The Man Who Found God on the Moon

One of my favourites from the album is ‘The Man Who Found God on the Moon’. What was the genesis of that song?

That was lovely. I had these ideas. We got into Strawberry and our kid said “What are we doing today?” I said “Well, I don’t know.” He said “Shall we go home?” I said “I’ve got these words and I will work on them here. You see how that goes down there. I just think it will all fit together.” Just like on his ‘Band on the Run’ they all flow into each other and I like that. I always like light and shade, that is me and that is why I love Pepper and things like that and the band and the way they flow in. That first one was just a drive that I had from London to Liverpool and I was going along the motorway and these balloons were just floating along. Sunset and these rockets went off on this one trip home from London to Liverpool.

Then the next ‘Make Me Happy’ bit came from when I was in London in a recording studio waiting to go. I was in reception and this little girl popped her head round the door, she was selling stuff for Hari Krishna. Her name was Annette. I said, “Are you all right love?” “Yes, I’m fine.” she said “Would you like some flowers.” I said “Yes, I’ll buy those. What are you doing?” She said “I love doing this. I am Hari Krishna.” All these things just fitted in.

Then ‘The man got on the moon’ bit. I was watching that on telly live in the early hours of the morning. I had this tape recorder taping it and I found that his thing lands on the moon. I found out that bit where he was saying his bit live from the moon. Buzz Aldrin when he went up, it was so extraordinary. Can you imagine being up for the first time and floated above the earth like Bowie but you are a real man down from Earth up in heaven and you are looking down. It was such a profound experience for him that he found God. The man who found God on the moon. He saw the enormity of it all and became Christian.

I think I can hear Denny and Paul on backing vocals.

It is and Lin I think is in there as well. Our kid did that floaty bit, that’s very him. The whole thing was a magic track. When you put all the bits together, it just goes beautifully flows up and down and it just has a lovely feel to it.

Mike McCartney / McGear – From The Strange BrewMike McGear McCartney – The Strange Brew, 2016

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Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

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