Timeline Albums, EPs & singles Songs Films Concerts Sessions People Interviews Articles
⚬⚬⚬

Released in 1970

That Would Be Something

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on May 24, 2025

Album This song officially appears on the McCartney LP.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1970

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1969, when Paul McCartney was 27 years old)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interview

Related articles

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

“That Would Be Something” is the second track on Paul McCartney’s debut solo album, “McCartney“, released in April 1970. It was also the second song recorded for the album. Paul performed all the instruments himself — acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, tom-tom, and cymbal — and provided vocal percussion to emulate a drum rhythm.

Paul 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 included it in the brief summer tour that followed in support of the album.

In 2001, Paul revisited “That Would Be Something” in an acoustic performance for a radio show promoting the “Wingspan” compilation. The performance was also featured in the accompanying Wingspan television special.

It’s very McCartney, very me.

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

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

This is a little song from when Linda and I were getting together, a simple little thing that I used to jam. I recorded it all on my own for McCartney and heard it again a couple of weeks before the Unplugged show and thought that it was nice. And I was looking for something a little bit bluesy so that Robbie could play slide and Hamish could harmonise. It worked quite well. There’s no lyrics, really: hippies and the rain, a very ’60s idea, very peace and love.

Paul McCartney – From Club Sandwich 58, Summer 1991

Despite the sense of betrayal felt by the other Beatles when Paul McCartney issued the press release for “McCartney” that implied he was leaving the band, George Harrison had some positive words for two of the album’s tracks: “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, 2009
From the press release of “McCartney”, April 1970

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

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “That Would Be Something”

Videos

Album Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)

Live performances

“That Would Be Something” has been played in 8 concerts.

Latest concerts where “That Would Be Something” has been played

See all concerts where “That Would Be Something” has been played

Going further

Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

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.

Buy on Amazon

If we modestly consider the Paul McCartney Project to be the premier online resource for all things Paul McCartney, it is undeniable that The Beatles Bible stands as the definitive online site dedicated to the Beatles. While there is some overlap in content between the two sites, they differ significantly in their approach.

Read more on The Beatles Bible

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2025 • Please note this site is strictly non-commercial. All pictures, videos & quoted texts remain the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by us is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact us and we will do so immediately. Alternatively, we would be delighted to provide credits.