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Another Day (Paul McCartney song)

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"Another Day"
A-side label of the US 7-inch single
Single by Paul McCartney
B-side"Oh Woman, Oh Why"
Released19 February 1971 (1971-02-19)
Recorded12 October 1970, 21 January 1971
StudioColumbia and A & R Recording, New York
GenrePop, folk rock[1]
Length3:41
LabelApple
Songwriter(s)Paul and Linda McCartney
Producer(s)Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney singles chronology
"Another Day"
(1971) 		"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
(1971)
Official audio
Another Day on YouTube

"Another Day" is a song by English rock musician Paul McCartney that was released as the A-side of a non-album single in February 1971. It was his debut single as a solo artist following the Beatles break-up in 1970. McCartney credited his wife Linda as a co-writer on the song, triggering legal action from ATV on behalf of the publishing companies Northern Songs and Maclen Music. The lyrics describe the daily routine of a lonely woman, using an observational style similar to McCartney's narrative in the 1966 ballad "Eleanor Rigby".

McCartney recorded "Another Day" in New York City during the sessions for his and Linda's 1971 album Ram. The single was an international hit, peaking at number 2 in the United Kingdom, number 5 in the United States, and topping charts in Australia and France. The song was dismissed by many music critics, however, who found it inconsequential and reflective of McCartney having a conservative outlook. In addition to appearing on several McCartney compilation albums, it was included as a bonus track on the 1993 and 2012 reissues of Ram. It was also included on The 7" Singles Box in 2022.[2]

History

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Although McCartney did not formally record the song until after the band's break-up, he previewed "Another Day" during the Beatles' Let It Be sessions in January 1969.[3][4][5] The song's lyric adopts an observational style reminiscent of "Eleanor Rigby"; Denny Seiwell, the drummer on the Ram sessions, called it "'Eleanor Rigby' in New York City".[6][7] The lyrics describe the drudgery and sadness of an unnamed woman's life at work and at home.

McCartney's wife Linda provided vocal harmonies on "Another Day". Describing his and Linda's harmonies, McCartney said he wanted "'our' sound" as he sought to create a musical identity independent of the Beatles.[5] McCartney decided to list Linda as co-writer of more than half the songs on Ram, and this decision extended to "Another Day". Despite her lack of musical and songwriting experience, he said that his wife had been a genuine writing partner, suggesting ideas for lyrics and melodies.[8] Linda's co-writing credits were later regarded as business manoeuvres in the post-Beatles legal matters.[3] In author Peter Doggett's description, Northern Songs, McCartney's publisher, "believed he was effectively robbing them of half their potential income".[9]

In July 1971, Northern Songs and Maclen Music sued Paul and Linda McCartney for violating an exclusive rights agreement via their musical collaborations on "Another Day" and Ram.[10] In June the following year, ATV announced that "all differences between them have been amicably settled", with McCartney's lawyers arguing it had been his prerogative to collaborate with whomever he chose, regardless of his or her musical abilities.[11] Paul and Linda signed a new seven-year, co-publishing contract between ATV and McCartney Music.[12]

Dixon Van Winkle, an assistant engineer on the Ram sessions, recalled that he suggested "Another Day" after McCartney asked him to select one of the tracks for a single.[13] With McCartney's blessing, Van Winkle mixed the song and pressed 100 copies for radio stations. He added: "The next day I heard it on the air, I realized ... we got carried away with the bass part ... it pumped like crazy. But we never remixed the song, and Paul never said anything."[5]

Recording

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CBS's 16 track sheet for "Another Day" (plus two other songs)

Seiwell said that "Another Day" was the first song taped during the Ram sessions. Recording took place at Columbia Studios in New York City on 12 October 1970.[14][15] The basic track consisted of McCartney and Dave Spinozza on acoustic guitars and Seiwell on drums. At the same session, McCartney and Spinozza added electric guitars, and McCartney overdubbed his bass guitar part. Seiwell also added a percussion effect, "tapping out a rhythm on a telephone directory found out in the studio".[16]

According to the annotations on the track sheet, "Another Day" was completed on 21 January 1971. Sound effects and lead and harmony vocals were added that day at A & R Studio in New York. The mixing session also took place at A & R on 8 February.

