That Would Be Something

Written by Paul McCartney

Album This song officially appears on the McCartney LP.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1970
Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1969 (Paul McCartney was 27 years old)

Master release


Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions


"McCartney" home recordings

Late December 1969 to Jan 03, 1970


Other songs from "McCartney" appearing on "Unplugged" (1991)


Every Night

Officially appears on McCartney


Junk

Officially appears on McCartney


Singalong Junk

Officially appears on McCartney

Related articles


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Song facts

It’s very McCartney, very me.

Paul McCartney – Quoted in “Paul McCartney: Recording sessions (1969 – 2013)” by Luca Perasi

That Would Be Something” is the second track of Paul McCartney’s debut solo album, “McCartney“, released in April 1970. It was also 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.

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 – From the press release of “McCartney”, April 1970

Despite the sentiment of betrayal that the other Beatles members felt when Paul McCartney issued the press release for the “McCartney” album (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. The arrangements for ‘Teddy Boy’ and ‘Junk’, with a little bit more arrangement could have sounded better. Me, Ringo and John, not only do we see each other, but we see so many musicians and other bands, maybe Paul does too. But I just get the impression that he doesn’t. That he’s so isolated from it, he’s out on a limb. The only person he’s got to tell him if the song’s good or bad is Linda. In the Beatle days, if someone came in with a song that had a corny line and some of the others got a bit embarrassed by it, we’d say it!

George Harrison, 1970 – From “The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After The Break-Up 1970-2001” by Keith Badman

Paul McCartney first performed the song live on January 25, 1991, during the recording of Unplugged (The Official Bootleg), which was released later that year. He also performed it during the small 1991 summer tour to support the release of this album.

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.


From the press release of “McCartney”, April 1970

Last updated on April 3, 2022

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.

Variations


A Stereo version • From "McCartney"


A1993 1993 remaster • From "McCartney (1993)"

A2011 2011 remaster • From "McCartney - Archive Collection"

A2020 2020 half-speed mastering • From "McCartney (50th Anniversary)"

L1 Live version • "MTV Unplugged" • Jan 25, 1991 • From "Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)"

L2 Live version • "Wingspan: Memorial Day Weekend Special" • May 25, 2001

Officially appears on


McCartney

LP • Released in 1970

2:43 • Studio versionA • Stereo

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
Phil McDonald :
Mixing engineer

Session Recording:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)

Official live • Released in 1991

4:02 • LiveL1

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)

CD • Released in 1992

2:43 • Studio versionA1992 • Stereo • 1992 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
Phil McDonald :
Mixing engineer
Steve Hoffman :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


McCartney (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

2:43 • Studio versionA1993 • Stereo • 1993 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
Phil McDonald :
Mixing engineer
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


McCartney - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2011

2:42 • Studio versionA2011 • Stereo • 2011 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
Phil McDonald :
Mixing engineer
Guy Massey :
Remastering
Steve Rooke :
Remastering
Simon Gibson :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


McCartney (Limited Red LP)

LP • Released in 2017

2:42 • Studio versionA2011 • Stereo • 2011 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
Phil McDonald :
Mixing engineer
Guy Massey :
Remastering
Steve Rooke :
Remastering
Simon Gibson :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


McCartney (50th Anniversary)

Official album • Released in 2020

2:43 • Studio versionA2020 • 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:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


McCartney I II III Limited Edition Colour 3LP Box Set

LP • Released in 2022

2:42 • Studio versionA2011 • Stereo • 2011 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
Phil McDonald :
Mixing engineer
Guy Massey :
Remastering
Steve Rooke :
Remastering
Simon Gibson :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon


McCartney I II III Box Set

Official album • Released in 2022

2:42 • Studio versionA2011 • Stereo • 2011 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric guitar, Producer, Recording engineer, Vocals
Phil McDonald :
Mixing engineer
Guy Massey :
Remastering
Steve Rooke :
Remastering
Simon Gibson :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Late 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: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon

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






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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