Paul McCartney — “Heather”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 5, 2022

374) Paul McCartney — “Heather”

How many times has it been said that most musicians would sell their souls to write a “throwaway” composition scribbled by a musical genius as an afterthought or on a whim? Well, I’m not sure, but I do remember that movie Amadeus. Hey, I’m not saying that Paul McCartney is a modern day Mozart . . . . Wait, that is exactly what I am saying! And just think of what Paul could have written had he only lived till the tender age of 35, when Wolfgang was poisoned.

Anyway, today’s song is a perfect example of a Paul McCartney throwaway that I myself would gladly sell my soul to have written. As Happy Nat explains:

Heather Louise was Linda[ Eastman]’s daughter from her previous marriage to Joseph See. In 1969, after [Paul’s] marriage to Linda . . , Paul legally adopted Heather (then aged 6 years old). . . . While working on new Apple Records artist Mary Hopkin’s Post Card album (the date was almost certainly Friday Nov. 22, 1968), Paul . . , who produced the album, was in the studio with Mary and Donovan Leitch, who also contributes heavily . . . . Paul and Donovan sit around and play some guitar to warm up as the tape rolls. Linda and Heather are also with Paul in the studio and for a couple minutes Paul decides to entertain Heather with a nursery-rhyme styled tune he improvises using her name. As he makes out the tune on his acoustic guitar, Donovan starts to play along and harmonize. Mary Hopkin offers some harmony too and someone else joins in by slapping out a beat on their legs.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140803020125/http://www.thebeatlesrarity.com/2013/01/14/beatles-rarity-of-the-week-heather-improvisation-1968/

“Heather” (not to be confused with “Heather” on the Driving Rain album that Paul dashed off many years later while playing around on the piano) is, of course, enchanting.

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