Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Late December 1969 to Jan 03, 1970
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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.
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
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1970
2:43 • Studio version • A • 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 • 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)
CD • Released in 1992
2:43 • Studio version • A1992 • 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
Official album • Released in 1993
2:43 • Studio version • A1993 • 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 version • A2011 • 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
LP • Released in 2017
2:42 • Studio version • A2011 • 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
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:
- 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 version • A2011 • 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
Official album • Released in 2022
2:42 • Studio version • A2011 • 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
Bootlegs
Where Footprints Never Go - Unofficial Rarities - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
0:36 • Live • L2 • From "Wingspan Memorial Day Special" radio show
Concert From "Wingspan: Memorial Day Weekend Special" in , USA on May 25, 2001
Unofficial live
3:26 • Live
Concert From the concert in Barcelona, Spain on May 08, 1991
Unofficial live
2:54 • Live
Concert From the concert in Westcliff-on-Sea, United Kingdom on Jul 19, 1991
Unofficial live
3:23 • Live
Concert From the concert in Copenhagen, Denmark on Jul 24, 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
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.
If we like to think, in all modesty, that the Paul McCartney Project is the best online ressource for everything Paul McCartney, The Beatles Bible is for sure the definitive online site focused on the Beatles. There are obviously some overlap in terms of content between the two sites, but also some major differences in terms of approach.
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