Release

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"Another Day" was released on 19 February 1971 in the United Kingdom, with "Oh Woman, Oh Why" as the B-side. It was McCartney's debut single as a solo artist.[17] The song peaked at number 2 in the UK in March 1971 and number 5 in the United States in April.[18][19][20] It was number 1 in Australia, for one week, and in France.

Although "Another Day" and "Oh Woman, Oh Why" were not originally included on the album, some CD re-releases of Ram have one or both songs as bonus tracks. "Another Day" has also appeared on several of McCartney's greatest hits albums, including All the Best! and Pure McCartney. It also appeared on the Wings compilations Wings Greatest and Wingspan: Hits and History, even though the song predates the band's formation.[21] The single was re-released as part of Record Store Day 2012. It was included on the Special and Deluxe editions of the 2012 remaster of Ram.[22] The song was included on an EP (along with "Oh Woman, Oh Why", "Junk" and "Valentine's Day") released only in Mexico.

McCartney has played the song live several times, first on his 1993 tour and later on his 2013 Out There tour.

Critical reception

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On release, many rock critics derided "Another Day" as irrelevant[23] and as a song that conveyed McCartney as having bourgeois sensibilities and a focus on conservative values.[24] One reviewer likened it to an advertising jingle for underarm deodorant.[25] Beatles biographer Nicholas Schaffner described the song's reception: "Many of the rock critics, out for McCartney's blood, dismissed 'Another Day' as 'Paulie picking his nose.' More charitable observers trilled along with the chorus: 'It's just another song.'"[26]

As with Ram, the single especially disappointed writers who were expecting McCartney to rebound from his 1970 solo debut, McCartney, and produce an artistic statement on the scale of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass and John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band.[27][28] Music journalist Andrew Grant Jackson comments that, given McCartney had been the Beatle who announced the band's break-up, the song's despondent tone contrasted starkly with singles such as "Instant Karma!" and "My Sweet Lord", in which Lennon and Harrison, respectively, confidently embraced their freedom from the Beatles. He views "Another Day" as "a continuation of McCartney's 1970 depression tunes".[13]

Cash Box described the song as being an intriguing song with "vignette verses and a haunting chorus."[29] Record World called it "very pop, the kind of melody [McCartney's] famous for."[30]

Writing in 1981, NME critic Bob Woffinden said that while the song is "slight and simple", the critical disparagement it had continued to receive overlooks the "delicate charm", compositional discipline and real-life characterisation that serve as positive qualities which, he rued, were completely lacking on Ram.[24] Beatles historian Bruce Spizer views it as "a catchy pop tune that has been unfairly ridiculed over the years". In deeming the lyrics "trite", he continues, its detractors fail to appreciate that the song's female protagonist is herself "leading a life of boring and lonely everyday routines".[25]

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"Another Day" is referenced in Lennon's 1971 song attacking McCartney, titled "How Do You Sleep?" Lennon describes McCartney's new music as Muzak[31] and, in the second verse, he sings: "The only thing you done was yesterday / And since you've gone you're just another day".[32]

It was featured prominently in a 2009 episode of The Simpsons titled "Bart Gets a 'Z'"; in it, Mrs. Krabappel is taunted by the Springfield High School jocks for singing a "million-year-old song." "Another Day" has also been included in several films, such as 50 First Dates (2004) and The Lovely Bones (2009).

