Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
"McCartney" session (home recordings)
December 1969 to Jan 03, 1970
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Song facts
“That Would Be Something” is the second track of Paul McCartney’s debut solo album, McCartney, released in April 1970. It was only the second song recorded for the album. From Wikipedia:
McCartney sings and plays acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, tom tom and a cymbal. This song and “Valentine Day” were mixed at Abbey Road Studios on 22 February 1970. McCartney would also record “Every Night” and “Maybe I’m Amazed” the same day. In the song McCartney also performs vocal percussion to simulate a drum kit.
From the press release of the McCartney album:
This song was written in Scotland in 1969 and recorded at home in London – mixed later at EMI (No. 2). I only had one mike, as the mixer and VU meters hadn’t arrived (still haven’t).
Paul McCartney
Despite the sentiment of betrayal that the other Beatles members felt when Paul McCartney issued the press release for the McCartney (suggesting he was quitting The Beatles), George Harrison had some positive words about “That Would Be Something” and “Maybe I’m Amazed“:
That Would Be Something and Maybe I’m Amazed I think are great and everything else I think is fair, you know. It’s quite good, but a little disappointing, but maybe I shouldn’t be disappointed, it’s best not to expect anything, then everything’s a bonus. I think those two tracks are very good and the others just don’t do anything for me.
George Harrison, 1970
McCartney first performed the song live on 25 January 1991, during the recording of Unplugged (The Official Bootleg), which was released later that year. In 2001, Paul McCartney recorded a version of “That Would Be Something” on acoustic guitar which appeared on a radio show to promote the “Wingspan” compilation and on the Wingspan TV special.
Last updated on June 2, 2020
Lyrics
That would be something
It really would be something
that would be something
To meet you in the falling rain, momma,
meet you in the falling rain.
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1970
2:43 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- December, 1969
- Studio :
- At home, Cavendish Avenue, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 22, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)
Official live • Released in 1991
4:02 • Live • L1
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Percussion
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Acoustic bass, Vocal harmonies
- Paul Wickens :
- Piano
- Blair Cunningham :
- Drums
- Geoff Emerick :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer
- Gary Stewart :
- Assistant engineer
- Peter Craigie :
- Assistant engineer
- Gary Bradshaw :
- Monitor engineer
Concert From "MTV Unplugged" in Wembley, United Kingdom on Jan 25, 1991
McCartney (by DCC Compact Classics)
Official album • Released in 1992
2:43 • Studio version • A1992 • 1992 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Steve Hoffman :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- December, 1969
- Studio :
- At home, Cavendish Avenue, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 22, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1993
2:43 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- December, 1969
- Studio :
- At home, Cavendish Avenue, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 22, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
McCartney - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2011
2:42 • Studio version • A2011 • 2011 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Session Recording:
- December, 1969
- Studio :
- At home, Cavendish Avenue, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 22, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Official album • Released in 2020
2:43 • Studio version • A2020 • 2020 half-speed mastering
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
- Phil McDonald :
- Mixing engineer
- Miles Showell :
- Mastering
- Session Recording:
- December, 1969
- Studio :
- At home, Cavendish Avenue, London
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 22, 1970
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon
Bootlegs
Where Footprints Never Go - Unofficial Rarities - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
0:36 • Live • From "Wingspan Memorial Day Special" radio show
Concert From "Wingspan: Memorial Day Weekend Special" in , USA on May 25, 2001
Unofficial live
2:54 • Live
Concert From the concert in Westcliff-on-Sea, United Kingdom on Jul 19, 1991
Rehearsals For The New World Tour 1993
Unofficial live
3:09 • Live
Concert From the concert in Westcliff-on-Sea, United Kingdom on Jul 19, 1991
Live performances
“That Would Be Something” has been played in 8 concerts.
Latest concerts where That Would Be Something has been played
Wingspan: Memorial Day Weekend Special
May 25, 2001 • USA • Radio show
Copenhagen • Falkoner Theatre • Denmark
Jul 24, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
Westcliff-on-Sea • Cliffs Pavilion • United Kingdom
Jul 19, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
St Austell • Cornwall Coliseum • United Kingdom
Jun 07, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
Naples • Teatro Palapartenope • Italy
Jun 05, 1991 • Part of Unplugged 1991 Summer Tour
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