Album This song officially appears on the Flaming Pie Official album.
Timeline This song was officially released in 1997
Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1995, when Paul McCartney was 53 years old)
This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:
June 1993
Nov 13-17, 1995
Recording "Flaming Pie" EPK #2
Spring 1997 ?
McCartney Turns Back the Clock
Apr 12, 1997 • From Billboard
“The World Tonight” is the second track of the 1997 album “Flaming Pie“. From the album liner notes:
The second song from Paul’s initial session (there were four in all) with Jeff Lynne took what had been an acoustic, folk-tinged demo and imbued it with a progressively heavier treatment. ‘The World Tonight’ was written while on vacation in America in 1995 – of the 14 songs on Flaming Pie only the title track, ‘Somedays’ and ‘Great Day’ were composed in England, for the muse tends to strike Paul most often while he’s on holiday.
The lyrics were just gathering thoughts. Like ‘I go back so far, I’m in front of me’- I don’t know where that came from, but if I’d been writing with John he would have gone ‘OK, leave that one in; we don’t know what it means but we do know what it means’.
Paul McCartney, from the liner notes of “Flaming Pie”
“The World Tonight” was one of those songs you just start with no particular inspiration. I didn’t have a title. I just had an idea for the opening verse, which just said “I saw you sitting at the center of the circle”. It’s just a stream-of-consciousness thing.
Paul McCartney, from the “Flaming Pie” EPK
This one was written on an acoustic guitar when I was on holiday, so it started out folk-y. I don’t “go to work” to write songs, they just come when the mood strikes me and that’s usually when I’m on holiday, perhaps after a sail or a swim, when I’m chilling out and relaxing with a piano or a guitar. My studio manager, Eddie, usually expects me to bring home a couple of cassettes from a holiday.
Mark Lewisohn, in Club Sandwich n°82, Summer 1997:
[…] Linda McCartney encouraged Paul to work his edgier, tougher, lead guitar work into Flaming Pie, an attribute he has tended to fight shy from over the years, but which remains a potent force, inspired by Jimi Hendrix – whom, like a fan, Paul followed, awe-struck, around the London clubs in the American’s startling spring of 1967 – and also by Neil Young. (Again, showing every indication of ardent support, Paul and Linda drove for six hours to see Young’s performance at the Phoenix Festival near Stratford-upon-Avon on 19 July 1996.) For the record, now that it’s done, Linda still believes her husband “could have wound up a couple more solos on this album”. ‘The World Tonight’ was written by Paul while on holiday in America in 1995. Of the 14 songs on Flaming Pie, only the title track, ‘Somedays’ and ‘Great Day’ were composed in England.
It’s got a bit of a tougher guitar riff on it. There’s a bit more of my heavier guitar on this album. When Linda and I first met, she’d say, ‘I didn’t know you played heavy guitar like that, I love that.’ But I’ve always done quite a bit of that for myself. So when it came to this album, Linda said, ‘Really play guitar. Don’t just get someone in to play it.’ It’s a little naive my guitar style; it’s not amazingly technical. It’s a bit like Neil Young. In fact, I still haven’t done the guitar as much as she wanted.
Paul McCartney – From Badman, Keith. The Beatles: Off The Record 2 – The Dream is Over: Dream Is Over Vol 2
On the weird side of things, from Paul McCartney Latest News 1996 – June 1997 (gernhardt.com):
The World Tonight contains a secret backwards message. During a break of the song, exactly at 2:38-2:41 where Paul’s “I can see the world tonight” is multitracked and delayed in some very strange way, this message can be heard when played backwards. This part really does sound like it could contain some voice played backwards but as it makes perfect sense played forward, I never even tried to play it backwards until someone in the newsgroups posted about it. Then I tried – and there it is, VERY clearly audible: “SAVE THE ANIMALS FUR, LINDA EASTMAN”. Normally I’d say this is a coincidence but in this case, with the strange delayed layers of Paul singing “I can see the world tonight” onto it – I don’t know. Maybe it IS intentional 😉
“The World Tonight” was issued as a single, both in the US and the UK. In the US, this was the only single from Flaming Pie that was released on 17 April 1997. In the UK, this was the second single released (in July) – it peaked at #23 in the UK Singles Chart.
