Tomorrow

Album This song officially appears on the Wild Life LP.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1971
Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1971 (Paul McCartney was 29 years old)

Song facts

Tomorrow” is a song from Wings’ debut album, “Wild Life“, released in 1971. If “Wild Life” has often been considered as a low-point in Paul McCartney’s career, “Tomorrow” is usually recognized as one of the best tracks of the album (the other one being “Dear Friend“), even by Paul himself!

From Rolling Stone, January 31, 1974:

Does that mean, then, that you didn’t think too much in retrospect of ‘Wild Life’? Because of all your albums…

No, ah, I quite liked it. I must say you have to like me to like the record. I mean, if it’s just taken cold, I think it wasn’t that brilliant as a recording. We did it in about two weeks, the whole thing. And it had been done on that kind of a buzz we’d been hearing about how Dylan had come in and done everything in one take. I think in fact often we never gave the engineer a chance to even set up a balance. There’s a couple of real big songs on there, that only freaks or connoisseurs know.

Well, “Tomorrow.”

Yeah, “Tomorrow” is one of them. It’s like, when I’m talking to people about Picasso or something and they say, well, his blue period was his only one that was any good. But for me, if the guy does some great things then even his downer moments are interesting. His lesser moments, rather, because they make up the final picture. Some moments seem less, he was going through kind of a pressure period. You know, you can’t live your life without pressure periods. No one I know has.

Paul McCartney

In a Q&A with Paul McCartney, published in Club Sandwich 72:

Any chance of you re-recording the song ‘Tomorrow’ from the Wild Life LP? It’s such a great song and yet it’s been buried. From Amy Benbow, Stroud, England

Another good question. Linda’s Dad, who is no longer alive, was a great fan of this song, and he was always saying to me “You should do it again. You’ve thrown it away and it deserves re-making.” I asked him how he thought I should do it and he said “Slow, really slow”. It got to be a joke in the end, how slow he thought it ought to be. I haven’t yet got around to doing it, though.

Paul McCartney

In September 1974, Paul McCartney and Wings, under the pseudonym “The Whippets”, recorded an instrumental version of “Tomorrow“, in the reggae style, with synth and horns in place of Paul’s vocal line. Some acetates were made, and the track ended up being bootlegged. Also recorded during the same session was “Proud Mum“, an instrumental that Paul recorded as an intended advertising jingle for Mother’s Pride bread.

Some sources claimed that McCartney recorded a new version of “Tomorrow” in 2011 with Diana Krall.

Acetate for “Tomorrow” recorded in 1974 – From Lot 3102 – THE WHIPPETS (WINGS) – PROUD (omegaauctions.co.uk)
From Wings Wild Life | Paul McCartney & Wings

Last updated on March 5, 2022

Lyrics

Oh! Baby, don't you let me down tomorrow
Holding hands we both abandon sorrow
Oh, for a chance to get away tomorrow
Hey, baby's got a lazy day on Sunday,
Here's a pound we hang around till Monday
Oh, baby don't you let me down on Sunday

Bring a bag of bread and cheese
And find a shady spot beneath the trees
Catch a breath of country air
And run your pretty fingers thro' my hair

Tomorrow, when we both abandon sorrow
Oh, baby, don't you let me down tomorrow,
Thro' the week we beg and steal and borrow
Oh, for a chance to get away tomorrow

Honey, pray for sunny skies,
So I can speak to rainbows in your eyes
Let's just hope the weather man
Is feeling fine and doesn't spoil our plan.

Tomorrow when we both abandon sorrow
Oh, baby, don't you let me down tomorrow
Holding hands we both abandon sorrow
Oh, baby, don't you let me down tomorrow.

Oh, for a chance to get away tomorrow
Baby, don't let me down tomorrow
Baby, don't let me down tomorrow
Baby, don't let me down tomorrow
Baby, don't let me down tomorrow.

Officially appears on


Wild Life

LP • Released in 1971

3:28 • Studio versionA • Stereo

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 08, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


Wild Life (1993)

Official album • Released in 1993

3:28 • Studio versionA1993 • Stereo • 1993 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 08, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


Wingspan Hits And History (US version)

Official album • Released in 2001

3:27 • Studio versionA2001 • 2001 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Geoff Emerick :
Remastering
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 08, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


Wingspan Hits And History (Japanese version)

Official album • Released in 2001

3:27 • Studio versionA2001 • 2001 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Geoff Emerick :
Remastering
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 08, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


Wingspan Hits And History

Official album • Released in 2001

3:27 • Studio versionA2001 • 2001 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Geoff Emerick :
Remastering
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Peter Mew :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 08, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


Wild Life - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2018

3:24 • Studio versionA2018 • 2018 Remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Alex Wharton :
Remastering
Steve Orchard :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 08, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


Wild Life - Archive Collection

Official album • Released in 2018

3:31 • Rough mixB

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Alex Wharton :
Mastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Aug 06, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


Wild Life (50th Anniversary)

LP • Released in 2022

3:28 • Studio versionA2022 • Stereo • 2022 half-speed mastering

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Linda McCartney :
Backing vocals
Denny Laine :
Backing vocals, Bass (?), Electric guitar
Denny Seiwell :
Drums
Tony Clark :
Mixing engineer, Recording engineer
Alan Parsons :
Mixing engineer assistant, Recording engineer assistant
Miles Showell :
Mastering

Session Recording:
Jul 26, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 08, 1971
Studio :
EMI Studios, 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


One Hand Clapping

LP • Released in 2024

2:12 • Studio version

Bootlegs


MoMac's Hidden Tracks Vol. 8

Unofficial album

3:37 • Studio versionC • Reggae version - from late 1974

Session Recording:
Sep 22, 1974
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Complete Cold Cuts

Unofficial album

3:35 • Alternate take


Oobu Joobu Part 12

Unofficial album • Released in 1995

3:33 • Radio show


Wild Life Demos

Unofficial album • Released in 2003

3:39 • Outtake


Wild Life Sessions

Unofficial album • Released in 2003

3:41 • Studio version • instrumental


Latest concerts where Tomorrow has been played

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

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