Sir Paul McCartney has released a batch of new songs today (October 7) as part of a special edition of The Boys of Dungeon Lane. The 84-year-old icon continues to be as creative as ever with the additional tracks from his latest hit album, which is an ode to his upbringing in Liverpool.
New tracks and release details
New songs include City Fox, One Night Stand and Chelsea Boots. There also features a brand new version of Sir Paul's duet with Ringo Starr, Home To Us. The digital version of the new songs were released today ahead of a physical edition of December 9. The new album was released in May to widespread critical acclaim as it was shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize Album of the Year.
The Boys of Dungeon Lane is named after the road in Speke where Sir Paul used to wile away the hours as a youngster. The deeply introspective album turns the lens inward as the musician revisits his formative years in Liverpool before he conquered the world with the Beatles.
Memories of Dungeon Lane
In quotes given exclusively to the ECHO this year, Sir Paul spoke about how he treasures his memories made at Dungeon Lane. He said: "I'd been there not that long ago. Sometimes when I go up to Liverpool and I've got the kids with me, I'll do the tour. I'll drive them around. That's where we did our first gig."
"And that's where we used to live there. And that's where we caught the bus to school.' So going down Dungeon Lane, I would say 'And this is Dungeon Lane'."
The L24 road has changed a lot from the days of the legendary Beatle's youth when it was the main access point to Oglet Shore. The Speke road may no longer lead to the picturesque beauty spot since the perimeter of Liverpool John Lennon Airport was expanded, but this doesn't mean that Dungeon Lane has lost any of its appeal to Sir Paul.
The changing face of the road makes it an ideal reference point for Sir Paul's 18th solo album, as he wistfully reminisces on a bygone era. He added: "It's called The Boys of Dungeon Lane and about half the album is about memories and things I remember and the other half is about other stuff, not all about one thing but a selection of songs I've written over the last few years."
Album title and tribute to roots
The album name comes from the title track, Days We Left Behind, as Sir Paul explained: "This is very much a memory song for me. The album title, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, comes from a lyric in this track. I was thinking just that, about the days I left behind and I do often wonder if I'm just writing about the past but then I think how can you write about anything else?"
"It's just a lot of memories of Liverpool. It involves a bit in the middle about John and Forthlin Road which is the street I used to live in. Dungeon Lane is near there. I used to live in a place called Speke which is quite working class. We didn't have much at all but it didn't matter because all the people were great and you didn't notice you didn't have much."
Home To Us is a landmark moment in music history as it is Sir Paul's first ever duet with fellow surviving member of The Beatles, Ringo. The message of the track pays a powerful tribute to their roots in Liverpool and Sir Paul previously said this theme was key to getting Ringo involved.
He added: "I knew he would identify with the lyrics cause you know the idea of where we grew up was rough - but it was home to us. He knew I felt like that, I knew he felt like that. So I thought we could come together on that idea. And we did."
Creative origins and first plays
The new songs released today as part of the Special Edition features a flip mix of Home To Us. The genesis for the album came from a jamming session with producer Andrew Watt six years ago over a cup of tea in Los Angeles. Sir Paul's creative juices were ignited when he stumbled upon a chord he had never heard before, as he added: "To this day, I actually don't know what that chord is."
"I'm waiting for someone to tell me, to explain it to me. Random chord, and then I changed one note in the chord and it made a more normal chord. Changed one more, so I had a three chord sequence that we're messing with."
This improvised session in Watt's former studio, located in Charlie Chaplin's old house, developed into the first single from the album, titled Days We Left Behind. The deeply evocative riff was the perfect framework for Sir Paul to reflect on his youth in post World War II Liverpool, now that he is in the opposite period of his life.
The first play of One Night Stand came this afternoon on BBC Radio Merseyside and Chelsea Boots was played on BBC Radio 2. The Boys of Dungeon Lane (Special Edition) is available digitally now.
