Saturday, February 16, 2019

"Junk" and "Singalong Junk"

"Junk" and "Singalong Junk" were two songs featured on Paul McCartney's first Apple solo LP "McCartney". The working title for the tune was "Jubilee". Both of the songs have the same tune with one being issued with vocals and the other "Singalong" version being an instrumental.
"Junk" was written by Paul back in India in early 1968 and was to be recorded/issued on the "White Album" set but didn't get any further than the Kinfauns/Esher demoes (acoustic demos recorded at George Harrison's home in early summer 1968). A copy of the demo can be found commercially on the Apple 3LP/2CD "Anthology 3" project as well as on the Apple 2LP/CD "Esher Demos" from the 50th anniversary "White Album" package. The song was also busked at one of the recording/film sessions for the "Get Back/Let It Be" project in early January at Twickenham Studios (one source says January 09 1969).
The recording for the solo LP was done in two takes. The first take (take 1) was mainly recorded at McCartney's home with acoustic/electric guitars, piano and bass. Overdubs for the first take were a mellotron keyboard and percussion recorded at Morgan Studios in London (exact date unknown to me). This version has no vocals and is known as "Singalong Junk" (being an instrumental). The song was mixed in late Februrary 1970. The second take was also recorded at McCartney's home with guitar, bass and vocals. Extra vocals and percussion were also overdubbed at Morgan Studios in London and the result was the song "Junk" (with vocals). This was also mixed around the same time frame - late February 1970. Both are stereo only.
"Junk" was also performed live for MTV's "Unplugged" series on January 25 1991. This live version appeared on the Capitol LP "Unplugged: The Official Bootleg" in the same year. "Junk" was also performed as a classical piece by the Loma Mar Quartet and was recorded at EMI Studio One in the winter of 1998-1999. It was released in October of 1999 on EMI Classics 2LP/CD.
"Singalong Junk" appeared on the 1996 movie soundtrack on the Epic CD "Jerry Maguire" which contains the same stereo mix as the commercial LP.

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