Two promotional videos for “The World Tonight” have been created to promote “The World Tonight” – the first one was produced by Geoff Wonfor, the second one by Alistair Donald.
“The World Tonight” was remastered in 2016 for inclusion in the “Pure McCartney” compilation, and then in 2020 for the “Flaming Pie Archive Collection“, both times by engineer Alex Wharton. As explained on the Steve Hoffman forum:
It’s interesting that for both ‘Pure McCartney’ in 2016 and the new 2020 remaster the polarity is different. Which means something went wrong in the final mastering stage of the original 1997 issue. Because ‘Pure McCartney’ worked from a compressed and limited 1997 master, and this 2020 remaster from a tape without that compression and limiting.
by forum resident “mindgames”
I saw you sitting at the centre of the circle
Everybody, everybody wanted something from you
I saw you sitting there
I saw you swaying to the rhythm of the music
Caught you playing,
caught you praying to the voice inside you
I saw you swaying there
I don't care what you want to be
I go back so far I'm in front of me!
It doesn't matter what they say
They're giving the game away
I can see the world tonight
Look into the future
See it in a different light
I can see the world tonight
I heard you listening to a secret conversation
You were crying,
you were trying not to let them hear you
I heard you listening in
Never mind what they want to do
You've got a right to your point of view!
It doesn't matter what they say
They're giving the game away
I can see the world tonight
Look into the future
See it in a different light
I can see the world tonight
I can see the world tonight
I saw you hiding from a flock of paparazzi
You were hoping,
you were hoping that the ground would swallow you
I saw you hiding there
I don't care what you want to be
I go back so far I'm in front of me!
It doesn't matter what they say
They're giving the game away
I can see the world tonight
Look into the future
See it in a different light
I can see the world tonight
Look into the future
I can see the world tonight
See it in a different light
I can see the world tonight
I can see the world tonight
Official album • Released in 1997
4.03 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Flaming Pie - 6-track sampler cassette
Cassette • Released in 1997
4:00 • Studio version • A1 • Pre-mastered version. It features variations in the level and placement of the guitars in the mix
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Flaming Pie - 3-track sampler cassette
Cassette • Released in 1997
4:00 • Studio version • A1 • Pre-mastered version. It features variations in the level and placement of the guitars in the mix
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Flaming Pie (White-Label Promo LP)
Official album • Released in 1997
4.03 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
EP • Released in 1997
4:03 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Official album • Released in 1997
4.03 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
EP • Released in 1997
4:03 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
EP • Released in 1997
4:03 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
The World Tonight / Used To Be Bad
7" Single • Released in 1997
4:03 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Never Stop Doing What You Love
Official album • Released in 2005
4:07 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Lead vocal, Percussion, Piano, Producer Jeff Lynne : Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Harmony vocal, Keyboard, Producer Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Jon Jacobs : Recording engineer Keith Smith : Assistant engineer
Session Recording: Nov 13-17, 1995 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Session Overdubs ?: February 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Where Footprints Never Go - Unofficial Rarities - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
0:43 • Demo • D • Clean Electric Guitar Demo - From "Flaming Pie" EPK #2
Paul McCartney : Electric guitar, Vocals
Session Recording: Spring 1997 ? • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
0:40 • Demo • D • Clean Electric Guitar Demo - From "Flaming Pie" EPK #2
Paul McCartney : Electric guitar, Vocals
Session Recording: Spring 1997 ? • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
3:56 • Rough mix • Early Rough Mix - Different Intro
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
4:05 • Rough mix • Second Rough Version - Alternate Mix
1997 • For Paul McCartney • Directed by Geoff Wonfor
1997 • For Paul McCartney • Directed by Alistair Donald
“The World Tonight” has been played in 1 concerts.
Mini-concert on the roof of the MPL building
Apr 10, 1997 • United Kingdom • London • MPL building, Soho Square
The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present
"The World Tonight" is one of the songs featured in the book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present," published in 2021. The book explores Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, his time with the Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. It pairs the lyrics of 154 of his songs with his first-person commentary on the circumstances of their creation, the inspirations behind them, and his current thoughts on them.
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Erwin • 5 years ago
Do you know why Paul never played this song in concert?? It's great!!
The PaulMcCartney Project • 5 years ago
Hi Erwin, unfortunately, I don't know - don't know his process to choose which song to perform live ; there are some gems that have never been played live, and it's a shame !
