Coming Up (song)


"Coming Up" is a song written and performed by the English rock musician Paul McCartney, released as the opening track on his second solo studio 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 the UK, peaking at number 2 on the Singles Chart. In the United States and Canada, the live version of the song performed by Paul McCartney and Wings in Glasgow the year prior saw greater success and reached number one in both countries.

Background

In a Rolling Stone interview, McCartney explained how the song came about:
John Lennon, who was in the Beatles with McCartney, described "Coming Up" as "a good piece of work", and it prompted him to return to recording in 1980. 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."

Critical reception

Cash Box called it an "unusually produced but cute track". Record World said that "electronic keyboards, a dance beat and Paul's pop vocals give the contemporary sound." Writing for Stereogum, Tom Breihan thought the song was "a weird demo" and "a clumsy attempt to play catchup to the Talking Heads". He gave the B-side a 5/10, stating that the live horns and vocals were an improvement but the performance was too restrained.

Live version

A live version of the song was recorded in Glasgow, Scotland, on 17 December 1979 by Wings during their tour of the UK. An edited version from the performance was included as one of two songs on the B-side; the other song on the B-side was "Lunchbox/Odd Sox", a Wings song that dated back to Venus and Mars. Both songs were credited to Paul McCartney and Wings.
Columbia Records wanted to put the live version on McCartney II but McCartney resisted the change, wanting to keep it a solo studio album. Instead, a one-sided 7" white-label promotional copy of the Wings version was included with the album in North America.
"Coming Up " has since appeared on the US versions of the McCartney compilations All the Best! and Wingspan: Hits and History, while the solo studio version is included on UK and international releases.
The full length version of the song with an additional verse from the 1979 Glasgow show was finally released as bonus track on the Paul McCartney Archive Collection reissue of McCartney II in 2011.
A different live Wings recording of "Coming Up" appears on the album Concerts for the People of Kampuchea, also recorded in 1979.

Music video

The music video for "Coming Up", directed by Keith McMillan, features Paul McCartney playing ten roles and Linda McCartney playing two. The "band" is identified as "the Plastic Macs" on the drum kit.
In his audio commentary on the video collection The McCartney Years, McCartney identified characters that were impersonations of specific artists: Hank Marvin, Ron Mael of Sparks, a 'Beatlemania-era' version of himself, and a drummer vaguely inspired by John Bonham from Led Zeppelin. Others, such as authors Fred Bronson and Kenneth Womack, have suggested that there are other identifiable impersonations in the video, such as Andy Mackay, Frank Zappa and Buddy Holly; McCartney said the other roles were simply comic relief.
The video premiered in the UK on The Kenny Everett Video Show on 14 April 1980 and in the US on Saturday Night Live on 17 May 1980.

Release

In the UK, the single was an immediate hit, reaching in its third week on the chart.
In the US, Columbia Records promoted the live version, which subsequently received more airplay than the studio version. McCartney was unaware of Columbia's move; otherwise, he might have pushed for the A-side, which he thought was the stronger version. An executive from Columbia Records explained the switch by stating "Americans like the sound of Paul McCartney's real voice." The live version reached on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies. Although the live version received more airplay and was considered to be the "hit", Billboard listed the A-side on the Hot 100 for the first 12 weeks on the chart, including three weeks at, before switching to the more popular B-side for the remaining nine weeks on the chart.

Track listing

7" single
  1. "Coming Up" – 3:49
  2. "Coming Up" – 3:51
  3. * Performed by Paul McCartney and Wings
  4. "Lunch Box/Odd Sox" – 3:54
  5. * Performed by Paul McCartney and Wings

Personnel

Studio version

Live version

"Lunch Box / Odd Sox"