Spiral (song)

This image is a cover of an audio recording, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the work or the artist(s) which produced the recording or cover artwork in question. It is believed that the use of low-resolution images of such covers qualifies as fair use.

Album This song officially appears on the Working Classical Official album.

Timeline This song has been officially released in 1999

Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1995 (Paul McCartney was 53 years old)

Spinning On An Axis

Spirit Guides

Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions

"A Leaf" / "Spiral" session

Nov 09, 1988

Related interviews

Paul McCartney Goes Classical

Nov 01, 1997 • From FI Magazine

"Standing" in the Shadow of Love

Sep 27, 1997 • From Billboard

Spread the love! If you like what you are seeing, share it on social networks and let others know about The Paul McCartney Project.

Song facts

“Spiral” is a piece of classical music written by Paul McCartney and released in 1999 on Working Classical. From the liner notes of the album:

In comparison, Spiral is more impressionistic, much of it (despite some imposing climaxes along the way) heard as though through a heat haze. The haunting opening, featuring a solo flute memorably underpinned by a sustained chord in the strings, gradually fills out until the announcement of a little descending motif (B-A-G-E), which becomes increasingly important. The emergence of a string quartet from the orchestral texture momentarily threatens to destabilise the tonality, until the solo flute gently soothes the music’s troubled surface.

Last updated on May 13, 2018

Officially appears on

Working Classical

Official album • Released in 1999

10:02 • Classical version • A

Paul McCartney :: Executive producer

Eddie Klein :: Recording engineer

Performed by :
London Symphony Orchestra

Keith Smith :: Recording engineer

Steve Rooke :: Mastering

John Fraser :: Arranger, Producer

Lawrence Foster :: Conductor

Richard Rodney Bennett :: Orchestration

Arne Akselberg :: Balance engineer

Paul Baily :: Editor

Caroline Haigh :: Editor

Session Recording:: February 21-25th, 1999

Studio :: EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Something For The Weekend – Paul McCartney’s Glastonbury Groove

Official album • Released in 2004

8:36 • Studio version

Live performances

“Spiral” has been played in 3 concerts.

Year	Soundchecks	Concerts
1960	0	0
1961	0	0
1962	0	0
1963	0	0
1964	0	0
1965	0	0
1966	0	0
1967	0	0
1968	0	0
1969	0	0
1970	0	0
1971	0	0
1972	0	0
1973	0	0
1974	0	0
1975	0	0
1976	0	0
1977	0	0
1978	0	0
1979	0	0
1980	0	0
1981	0	0
1982	0	0
1983	0	0
1984	0	0
1985	0	0
1986	0	0
1987	0	0
1988	0	0
1989	0	0
1990	0	0
1991	0	0
1992	0	0
1993	0	0
1994	0	0
1995	0	0
1996	0	0
1997	0	2
1998	0	0
1999	0	0
2000	0	0
2001	0	0
2002	0	0
2003	0	0
2004	0	0
2005	0	0
2006	0	0
2007	0	0
2008	0	0
2009	0	0
2010	0	0
2011	0	0
2012	0	1
2013	0	0
2014	0	0
2015	0	0
2016	0	0
2017	0	0
2018	0	0
2019	0	0
2020	0	0
2021	0	0
2022	0	0
2023	0	0