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Waterfalls (Paul McCartney song)

January 01, 1970

"Waterfalls" is a Paul McCartney ballad from his first solo album after Wings, McCartney II. The song has a minimalist sound, with McCartney only playing a Fender Rhodes electric piano and a synthesizer and singing, and a short solo performed on acoustic guitar.

"Waterfalls"
Single by Paul McCartney
from the album McCartney II
B-side"Check My Machine"
Released13 June 1980 (1980-06-13)
RecordedJuly–August 1979
GenreSoft rock
Length4:43 (Album Version)
3:20 (DJ Edit)
LabelParlophone/EMI (UK)
Columbia (US)
Songwriter(s)Paul McCartney
Producer(s)Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney singles chronology
"Coming Up"
(1980) 		"Waterfalls"
(1980) 		"Temporary Secretary"
(1980)
McCartney II track listing
11 tracks
Side one
  1. "Coming Up"
  2. "Temporary Secretary"
  3. "On the Way"
  4. "Waterfalls"
  5. "Nobody Knows"
Side two
  2. "Front Parlour"
  3. "Summer's Day Song"
  4. "Frozen Jap"
  5. "Bogey Music"
  6. "Darkroom"
  7. "One of These Days"
Music video
"Waterfalls" on YouTube

"Waterfalls" was released as a single with "Check My Machine" as its B-Side and reached chart position No. 9 in the UK and No. 4 in Ireland.[1][2] In the US, however, it was his first single ever to miss the Billboard Hot 100 chart, only reaching No. 106 despite being the follow-up to the No. 1 hit "Coming Up".[3] In 2013, Rolling Stone rated it the No. 25 all-time Paul McCartney post-Beatles song, describing how it contrasted with Wings' prior single.[4]

Billboard described "Waterfalls" as having "a subtle oriental flavour" and "appropriately sparse" instrumentation, and described McCartney's vocal performance as "inimitable" and "creamy."[5] Cash Box called it a "whimsical ballad," stating that it has an "almost dirge-like melody."[6] Record World said that "Stately keyboards surround [McCartney's] boyish falsetto for pop-A/C appeal."[7]

When questioned on singles he wished were more successful, McCartney stated, "There's quite a few, actually. ... 'Waterfalls', I think is nice." He also commented that TLC's single "Waterfalls" carries elements of his song.[4][8]

McCartney also said of his song:

Waterfalls’ is basically saying don’t go doing a load of dangerous stuff, ’cause I need you. And that’s a kind of a more mature thought for me than I would have been able to have done 20 years ago, ’cause I just didn’t realize that it’s not all gonna be here forever. That’s the kind of thing you realize when you pass 30.[9]

Charts edit

Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 31
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[11] 4
Ireland[12] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 15
Norway (VG-lista)[14] 9
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 9
West Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 55

Personnel edit

"Waterfalls"

"Check My Machine"

  • Paul McCartney - vocals, banjo, bass, electric guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, drums, shaker, percussion

Other versions edit

Sloan recorded a more uptempo version of the song on the McCartney tribute album Listen to What the Man Said.[17]

References edit

  1. ^ "Waterfalls". Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  2. ^ "Official Charts: Paul McCartney". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  3. ^ Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium (Chesterfield, MO: 44.1 Productions, 2000), 250.
  4. ^ a b "Paul's 40 Greatest Solo Songs". Special Collector's Edition: Paul McCartney. Rolling Stone. 2013. p. 89.
  5. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 2 August 1980. p. 60. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  6. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 2 August 1980. p. 18. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Record World. 2 August 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Paul McCartney". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
  9. ^ McGuinness, Paul (18 June 2022). "Best Paul McCartney Songs: 20 Post-Beatles And Solo Tracks". U Discover Music. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Paul McCartney – Waterfalls". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  11. ^ Radio Luxembourg Singles, 6 June 1980
  12. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". www.irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Paul McCartney – Waterfalls". Top 40 Singles.
  14. ^ "Paul McCartney – Waterfalls". VG-lista.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul McCartney – Waterfalls" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  17. ^ Patrick Berkery (10 October 2001). "Various Artists (reviews)". Philadelphia Weekly. Retrieved 4 April 2010.


