The Kiss Of Venus
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- Album This song officially appears on the McCartney III Official album.
Song facts
“The Kiss Of Venus” is a track from 2020 album “McCartney III“.
‘The Kiss Of Venus’ was inspired by a book about the movements of the planets. The book discussed the ‘pentagram of Venus’ and used the poetic term the kiss of Venus. Along with Paul’s singing and guitar, the only other instrument to appear on the track is a harpsichord. Whilst often associated with Baroque music, Paul is a big fan of the harpsichord and has used it throughout his career, and on recent songs like ‘New’ and ‘Fuh You’. Paul also plays harpsichord on ‘Find My Way’ and ‘Pretty Boys’ on ‘McCartney III’.
From Spotify Storyline. Storyline is a feature of Spotify that gives behind-the-scenes information from artists about their songs, presented with a carousel of cards featuring a combination of text and images.
On one of the songs off the new album, called ‘Kiss of Venus,’ I wrote it one summer’s day, and I got the beginning of it – The Kiss Of Venus, da, da, da, da – and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s OK, I’ll record it, I’ll finish it someday.’ But then I said to myself, ‘No, what have you got? You haven’t got anything on [right now]. Sit here and finish that bloody song!
Paul McCartney – from CBS Sunday Morning interview, December 20, 2020
I fight with myself sometimes. I did it recently. I had an afternoon, it was a lovely summer’s day last year, and the window was open and I was in the bedroom in London and I sat down and thought, ‘Oh yeah, I’ll have a noodle.’ So I was noodling on the guitar and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s quite good.’ And I thought, I’ll either just bang it down on my iPhone or I’ll finish it. And I wrestled with myself, and said, ‘Finish it – what else are you gonna do? stick it down then go and watch telly or something? Finish it. Take an hour or’. So I did and I was very proud of myself. I had a cool little book Jools Holland’s wife had given me, kind of an astrology book, all about the planets and the movements and the fantastic synchronicity of it all. A fascinating book, actually, when the planets go through all the little things, if you look at a graph, as it were, of them all, it like makes a lotus. It’s trippy. There was some great little phrases – “the kiss of Venus” was one of them. So I was loving that book and I was making up a song about that, but that was an instance of forcing myself to write. And I felt good after it. I thought, ‘Yeah that’s a pretty good little song.’ I haven’t had time to record it, but I will.
Paul McCartney, from the Flaming Pie – Archive Collection book, 2020
During his interview with the podcast Sodajerket in September 2018, Paul McCartney played a few seconds of “Kisses Of Venus” recorded on his phone.
A demo version of “The Kiss Of Venus” was released as a bonus track on some versions of “McCartney III“.
In 2021, for the “McCartney III Imagined” project, American singer Dominic Fike reimagined “The Kiss Of Venus” as “a retro-futuristic R&B tour de force“, according to the press release. The accompanying music video featured Paul McCartney at the very end of it.
when I started making this, the song wasn’t out yet and it was surreal to think that there was no youtube video to teach me how to play it. that I was the first person to get to figure it out. it started out as an exact cover but quickly morphed into this because there was no world where I was going to try and outdo the original so I made it my own. I still can’t believe this happened, thank you for being the ultimate source @paulmccartney
Dominic Fike – from Instagram, March 11, 2021
Last updated on March 12, 2021
Lyrics
PAUL MCCARTNEY VERSION:
VERSE 1
The kiss of Venus
Has got me on the go
She scored a bullseye
In the early morning glow
Early morning glow
VERSE 2
Packed with illusions
Our world is turned around
This golden circle has a
Most harmonic sound
Harmonic sound
BRIDGE
And in the sunshine
When we stand alone
We came together with
Our secrets blown
Our secrets blown
Now moving slowly
We circle through the square
Two passing planets in the
Sweet, sweet summer air
Sweet summer air
[Repeat bridge]
MIDDLE
Reflected mountains in a lake
Is this too much to take?
Asleep or wide awake?
And if the world begins to shake
Will something have to break?
We have to stay awake
[Repeat verse 2]
[Repeat bridge]
[Repeat verse 1]
The kiss of Venus
Has got me on the go
DOMINIC FIKE VERSION:
CHORUS
The kiss of Venus
Has got me on the go
She scored a bullseye
In the early morning glow
VERSE 1
Then I asked her, have you read the paper? (Okay)
People talking about which side they're taking
And if you know, then, baby, what's your take on it?
Does it make you wanna leave?
'Cause I could look the other way for you
CHORUS
The kiss of Venus
Has got me on the go
She scored a bullseye
In the early morning glow
BRIDGE
Reflected mountains in a lake
Is this too much to take?
Asleep or wide awake?
And if the world begins to shake
Will something have to break?
Or would we stay awake?
VERSE 2
Have you (Oh, I asked you) read the paper? (Oh, I asked you)
People talking without no education, yeah
Look, go to college (College), go find your major (Major)
Realize you're minor in the scheme of everything
CHORUS
The kiss of Venus
Has got me on the go
She scored a bullseye
In the early morning glow
OUTRO
The kiss of Venus
Has got me on the go
She scored a bullseye
In the early morning glow
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 2020
3:06 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Harpsichord, Producer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Orchard :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- April - June 2020 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Official album • Released in 2020
3:06 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Harpsichord, Producer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Orchard :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- April - June 2020 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
McCartney III (Deluxe Digital Album)
Official album • Released in 2020
2:10 • Demo • B • Phone demo
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Engineer, Producer, Vocals
- Steve Orchard :
- Engineer
McCartney III (Deluxe Edition Blue Cover CD)
Official album • Released in 2020
3:06 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Harpsichord, Producer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Orchard :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- April - June 2020 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
McCartney III (Deluxe Edition Red Cover CD)
Official album • Released in 2020
3:06 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Harpsichord, Producer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Orchard :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- April - June 2020 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
McCartney III (Deluxe Edition White Cover CD)
Official album • Released in 2020
3:06 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Harpsichord, Producer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Orchard :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- April - June 2020 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
McCartney III (Deluxe Edition Yellow Cover CD)
Official album • Released in 2020
3:06 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Harpsichord, Producer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Orchard :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- April - June 2020 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
McCartney III (Deluxe Edition White Cover CD)
Official album • Released in 2020
2:10 • Demo • B • Phone demo
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Engineer, Producer, Vocals
- Steve Orchard :
- Engineer
McCartney III (Deluxe Digital Album)
Official album • Released in 2020
3:06 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Harpsichord, Producer, Vocals
- Keith Smith :
- Assistant engineer
- Steve Orchard :
- Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- April - June 2020 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
McCartney III (Japanese edition - Limited release)
Official album • Released in 2020
2:10 • Demo • B • Phone demo
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Engineer, Producer, Vocals
- Steve Orchard :
- Engineer
Latest concerts where The Kiss Of Venus has been played
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.