Waterfalls (Paul McCartney song)
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| "Waterfalls" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Paul McCartney | ||||
| from the album McCartney II | ||||
| B-side | "Check My Machine" | |||
| Released | 13 June 1980 | |||
| Recorded | July–August 1979 | |||
| Genre | Soft rock | |||
| Length | 4:43 (Album Version) 3:20 (DJ Edit) | |||
| Label | Parlophone/EMI (UK) Columbia (US) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Paul McCartney | |||
| Producer(s) | Paul McCartney | |||
| Paul McCartney singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| McCartney II track listing | ||||
11 tracks
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Waterfalls" on YouTube | ||||
"Waterfalls" is a Paul McCartney ballad from his first solo album after Wings, McCartney II. The song has a minimalist sound, with McCartney only playing a Fender Rhodes electric piano and a synthesizer and singing, and a short solo performed on acoustic guitar.
"Waterfalls" was released as a single with "Check My Machine" as its B-Side and reached chart position No. 9 in the UK and No. 4 in Ireland.[1][2] In the US, however, it was his first single ever to miss the Billboard Hot 100 chart, only reaching No. 106 despite being the follow-up to the No. 1 hit "Coming Up".[3] In 2013, Rolling Stone rated it the No. 25 all-time Paul McCartney post-Beatles song, describing how it contrasted with Wings' prior single.[4]
Billboard described "Waterfalls" as having "a subtle oriental flavour" and "appropriately sparse" instrumentation, and described McCartney's vocal performance as "inimitable" and "creamy."[5] Cash Box called it a "whimsical ballad," stating that it has an "almost dirge-like melody."[6] Record World said that "Stately keyboards surround [McCartney's] boyish falsetto for pop-A/C appeal."[7]
When questioned on singles he wished were more successful, McCartney stated, "There's quite a few, actually. ... 'Waterfalls', I think is nice." He also commented that TLC's single "Waterfalls" carries elements of his song.[4][8]
McCartney also said of his song:
Waterfalls’ is basically saying don’t go doing a load of dangerous stuff, ’cause I need you. And that’s a kind of a more mature thought for me than I would have been able to have done 20 years ago, ’cause I just didn’t realize that it’s not all gonna be here forever. That’s the kind of thing you realize when you pass 30.[9]
Charts[edit]
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[10] | 31 |
| Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[11] | 4 |
| Ireland[12] | 4 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] | 15 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[14] | 9 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[15] | 9 |
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[16] | 55 |
Personnel[edit]
"Waterfalls"
- Paul McCartney – vocals, Fender rhodes, synthesizer, acoustic guitar solo
"Check My Machine"
- Paul McCartney - vocals, banjo, bass, electric guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, drums, shaker, percussion
Other versions[edit]
Sloan recorded a more uptempo version of the song on the McCartney tribute album Listen to What the Man Said.[17]
References[edit]
- ^ "Waterfalls". Retrieved 28 March 2009.
- ^ "Official Charts: Paul McCartney". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
- ^ Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium (Chesterfield, MO: 44.1 Productions, 2000), 250.
- ^ a b "Paul's 40 Greatest Solo Songs". Special Collector's Edition: Paul McCartney. Rolling Stone. 2013. p. 89.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 2 August 1980. p. 60. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 2 August 1980. p. 18. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Record World. 2 August 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ "Paul McCartney". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
- ^ McGuinness, Paul (18 June 2022). "Best Paul McCartney Songs: 20 Post-Beatles And Solo Tracks". U Discover Music. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Paul McCartney – Waterfalls". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ Radio Luxembourg Singles, 6 June 1980
- ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". www.irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "Paul McCartney – Waterfalls". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Paul McCartney – Waterfalls". VG-lista.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul McCartney – Waterfalls" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ Patrick Berkery (10 October 2001). "Various Artists (reviews)". Philadelphia Weekly. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
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