- Album This song officially appears on the Press To Play Official album.
- Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1985 (Paul McCartney was 43 years old)
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
March - May 1985
October 1st - December 6th 1985
April 14th-18th 1986
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Song facts
“Write Away” is a song from 1986 album “Press To Play“. It was only released on the CD version of the album (as two other tracks), and therefore omitted from the LP version.
Last updated on May 2, 2020
Lyrics
Hey yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You need love, write a letter
You need love, write away
Get it down, you'll feel better
Send it now, write away
Hey Cinderella
D-d-did you need that other fella?
On the wrong side of midnight
Your defenses slipped away
You need attention
So I think it's worth a mention
That if I can deliver
Well, there wouldn't be no heavy price to pay
You need love, so write a letter
You need love, write away
If you need to feel better
Do it now, write away
Hey Margarita
I can think of nothing sweeter
But the taste of your nectar
Seems to lead the boys astray
Don't you forget it
Well, you know you won't regret it
Said I've got the answer
You were looking at it long before today
You need love, so write a letter
You need love, write away
Get it down, down, down, you'll feel better
Send it now, write away
Hey, hey, hey, you need love, love, love, write a letter
You need love, write away
If you need to feel better
Do it now, now, now, write away
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1986
3:01 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Trevor Jones :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Tony Clark :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jon Kelly :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar
- Eddie Rayner :
- Keyboards
- Lenny Pickett :
- Saxophone
- John Hammel :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Howe :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Hugh Padgham :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer, Producer
- Peter Mew :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Haydn Bendall :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- October 1st - December 6th 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- April 14th-18th 1986
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Pretty Little Head / Write Away
7" Single • Released in 1986
3:01 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Trevor Jones :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Tony Clark :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jon Kelly :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar
- Eddie Rayner :
- Keyboards
- Lenny Pickett :
- Saxophone
- John Hammel :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Howe :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Hugh Padgham :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer, Producer
- Peter Mew :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Haydn Bendall :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- October 1st - December 6th 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- April 14th-18th 1986
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Pretty Little Head / Write Away
12" Single • Released in 1986
3:01 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Trevor Jones :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Tony Clark :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jon Kelly :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar
- Eddie Rayner :
- Keyboards
- Lenny Pickett :
- Saxophone
- John Hammel :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Howe :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Hugh Padgham :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer, Producer
- Peter Mew :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Haydn Bendall :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- October 1st - December 6th 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- April 14th-18th 1986
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1993
3:01 • Studio version • A1993 • 1993 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Trevor Jones :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Tony Clark :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jon Kelly :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar
- Eddie Rayner :
- Keyboards
- Lenny Pickett :
- Saxophone
- John Hammel :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Howe :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Hugh Padgham :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer, Producer
- Peter Mew :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Haydn Bendall :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- October 1st - December 6th 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- April 14th-18th 1986
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
7" Single • Released in 2022
3:01 • Studio version • A2022 • 2022 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Trevor Jones :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Tony Clark :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jon Kelly :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar
- Eddie Rayner :
- Keyboards
- Lenny Pickett :
- Saxophone
- John Hammel :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Howe :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Hugh Padgham :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer, Producer
- Peter Mew :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Haydn Bendall :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Mark Wharton :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- October 1st - December 6th 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- April 14th-18th 1986
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Bootlegs
Unofficial album
3:03 • Rough mix • A1
- Paul McCartney :
- Piano, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Electric guitar (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Unofficial album • Released in 2000
3:06 • Rough mix • A1
- Paul McCartney :
- Piano, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Electric guitar (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
UK Singles Collection - Volume 03
Unofficial album • Released in 2007
3:01 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Trevor Jones :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Tony Clark :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jon Kelly :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar
- Eddie Rayner :
- Keyboards
- Lenny Pickett :
- Saxophone
- John Hammel :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Howe :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Hugh Padgham :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer, Producer
- Peter Mew :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Haydn Bendall :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- October 1st - December 6th 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- April 14th-18th 1986
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Press To Play - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
3:01 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass, Piano, Producer, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Backing vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Backing vocals, Electric guitar
- Trevor Jones :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Eddie Klein :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Tony Clark :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Butler :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jon Kelly :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar
- Eddie Rayner :
- Keyboards
- Lenny Pickett :
- Saxophone
- John Hammel :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Matt Howe :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Hugh Padgham :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer, Producer
- Peter Mew :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Haydn Bendall :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- October 1st - December 6th 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- April 14th-18th 1986
- Studio :
- AIR Studios, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
3:07 • Rough mix • A1
- Paul McCartney :
- Piano, Vocals
- Eric Stewart :
- Electric guitar (?)
- Jerry Marotta :
- Percussion
- Carlos Alomar :
- Electric guitar (?)
- Session Recording:
- March - May 1985
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
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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