The Note You Never Wrote

Album This song officially appears on the Wings At The Speed Of Sound Official album.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1976

Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions


"At The Speed Of Sound" sessions #1

September - October 1975



"At The Speed Of Sound" sessions #2

January - February 1976

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The book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present", published in 2021, covers Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, the Beatles, Wings, and solo careers, by pairing the lyrics of 154 of his songs with first-person commentaries of the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.

"The Note You Never Wrote" is one of the 154 songs covered.

Lyrics

Later on, the story goes
A bottle floated out to sea
After days, when it had found the perfect spot
It opened up
And I read the note
That you never wrote to me
After all, I’m sure you know
The Mayor of Baltimore is here
After days now he can finally appear
Now at last he’s here
But he never is gonna get my vote
Cos he never is gonna get a quote
From the little note that you never wrote to me
Further on, along the line
I was arrested on the shore
Holding papers of governments galore
I was taken in
But I read the note that you never wrote
Yes, I read the note that you never wrote
Oh, I read the note that you never wrote to me
To me. To me. To me

Officially appears on


Wings At The Speed Of Sound

Official album • Released in 1976

4:29 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Electric piano (?), Flute (?), Mellotron (?), Producer
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Flute (?), Vocals
Jimmy McCulloch :
Electric guitar
Joe English :
Drums, Percussion, Tambourine (?)
Tony Clark :
Recording engineer
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Pete Henderson :
Mixing engineer
Fiachra Trench :
String arrangement

Session Recording:
Oct 14, 1975
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon


Wings At The Speed Of Sound (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

4:29 • Studio versionA1993 • 1993 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Electric piano (?), Flute (?), Mellotron (?), Producer
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Flute (?), Vocals
Jimmy McCulloch :
Electric guitar
Joe English :
Drums, Percussion, Tambourine (?)
Tony Clark :
Recording engineer
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Pete Henderson :
Mixing engineer
Fiachra Trench :
String arrangement
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Oct 14, 1975
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon


Wings At The Speed Of Sound - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2014

4:29 • Studio versionA2014 • 2014 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Electric piano (?), Flute (?), Mellotron (?), Producer
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Flute (?), Vocals
Jimmy McCulloch :
Electric guitar
Joe English :
Drums, Percussion, Tambourine (?)
Tony Clark :
Recording engineer
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Pete Henderson :
Mixing engineer
Fiachra Trench :
String arrangement

Session Recording:
Oct 14, 1975
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon


Wings At The Speed Of Sound (Limited Orange LP)

Official album • Released in 2017

4:29 • Studio versionA2014

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Electric piano (?), Flute (?), Mellotron (?), Producer
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Flute (?), Vocals
Jimmy McCulloch :
Electric guitar
Joe English :
Drums, Percussion, Tambourine (?)
Tony Clark :
Recording engineer
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Pete Henderson :
Mixing engineer
Fiachra Trench :
String arrangement

Session Recording:
Oct 14, 1975
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon

Bootlegs


Let 'Em Out Vol. 1 - Wings At The Speed Of Sound Sessions And More

Unofficial album • Released in 2010

4:19 • Alternate take • No strings


Wings At The Speed Of Sound - Ultimate Archive Collection

Unofficial album • Released in 2016

4:21 • Studio versionA

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Electric piano (?), Flute (?), Mellotron (?), Producer
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals, Keyboards, Tambourine (?)
Denny Laine :
Acoustic guitar (?), Backing vocals, Flute (?), Vocals
Jimmy McCulloch :
Electric guitar
Joe English :
Drums, Percussion, Tambourine (?)
Tony Clark :
Recording engineer
Mark Vigars :
Assistant engineer
Pete Henderson :
Mixing engineer
Fiachra Trench :
String arrangement

Session Recording:
Oct 14, 1975
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
January - March 1976
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013) on Amazon


Wings At The Speed Of Sound - Ultimate Archive Collection

Unofficial album • Released in 2016

4:16 • Studio version • [no strings]


Wings At The Speed Of Sound Sessions

Unofficial album • Released in 2016

4:17 • Outtake • Basic Track, No Horns

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

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