Personnel

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Charts

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References

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  1. ^ MacFarlane, Thomas. Lennon and McCartney - Painting with Sound. Taylor & Francis.
  2. ^ "'The 7" Singles Box' – Out 2 December 2022". PaulMcCartney.com. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b Janovitz, Scott. ""Another Day" – Paul McCartney Song Info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  4. ^ Blaney, John (2007). Lennon & McCartney: Together Alone. Jawbone Books.
  5. ^ a b c Blaney 2007, p. 40.
  6. ^ Carlin, Peter Ames (2009). Paul McCartney: A Life. Touchstone Books.
  7. ^ Carlin 2009, pp. 211.
  8. ^ Doggett 2011, pp. 167–68.
  9. ^ Doggett 2011, p. 168.
  10. ^ "McCartney and Wife Sued on 'Another Day' Recording", The New York Times, 23 July 1971, p. 15.
  11. ^ Elson, Howard (1986). McCartney: Songwriter. London: W.H. Allen. p. 102. ISBN 978-0491033251.
  12. ^ Perry, Rupert. Northern Songs: The True Story of the Beatles Song Publishing Empire (2006)
  13. ^ a b Jackson 2012, p. 40.
  14. ^ Perasi, Luca (2013). Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969–2013). L.I.L.Y. Publishing. pp. 31–34. ISBN 978-88-909122-1-4.
  15. ^ ""Another Day" (song)". The Paul McCartney Project. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  16. ^ Perasi, Luca (2023). Paul McCartney Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 (1st ed.). Milan, Italy: L.I.L.Y. Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 978-88-909-122-9-0.
  17. ^ Doggett 2011, p. 156.
  18. ^ Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). Rock Movers & Shakers. Billboard Books.
  19. ^ a b "Paul McCartney > Artists > Official Charts". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  20. ^ "Allmusic: Paul McCartney: Charts & Awards". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  21. ^ Rodriguez 2010, p. 133.
  22. ^ "Sir Paul McCartney 'RAM' tracklisting, reissue details revealed". paulmccartney.com. 19 April 2012. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  23. ^ Jackson 2012, pp. 40, 42.
  24. ^ a b Woffinden 1981, p. 46.
  25. ^ a b Spizer 2005, p. 124.
  26. ^ Schaffner 1978, p. 144.
  27. ^ Schaffner 1978, pp. 144–45.
  28. ^ Rodriguez 2010, p. 151.
  29. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 27 February 1971. p. 16. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  30. ^ "Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 20 February 1971. p. 1. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  31. ^ Jackson 2012, pp. 40–41.
  32. ^ Spizer 2005, pp. 56, 124.
  33. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  34. ^ "Paul McCartney – "Another Day" – austriancharts.at" (ASP) (in German). Archived from the original on 29 November 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  35. ^ "ultratop.be Paul McCartney – "Another Day"" (ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  36. ^ "Top Singles – Volume 15, No. 12". RPM. 8 May 1971. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary – Volume 15, No. 15". RPM. 29 May 1971. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  38. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Paul McCartney – "Another Day"" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  39. ^ "Search the Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original (enter "Paul Mc Cartney" into the "Search by Artist" box, then select "Search") on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  40. ^ a b c Okamoto, Satoshi (2011). Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968–2010 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 978-4-87131-088-8.
  41. ^ "norwegiancharts.com Paul McCartney – "Another Day"" (ASP). VG-lista. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  42. ^ "SA Charts 1965–1989, Songs A-B". rock.co.za. Archived from the original on 8 November 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  43. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  44. ^ "Paul McCartney – "Another Day" – hitparade.ch" (ASP) (in German). Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  45. ^ ""Another Day/Oh Woman Oh Why" Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  46. ^ ""Another Day" Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  47. ^ "Single Search: Paul McCartney – "Another Day"" (in German). Media Control. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  48. ^ "Go-Set Australian charts - Top Records for the Year of 1971". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  49. ^ "RPM 100 Top Singles of 1971". RPM. 8 January 1972. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  50. ^ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1971" (ASP) (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  51. ^ a b c "Talent in Action 1971". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 25 December 1971. p. 15. Retrieved 1 May 2014. another day paul mccartney.

Sources

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