 

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January 01, 1970
waterfalls, paul, mccartney, song, waterfalls, paul, mccartney, ballad, from, first, solo, album, after, wings, mccartney, song, minimalist, sound, with, mccartney, only, playing, fender, rhodes, electric, piano, synthesizer, singing, short, solo, performed, a. Waterfalls is a Paul McCartney ballad from his first solo album after Wings McCartney II The song has a minimalist sound with McCartney only playing a Fender Rhodes electric piano and a synthesizer and singing and a short solo performed on acoustic guitar Waterfalls Single by Paul McCartneyfrom the album McCartney IIB side Check My Machine Released13 June 1980 1980 06 13 RecordedJuly August 1979GenreSoft rockLength4 43 Album Version 3 20 DJ Edit LabelParlophone EMI UK Columbia US Songwriter s Paul McCartneyProducer s Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney singles chronology Coming Up 1980 Waterfalls 1980 Temporary Secretary 1980 McCartney II track listing11 tracksSide one Coming Up Temporary Secretary On the Way Waterfalls Nobody Knows Side two Front Parlour Summer s Day Song Frozen Jap Bogey Music Darkroom One of These Days Music video Waterfalls on YouTube Waterfalls was released as a single with Check My Machine as its B Side and reached chart position No 9 in the UK and No 4 in Ireland 1 2 In the US however it was his first single ever to miss the Billboard Hot 100 chart only reaching No 106 despite being the follow up to the No 1 hit Coming Up 3 In 2013 Rolling Stone rated it the No 25 all time Paul McCartney post Beatles song describing how it contrasted with Wings prior single 4 Billboard described Waterfalls as having a subtle oriental flavour and appropriately sparse instrumentation and described McCartney s vocal performance as inimitable and creamy 5 Cash Box called it a whimsical ballad stating that it has an almost dirge like melody 6 Record World said that Stately keyboards surround McCartney s boyish falsetto for pop A C appeal 7 When questioned on singles he wished were more successful McCartney stated There s quite a few actually Waterfalls I think is nice He also commented that TLC s single Waterfalls carries elements of his song 4 8 McCartney also said of his song Waterfalls is basically saying don t go doing a load of dangerous stuff cause I need you And that s a kind of a more mature thought for me than I would have been able to have done 20 years ago cause I just didn t realize that it s not all gonna be here forever That s the kind of thing you realize when you pass 30 9 Contents 1 Charts 2 Personnel 3 Other versions 4 ReferencesCharts editChart 1980 Peakposition Australia ARIA 10 31 Luxembourg Radio Luxembourg 11 4 Ireland 12 4 New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 13 15 Norway VG lista 14 9 UK Singles OCC 15 9 West Germany Official German Charts 16 55Personnel edit Waterfalls Paul McCartney vocals Fender rhodes synthesizer acoustic guitar solo Check My Machine Paul McCartney vocals banjo bass electric guitar keyboards synthesizer drums shaker percussionOther versions editSloan recorded a more uptempo version of the song on the McCartney tribute album Listen to What the Man Said 17 References edit Waterfalls Retrieved 28 March 2009 Official Charts Paul McCartney The Official UK Charts Company Retrieved 13 October 2011 Chip Madinger amp Mark Easter Eight Arms To Hold You The Solo Beatles Compendium Chesterfield MO 44 1 Productions 2000 250 a b Paul s 40 Greatest Solo Songs Special Collector s Edition Paul McCartney Rolling Stone 2013 p 89 Top Single Picks PDF Billboard Magazine 2 August 1980 p 60 Retrieved 8 July 2020 CashBox Singles Reviews PDF Cash Box 2 August 1980 p 18 Retrieved 1 January 2022 Hits of the World PDF Record World 2 August 1980 p 1 Retrieved 20 February 2023 Paul McCartney The A V Club Retrieved 29 August 2009 McGuinness Paul 18 June 2022 Best Paul McCartney Songs 20 Post Beatles And Solo Tracks U Discover Music Retrieved 19 June 2022 Paul McCartney Waterfalls ARIA Top 50 Singles Radio Luxembourg Singles 6 June 1980 The Irish Charts All there is to know www irishcharts ie Retrieved 19 June 2023 Paul McCartney Waterfalls Top 40 Singles Paul McCartney Waterfalls VG lista Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Offiziellecharts de Paul McCartney Waterfalls in German GfK Entertainment charts Patrick Berkery 10 October 2001 Various Artists reviews Philadelphia Weekly Retrieved 4 April 2010 nbsp This article about a song by one or more members of the Beatles is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waterfalls Paul McCartney song amp oldid 1209029698, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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