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- Album This song officially appears on the One Year On 46664 EP.
- Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1995 (Paul McCartney was 53 years old)
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
May 18, 1995
Nov 18-19, 1995
Dec 01, 1995
Oct 22-23, 2003
Related interviews
MACCA-Central Exclusive: Interview with Rusty Anderson
Dec 15, 2003 • From MACCA-Central
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Song facts
“Whole Life” is a song written and recorded by Paul McCartney and Dave Stewart, from Eurythmics. The two stars worked on the track in 1995, but the effort of those sessions remained unreleased until the release of a rough mix on the 2020 Flaming Pie Archive Collection.
However, they re-recorded the song in 2003, backed by Paul McCartney’s live band. Dave Stewart was deeply involved in the 46664 anti-AIDS campaign, and called McCartney to help and contribute:
46664 was the prison number of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, Cape Town where he was held in captivity for 18 years. In November 2002 Mr Mandela gave his prison number 46664 to Dave Stewart so that he could use it to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS in South Africa by raising money for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The 46664 campaign was conceived by Dave Stewart and put into place in partnership with the Mandela Foundation and Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen.
From eurythmics-ultimate.com
“Whole Life” was made available for download on the website 46664.com, a few days after its recording. In 2005, it was released on the “One Year On 46664” EP – released on Apple iTunes (in January) and on physical support in Spain only (in April).
Last updated on August 29, 2020
Lyrics
Oh you got your whole life laid down in front of you
When you've gotta decide exactly what you wanna do
Look to it rising and listen to it calling you
Yeah you got your whole life laid down in front of you
Ohhhhhh
I need to know
You need to tell me
I need to find out right now
I need to hear it from (?)
I need you to tell me its mistery right now
Ohhhhhh
Oh yeah you got your whole life laid down in front of you
From the mountais till the ocean listen to it calling you
You gotta decide exactly what you wanna do
Yeah you got your whole life laid down in front of you
I need to know
You need to tell me
I need to find out right now
I need to hear it from (?)
I need you to tell me its mistery right now
Tell me...
Oh yeah you got your whole life laid down in front of you (2x)
You got the power to do what you need to do
I need to know
You need to tell me
I need to find out right now
I need to hear it from (?)
I need you to tell me its mistery right now
Solo - I need to know...gimme what I need
Officially appears on
EP • Released in 2005
3:56 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Electric guitar, Vocals
- Rusty Anderson :
- Electric guitar
- Abe Laboriel Jr. :
- Drums
- Paul Wickens :
- Electric piano, Organ
- Brian Ray :
- Bass
- Dave Stewart :
- Acoustic guitar
- Session Recording:
- Oct 22-23, 2003
- 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
EP • Released in 2005
3:56 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Electric guitar, Vocals
- Rusty Anderson :
- Electric guitar
- Abe Laboriel Jr. :
- Drums
- Paul Wickens :
- Electric piano, Organ
- Brian Ray :
- Bass
- Dave Stewart :
- Acoustic guitar
- Session Recording:
- Oct 22-23, 2003
- 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
Flaming Pie - Archive Collection
Official album • Released in 2020
5:34 • Rough mix • B
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Jon Jacobs :
- Assistant recording engineer
- Alex Wharton :
- Mastering
- Session Recording:
- May 18, 1995 ?
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Recording:
- Nov 18-19, 1995
- Studio :
- The Church Studios, London, UK
- Session Mixing:
- Dec 01, 1995
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK ?
Bootlegs
Give Us That Knowing Wink - Official Rarities - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
3:55 • Studio version • Web Remix. This version was posted by Dave Stewart on his website, described as a “wild fun version of me and Paul going nuts.”
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
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I love this version of the song. Do you have any idea where I can get my hands on this version? I tried looking for the EP but they have other EPs and LPs which does not contain this song.
Hi Trevor, this one is really difficult to find. The obvious places to find old EPs / CDs... are discogs.com or eil.com, but they don't seem to have anyone to sell at the moment.