Paul McCartney is offering a free download of his 1986 recording of “Beautiful Night” on his official website (PaulMcCartney.com). The song was recorded in August 1986 in New York City — using Billy Joel's then-producer Phil Ramone and Billy's band — and finally saw the light of day in an edited form on the CD-single of the tune's 1997 version, and featured on the new digital download. The 2020 release marks the first time the full uncut version of the song has been made available.
In addition to McCartney on piano and vocals, the 1986 recording features McCartney on piano, Liberty DeVitto on drums, David Brown on guitar, David Lebolt on synthesizer, and Neil Jason on bass.
Shortly before his 2013 death, Phil Ramone shed light on how Paul McCartney and Billy Joel's band ended up teaming up in a Manhattan recording studio: “'Beautiful Night' was incredible. Y'know, we were out in the Hamptons. I went out to his house with the family and the kids. And he started playing something for me. And, I don't know how we got into it, but an hour-and-a-half, or two hours later, I said, 'This is the kind of thing, where we should be in New York tonight or tomorrow, and do it. It's a great piano piece. I'll put together a rhythm section.' Y'know, within hours they made up their minds, I called the Power Station, I got hold of Liberty, I got hold of the band and I said, 'It's your dream come true and doesn't ask me (laughs) how or what we're getting. Y'know, we're just going to go in.'”
IN OTHER McCARTNEY NEWS
Paul McCartney took to his social media to pay tribute to the late Georgia Congressman and key figure of the civil rights movement, John Lewis, who died on July 17th, at age 80.
McCartney's post reads in full:
Sad to hear the news that civil rights legend John Lewis died yesterday. He was such a great leader who fought with honesty and bravery for civil rights in America. Long may his memory remain in our hearts.
How about renaming the famous Pettus Bridge that he and Martin Luther King Jr. and others walked across in the 60s for the civil rights movement and rename it the John Lewis Bridge?!!!
Nancy and I are proud to support the NAACP and have recently donated to their legal defense fund.
