Aug 30 2010 09:19 AM ET

Paul McCartney guests on new song from Travis frontman Fran Healy: An EW exclusive stream

Fran-Healey-McCartneyImage Credit: Fran Healy Kristian Dowling/Getty Images) – JulySometimes a cigar is just a cigar. But sometimes—like, say, when your guest bass player is a Beatle—it’s worth talking about.

Fran Healy, leader of ’90s Scot-rock champions Travis, called on old friend Macca to contribute to his first solo album, Wreckorder. McCartney agreed—and a grateful Healy, prid quo pro, subsequently promised to go vegetarian.

You can here the result of their collaboration below, and pre-order the single here:

Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.

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Comments (33 total) Add your comment
Page: 1 2
  • Angela

    I don’t know why but that song is relaxing to me.
    Did McCartney only contribute to one song does anyone know?

    • ryan

      pretty sure that is the only collaboration on the record

    • DJ

      It is the only collaboration on the record according to what Fran said during a show I attended recently.

  • Liz

    Kind of a haunting song. Love this guy’s voice and love the way Macca’s bass moves in and out with his voice. Excellent.

  • Katie Archer

    Borrrinnngg! Seriously, somebody put Paul in a nursing home please! Oh he was a Beatle like 100 years ago so we still have to kiss his a$$.

    • Liz

      Can you read? Apparently not, since you’re clearly an idiot. Paul didn’t write or sing the song. He simply played bass on it. You just made yourself look like a complete fool.

    • Clare Sherman

      You should be in the nursing home.

    • ryan

      yes, actually, we do. we have to kiss every beatles’ a$$ from now until the end of time. everybody knows that.

  • Ringo

    What a sublime song. Such a beautiful melody. Why didn’t Healy ask me to play drums?

  • Amelia

    Great song! I already ordered my copy of werckorder. :D

  • tine

    i thought the acoustic version was better as it sounded more sincere with the sadness… but then as i think again, this version gives a feeling of mystic magic (i dunno, maybe it’s just me. haha), so, anyways.. it’s cool! :)

    • Melinda

      @tine I also like the acoustic version much better. I don’t quite love this version, sadly. So far, I’m most enjoying the song “Anything” from the new album.

      • tine

        yeah, the upbeat tempo of the background drowns the emotion sort of. im intrigued with anything. i already read the lyrics way back but i haven’t heard it yet. do you know of a link to either the studio or live version of it? thanks! :)

    • DJ

      I saw the first performance of this song (according to Fran during the show) during the Fran Healy/Andy Dunlop acoustic tour last year in Milwaukee. I like the acoustic version since that’s what I remember, but do like how it was mixed and finished off.

  • Elodie

    @tine and melinda: I also prefer the acoustic version. I really love the bass line, but the violins and the piano don’t fit the song IMHO.

  • LDH

    I haven’t listened to the acoustic version of this song, but I love this version. It reminds me of noisy, black and white film or rainy day… actually I the piano fits quite well and enhances those feelings..

    • tine

      i also thought the piano fit just well. even in the acoustic version, it had that same effect except i think it ws andy’s lead guitar.. or piano.. im not sure anymore. there’s no studio recording of the acoustic version. you can catch it on some live shows. either the fran and andy acoustic tour or fran’s tour with keane. there are loads in youtube, but since you’ve already heard this, you might not appreciate the other one anymore, at least audio wise. :)

      • LDH

        thank you for the information! :D !

  • The Banger Sisters

    You people are idiiots. Did any of you realize you’re arguing with each other via Entertainment Weekly comments?

    • tine

      so? besides, are we arguing? w. the exception of some macca bashers vs. lovers, we’re having a polite discussion about the music featured in EW. what’s wrong with that?

      • LDH

        Seconded. We’re just sharing thoughts. which part looks like arguing? I don’t get it.. is it bad to say something I think in a polite manner? hmm.

  • Elodie

    Idiots? I don’t we’re idiots. We’ve just expressed our own feelings about the song, plus we’re not even arguing with each other. Critics can be good too, and that doesn’t mean we don’t like the song, not at all.

    • Elodie

      think*

    • tine

      yeah, and that’s exactly why EW has put up the comments slot to begin with. (???)

      btw, @elodie, i also like the bass line as it made the song a lil waltzy or something.. :)

  • The Banger Sisters

    I was referring to the Paul comments. If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all.

    This album is going to be amazing. I preordered the whole huge bundle. Saw Fran play live recently too. He’s the best.

    • tine

      alrighty then. (had that bit of a notion too) :)

  • The Banger Sisters

    Also, my sister posted that. I hadn’t even read the comment thread. It’s not really arguing at all.

  • Hank

    They should do a mix of just the bass .Paul so energetic and creative cause he smokes the Super Silve Haze

  • greek

    very nice song..

  • roxette

    my dad is a big beatles fan and hates most other music outside circa 60s-70s, including Travis. so i was so psyched to let him hear this (he had no idea about the collaboration) so that if he’d bash it, i’d say it’s “Paul McCartney’s song, doofus!” and if he’d praise it, i’d say, “See, it’s fran healy’s song from Travis!”.. Well, after hearing it, this is what he said: “The bass line is good, but that’s it”.. :| thaaaaaaanks, father.

    • Liz

      Your dad sounds absolutely cute. Seriously.

      • roxette

        haha. well, at least we have a lot fun panning each other’s taste. :)

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