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Released in 2013

Queenie Eye

Written by Paul McCartney • Paul Epworth

Last updated on December 15, 2020

Album This song officially appears on the New Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 2013

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 2012, when Paul McCartney was 70 years old)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Other songs co-written with Paul Epworth

Related interviews

“Queenie Eye” is a track from the 2013 album “NEW“, co-written by Paul McCartney and producer Paul Epworth, one of the four producers of the album.

From Wikipedia:

“Queenie Eye” is a song performed by English rock musician Paul McCartney, and written by McCartney and producer Paul Epworth. It is the second single from McCartney’s solo album New, released in 2013.

McCartney explained that the song name and chorus lyrics were from a children’s game he would play when he was young called “Queenie, Queenie, who’s got the ball?” (the “Queenie” was alternatively called “Queenie Eye” or “Queenio”), and used the version of the chant he remembered from the game in the song.

McCartney performed “Queenie Eye” on the 56th Annual Grammy Awards telecast in 2014, with fellow former Beatle Ringo Starr on drums.

The music video for the song was directed by Simon Aboud, husband of McCartney’s daughter Mary. The video is notable for the array of famous people that appear in it including: actors Johnny Depp, Jeremy Irons, Chris Pine, Jude Law, Sean Penn, actor-comedian James Corden, Meryl Streep, actress-comedian Tracey Ullman, model Kate Moss, singer Gary Barlow, artist Peter Blake, designer Tom Ford, and many others.

Now this song, Queenie Eye, is based on a game we used to play when I was kids. You got to remember that’s a long time ago and basically in kind of a poor area I was from. What you did you entertain yourself was go out in the street and play street games. There wasn’t that much traffic, so you were pretty safe. And one of the games was called Queenie Eye.

Paul McCartney

‘Queenie Eye, Queenie Eye, who’s got the ball? I haven’t got it, it isn’t in my pocket, O-U-T spells OUT!’ Someone stood with their back to the group and you had to approach gingerly, and if they looked around and saw you moving, you were out.

Paul McCartney – The Observer

I think that something like Queenie Eye developed into something that it wasn’t before. It had a slow genesis but I don’t think we would have been able to get to the result we got in the end without having done it that way. The way Queenie Eye started was very raw: two of us in the room, two amplifiers. It was maybe a little bit Death From Above 1979 in the drums and keyboard sounds.

Paul Epworth – NME, November 2013

Lyrics

There were rules you never told me

Never came up with a plan

All the stories that you sold me

Didn’t help me understand

But I had to get it worked out

Had nobody who could help

So that in the end it turned out

That I had to do it by myself

Life’s a game

Rags from riches

Dogs and bitches

Hunt for fame

Difficult to know which way to turn

Lay the blame

On the snitches

Wicked witches

Fan the flame

Careful what you touch in case you burn

Queenie Eye, Queenie Eye

Who’s got the ball?

I haven’t got it

It isn’t in my pocket

O.U.T. spells out

Out

That’s out

Out

Without a shadow of a doubt

Cause you been putting it about

Hear the people shout

Hear the people shout

Play the game

Take your chances

Every dance is

Much the same

Doesn’t matter which of them you choose

Never blame

Circumstances

If romances

Seldom came

Never pick a fight you’re going to lose

Queenie Eye, Queenie Eye

Who’s got the ball?

I haven’t got it

It isn’t in my pocket

O.U.T. spells out

Out

That’s out

Out

Without a shadow of a doubt

Cause you been putting it about

Hear the people shout

Hear the people shout

It’s a long way

To the finish

When you’ve never been before

I was nervous but I did it

Now I’m going back for more

Let’s shout

Yeah, hey, yeah, hey

Yeah, hey, yeah, hey

Yeah, hey, yeah, hey

Hear the people shout

Yeah, hey, yeah, hey

Yeah, hey, yeah, hey

Yeah, hey, hey, yeah

Variations

  • A Album version
  • L1 Live At Tokyo Dome 2013
  • V1 Music video

Officially appears on

See all official recordings containing “Queenie Eye”

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Queenie Eye”

Related film

  • Queenie Eye

    2013 • For Paul McCartney • Directed by Simon Aboud

Videos

Album New (Collector's Edition)

Album NEW (Limited Edition - Pink LP)

Live performances

“Queenie Eye” has been played in 189 concerts and 22 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where “Queenie Eye” has been played

See all concerts where “Queenie Eye” has been played

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

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