- Album This song officially appears on the We All Stand Together 7" Single.
- Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1980 (Paul McCartney was 38 years old)
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
August 1980
We All Stand Together session #1
Oct 31, 1980
We All Stand Together session #2
Nov 03, 1980
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Song facts
We were just doing this little cartoony thing, this little pilot – I’m really trying to make the big feature – just to see if we can make Rupert work. I’ll just do a little song and get George Martin along: ‘Here you are, George. I’ve done this one, it’s not much.’ George takes it away, does a monster arrangement on it all, we go and do it and it’s like the hit of the year for us. And then you start to look at it and you say, ‘Oh yeah, I see. It’s quite attractive, that one.’ It’s funny, sometimes those ones you throw away can be the biggest.
Paul McCartney, from Club Sandwich N°47/48, Spring 1988
From Wikipedia:
“We All Stand Together” (sometimes referred to as the Frog Song or the Frog Chorus) is a song by Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus.
“We All Stand Together” is from the animated film Rupert and the Frog Song and reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in 1984. Originally released in June 1983, McCartney re-released the single on the Christmas charts in 1984.
The “Frog Chorus” backing on the song was provided by the King’s Singers choral group and the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral. The ‘flute playing frog’ was Elena Durán. The B-side of the single contains a “Humming Version” of the song performed by McCartney and the Finchley Frogettes.
The song re-entered the UK Singles Chart one year later in 1985, one of three hits to do so that originally charted in December 1984 (“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid and “Last Christmas” by Wham! were the other two).
Despite its relative success, the song attracted criticism for its light subject matter and is sometimes cited as a sign of the decline of McCartney’s songwriting talent after The Beatles, despite being recorded for a children’s film.
Two shaped picture discs were issued on the 12 November 1984 and 1985, the only difference being a plain clear sleeve on the later version. The song also appears on the UK/Canada version of McCartney’s 1987 compilation album, All the Best!. The song was included on the deluxe edition of McCartney’s 2016 compilation album, Pure McCartney. […]
Last updated on April 18, 2020
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.
"We All Stand Together" is one of the 154 songs covered.
Lyrics
Win or lose, sink or swim
One thing is certain we'll never give in
Side by side, hand in hand
We all stand together
Play the game, fight the fight
But what's the point on a beautiful night?
Arm in arm, hand in hand
We all stand together
La…..
Keeping us warm in the night
La la la la
Walk in the light
You'll get it right
REPEAT
Win or lose, sink or swim
One thing is certain we'll never give in
Arm in arm, hand in hand
We all stand together
Officially appears on
7" Single • Released in 1984
4:25 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- John Barclay :
- Trumpet
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Nigel Perrin :
- Vocals
- Alastair Hume :
- Vocals
- Bill Ives :
- Vocals
- Anthony Holt :
- Vocals
- Simon Carrington :
- Vocals
- Brian Kay :
- Vocals
- Pete Beachill :
- Euphonium
- Robin Williams :
- Violin
- Pete Swinfield :
- Flute
- Gary Kettel :
- Tympani
- Mike Stavrou :
- Recording engineer
- The London Community Gospel Choir :
- Vocals
- The King's Singers :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
7" Single • Released in 1984
2:23 • Studio version • B • Humming Version
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Stuart Breed :
- Mixing engineer
- Steve Jackson :
- Recording engineer
- Performed by :
- The London Community Gospel Choir • The King's Singers • The Finchley Frogettes
- Nigel Walker :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Official album • Released in 1987
4:25 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- John Barclay :
- Trumpet
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Nigel Perrin :
- Vocals
- Alastair Hume :
- Vocals
- Bill Ives :
- Vocals
- Anthony Holt :
- Vocals
- Simon Carrington :
- Vocals
- Brian Kay :
- Vocals
- Pete Beachill :
- Euphonium
- Robin Williams :
- Violin
- Pete Swinfield :
- Flute
- Gary Kettel :
- Tympani
- Mike Stavrou :
- Recording engineer
- The London Community Gospel Choir :
- Vocals
- The King's Singers :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Official album • Released in 1987
4:25 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- John Barclay :
- Trumpet
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Nigel Perrin :
- Vocals
- Alastair Hume :
- Vocals
- Bill Ives :
- Vocals
- Anthony Holt :
- Vocals
- Simon Carrington :
- Vocals
- Brian Kay :
- Vocals
- Pete Beachill :
- Euphonium
- Robin Williams :
- Violin
- Pete Swinfield :
- Flute
- Gary Kettel :
- Tympani
- Mike Stavrou :
- Recording engineer
- The London Community Gospel Choir :
- Vocals
- The King's Singers :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Official album • Released in 1993
4:25 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- John Barclay :
- Trumpet
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Nigel Perrin :
- Vocals
- Alastair Hume :
- Vocals
- Bill Ives :
- Vocals
- Anthony Holt :
- Vocals
- Simon Carrington :
- Vocals
- Brian Kay :
- Vocals
- Pete Beachill :
- Euphonium
- Robin Williams :
- Violin
- Pete Swinfield :
- Flute
- Gary Kettel :
- Tympani
- Mike Stavrou :
- Recording engineer
- The London Community Gospel Choir :
- Vocals
- The King's Singers :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs, editing & :
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs, editing & :
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
CD Single • Released in 2004
4:25 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- John Barclay :
- Trumpet
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Nigel Perrin :
- Vocals
- Alastair Hume :
- Vocals
- Bill Ives :
- Vocals
- Anthony Holt :
- Vocals
- Simon Carrington :
- Vocals
- Brian Kay :
- Vocals
- Pete Beachill :
- Euphonium
- Robin Williams :
- Violin
- Pete Swinfield :
- Flute
- Gary Kettel :
- Tympani
- Mike Stavrou :
- Recording engineer
- The London Community Gospel Choir :
- Vocals
- The King's Singers :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Official album • Released in 2016
4:25 • Studio version • A2016 • 2016 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- John Barclay :
- Trumpet
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Nigel Perrin :
- Vocals
- Alastair Hume :
- Vocals
- Bill Ives :
- Vocals
- Anthony Holt :
- Vocals
- Simon Carrington :
- Vocals
- Brian Kay :
- Vocals
- Pete Beachill :
- Euphonium
- Robin Williams :
- Violin
- Pete Swinfield :
- Flute
- Gary Kettel :
- Tympani
- Mike Stavrou :
- Recording engineer
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- The London Community Gospel Choir :
- Vocals
- The King's Singers :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs & mixing:
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
7" Single • Released in 2020
4:25 • Studio version • A2020 • 2020 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- John Barclay :
- Trumpet
- Jon Kelly :
- Mixing engineer
- Nigel Perrin :
- Vocals
- Alastair Hume :
- Vocals
- Bill Ives :
- Vocals
- Anthony Holt :
- Vocals
- Simon Carrington :
- Vocals
- Brian Kay :
- Vocals
- Pete Beachill :
- Euphonium
- Robin Williams :
- Violin
- Pete Swinfield :
- Flute
- Gary Kettel :
- Tympani
- Mike Stavrou :
- Recording engineer
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- The London Community Gospel Choir :
- Vocals
- The King's Singers :
- Backing vocals
- Session Recording:
- Oct 31, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 03, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs, editing & :
- Nov 10, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
- Session Overdubs, editing & :
- Nov 15, 1980
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Bootlegs
Unofficial album • Released in 1989
Unofficial album
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
Going further
Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989
With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.
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