Screen shot from the video
Watching Paul McCartney demo one of his most beautiful compositions for Beatles producer George Martin is like being the proverbial fly on the wall witnessing greatness.
It’s just Macca – er, Sir Paul – on guitar and that gorgeous voice. 54 seconds in, he mimics a French horn and feels obliged to explain that to Martin and the unidentified engineer whom we see briefly from behind.
“For No One” was originally recorded in 1966 and included on Revolver. Many readers have written us to say that this is McCartney demo-ing songs with Martin circa 1982 for his 1984 movie Give My Regards to Broad Street. But that would make him 40+ -years-old as the film was being made, and he looks far younger here. We don’t think that’s the case but would be interested in hearing from anyone who has some insight.
After you watch this Classic Video, check out the final fact below.
McCartney was just 23 when he wrote and originally recorded this song!
13 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI believe this is an outtake from the early-80s movie “Give My Regards to Broad Street.”
His hair was much longer in 1966. This is definitely early 80’s Paul. Not even close to being 1966 Paul.
Definitely not from the sixties! In « The Complete Beatles Recordings Sessions »’ book from Mark Lewisohn, each song and each take are very well detailed and photos are scrupulously presented and ordered according to the sessions. For the song For No One, it is May 9, 1966 that Paul McCartney presented it at the piano from the first take and Ringo Starr accompanied him on the drums. French horn has been added 10 days later. What’s interesting in this book are two photographs of Paul McCartney taken by Robert Freeman where we can see him in action in the studio. His hair is such that it can be seen as on the cover of “Rubber Soul” and the back cover of “Revolver”. Here, in the video For No One, his hair is more like a new style, as evidenced by the back sleeve of the 12” Temporary Secretary (this one is easy to find on Internet) and other sleeves to come in the 80’s. And I remember that at that time, many of my friends and I found that Paul McCartney always looked young, with his baby face! Nice video anyway, isn’t it…
this was either from the “broad street” movie or an outtake. george martin is the gentleman on the right sitting at the console. we all looked a lot younger in 1984.
I agree with the Jimbeau. The video is from the eighties. Just look at the mixing desk.
This is circa ’82-’84. Broad Street rehearsal/out take
If you don’t think Paul looks old enough, then look at George Martin. Longer hair than how he wore it in the 60’s and completely gray (grey?). Definitely the early 80’s.
This is from the South Bank show about the making of Broad Street
I believe this is Paul recording at AIR London 1982.
This was from 1984’s Give My Regards to Broad Street. There was a sequence of Paul working in the studio. I don’t think this is even a real session, it was part of the story line. Paul reworked a few of his old Beatle hits. And yes, he did still look very youthful in the early eighties, with shorter hair and clean shaven!
Demos are not usually done it the studio…the beatles did them at home and are very basic and rough, hence the term ‘demos’…
It’s Broad St. He has the same haircut as Say Say Say video circa 1983:’84. Or watch the film
There’s a 16 track mixing console shown in the middle. The first prototype 16 track recorder was built in 1968, 2 years after Revolver was released.