Paul McCartney - Coming Up (2023 Remaster)

"Coming Up" is a song written by Paul McCartney, released as the opening track on his 1980 solo album McCartney II. Like other songs on the album, the song has a synthesised sound, featuring sped-up vocals created by using a vari-speed tape machine. McCartney played all instruments.

The single was a hit in Britain, peaking at No. 2 on the singles chart.

In a Rolling Stone interview, McCartney explained how the song came about:

"I originally cut it on my farm in Scotland. I went into the studio each day and just started with a drum track. Then I built it up bit by bit without any idea of how the song was going to turn out. After laying down the drum track, I added guitars and bass, building up the backing track."

"Then I thought, 'Well, OK, what am I going to do for the voice?' I was working with a vari-speed machine with which you can speed up your voice, or take it down a little bit. That's how the voice sound came about."


John Lennon described "Coming Up" as "a good piece of work" and it prompted him to return to recording in 1980. After hearing it on the radio for the first time, Lennon reportedly stated “Fuck a pig! It’s Paul!” Lennon later stated his preference for the studio version over the live version that was released as a single: "I thought that Coming Up was great and I like the freak version that he made in his barn better than that live Glasgow one. If I'd have been with him I would've said 'that's the one' too. And I thought that the record company had a nerve changing it round on him, and I know what they mean, they want to hear the real guy singing, but I like the freaky one."

Remastered from the original CD of McCartney II.