- Album This song officially appears on the Red Rose Speedway LP.
- Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1972 (Paul McCartney was 30 years old)
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Mar 07, 1972
Mixing "Big Barn Bed", "When The Night"
Jan 09, 1973
Related interviews
RAM, Wings, and Beyond: An Interview with Denny Seiwell
May 22, 2012 • From The Morton Report
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Song facts
“When The Night” is a song by Paul McCartney and Wings from the band’s 1973 album, Red Rose Speedway.
Last updated on November 22, 2018
Lyrics
Well the night was beautiful and mellow, mellow
And the light of the night fell on me, fell on me
You said right
Made me a happy fellow
And the light of the night fell on me
I never will forget the night
I held you close, I held you tight
Oh darling, don't you know
You made my senses reel?
I fell in love and now I feel
Like I will never go
Oh little darling don't you know
That the night was marvelous and yellow, yellow
And the light of the night fell on me (repeat)
I never will forget the way
You taught me how to swing and sway
Oh darling don't you know?
That ever since that special day
My mind can only contemplate
The magic that you show
Oh little darling don't you know
That the night is beautiful and yellow, yellow
And the light of the night fell on me etc
Yeah the light of the night fell on me.
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1973
3:41 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Electric bass piano
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Henry McCullough :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Denny Seiwell :
- Backing vocals, Drums
- John Kurlander :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Glyn Johns :
- Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer
- Phil Ault :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Mar 07, 1972
- Studio :
- Olympic Sound Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Jan 09, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1993
3:41 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Electric bass piano
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Henry McCullough :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Denny Seiwell :
- Backing vocals, Drums
- John Kurlander :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Glyn Johns :
- Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer
- Peter Mew :
- Remastering
- Phil Ault :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Mar 07, 1972
- Studio :
- Olympic Sound Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Jan 09, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Red Rose Speedway - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2018
3:37 • Studio version • A2018 • 2018 Remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Electric bass piano
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Henry McCullough :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Denny Seiwell :
- Backing vocals, Drums
- John Kurlander :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Glyn Johns :
- Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Steve Orchard :
- Remastering
- Phil Ault :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Mar 07, 1972
- Studio :
- Olympic Sound Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Jan 09, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Red Rose Speedway - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2018
3:37 • Studio version • A2018 • 2018 Remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Electric bass piano
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Henry McCullough :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Denny Seiwell :
- Backing vocals, Drums
- John Kurlander :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Glyn Johns :
- Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Steve Orchard :
- Remastering
- Phil Ault :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Mar 07, 1972
- Studio :
- Olympic Sound Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Jan 09, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Red Rose Speedway (50th Anniversary)
LP • Released in 2023
3:41 • Studio version • A2023 • 2023 half-speed mastering
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Electric bass piano
- Denny Laine :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Henry McCullough :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals
- Denny Seiwell :
- Backing vocals, Drums
- John Kurlander :
- Assistant mixing engineer
- Glyn Johns :
- Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons :
- Mixing engineer
- Phil Ault :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Mar 07, 1972
- Studio :
- Olympic Sound Studios, London
- Session Mixing:
- Jan 09, 1973
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
Unofficial live
4:04 • Live
Concert From the concert in Sheffield, United Kingdom on Jul 04, 1973
Unofficial live
3:53 • Live
Concert From the concert in Cardiff, United Kingdom on May 13, 1973
Live in Leeds University 73/5/19
Unofficial live
3:35 • Live
Concert From the concert in Leeds, United Kingdom on May 19, 1973
Green's Playhouse - Glasgow Scotland - May 24, 1973
Unofficial live
4:16 • Live
Concert From the concert in Glasgow, United Kingdom on May 24, 1973
Live performances
“When The Night” has been played in 14 concerts.
Latest concerts where When The Night has been played
Newcastle upon Tyne • City Hall • United Kingdom
Jul 10, 1973 • Part of Wings 1973 UK Tour
Sheffield • City Hall • United Kingdom
Jul 04, 1973 • Part of Wings 1973 UK Tour
London • Hammersmith Odeon • United Kingdom
May 27, 1973 • Part of Wings 1973 UK Tour
London • Hammersmith Odeon • United Kingdom
May 26, 1973 • Part of Wings 1973 UK Tour
Glasgow • Green's Playhouse • United Kingdom
May 24, 1973 • Part of Wings 1973 UK Tour
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.
Contribute!
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What is an “electric bass piano”?
Absolutely amazing, you're the best ever, Macca