogative. And it doesn’t make me think any less of the man.
Trevor Horn: You know I had a reasonable idea of how good, how much value a track had and something like Ou Est Le Soleil I’d forget about it [because] the problem with this one was always that it wasn’t a proper song. Really, it’s like a little piece of entertainment.
Stephen Lipson: We didn’t spend that much time on it. I had it. It was all there. We over-dubbed a few things. I think he might have played drums on it. He got Hamish [Stuart] to play guitar and we might have developed one bit. […]
Last updated on April 27, 2021
Lyrics
Ou est le soleil
Dans la tete
Travaillez
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1989
4:54 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Heff Moraes :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
12" Single • Released in 1989
7:02 • Studio version • B • 12" Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
12" Single • Released in 1989
4:27 • Studio version • C • Tub Dub Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
12" Single • Released in 1989
4:25 • Studio version • E • Instrumental Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
12" Single • Released in 1989
7:02 • Studio version • B • 12" Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
12" Single • Released in 1989
4:27 • Studio version • C • Tub Dub Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
12" Single • Released in 1989
4:25 • Studio version • E • Instrumental Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
Figure Of Eight / Ou Est Le Soleil?
12" Single • Released in 1989
4:50 • Studio version • D • 7" mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
CD Single • Released in 1989
4:50 • Studio version • D • 7" mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
Flowers In The Dirt - Special Package
Official album • Released in 1990
4:54 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Heff Moraes :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
Bootlegs
Flowers In The Dirt - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
4:54 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Mixing engineer, Producer, Recording engineer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Heff Moraes :
- Assistant engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
Flowers In The Dirt - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
7:01 • Studio version • B • 12" Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
Flowers In The Dirt - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
4:30 • Studio version • C • Tub Dub Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bongos, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Violin keyboard, Vocals, Woodsaw
- Hamish Stuart :
- Electric guitar
- Chris Whitten :
- Tom-toms
- Eddie Klein :
- Computer programming
- Steve Lipson :
- Bass, Computer and drum programming, Keyboards, Producer
- Trevor Horn :
- Computered drums, Keyboards, Producer
- Goh Hotoda :
- Remixing
- Tony Shimkin :
- Further production work
- Shep Pettibone :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 23, 1988
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 10, 1988
- Studio :
- Sarm West Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 20, 1989
- Studio :
- Sound Works, New York, USA
- Session Mixing:
- Apr 21, 1989
- Studio :
- Prime Cuts, New York, USA
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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Is that true that the words " Où est le soleil ? Dans la tête ; travaillez " are dedicated to the practice of meditation ? Thank you so much !
Ah, that I didn't know ! Would need to find out, thanks for the clue, Laurier !