The unlikely song that features a secret Paul McCartney bassline
In 2010, Travis frontman Fran Healy shared his debut solo album Wreckorder, a collection of meticulously arranged confessionals recorded in Berlin in the final months of the 2000s. Produced by Emery Dobyns, it features contributions from the likes of Neko Case from the New Pornographers, Tom Hobden from Noah and The Whale and even The Beatles’ Paul McCartney.
Nestled midway through Wreckorder, ‘As It Comes’ is a jaunty slice of baroque pop exploring the mundanities of long-term love. During an interview with Spin, Healy explained how the song came about. “I wrote this song called ‘As It Comes’, and the refrain reminded me of The Beatles. I thought, ‘Why don’t I get in touch with him?'”
Such a suggestion would have been made anyone else a laughing stock, but Healy already knew Paul quite well. “We met in 2000 on holiday – we were staying in the same place. Anyway, I thought I should ask, because if I didn’t, I’d always wonder if he would have done it. So I sent it to him last July and he did it. People always ask him to sing on their albums, but I don’t think he’s ever played bass on anyone else’s album before.”
McCartney leapt at the chance to take up his old position as bassist, providing a warm, playful and perfectly executed bass arrangement. As Healy explained on his website, he decided to become a vegetarian as a way of thanking McCartney for his service. “One of the biggest coups was getting Paul McCartney to play bass on a song,” he said. “I’m not sure what non-McCartney songs he’s played bass on, but I couldn’t think of many. Anyways his bassline is brilliant.”
Healy and his wife Nora were sitting trying to think of a thank you present. “I suggested going vegetarian,” wrote Healy. “Our son is already one so it would mean we would all be on the same boat. I met Paul at his show in Berlin and told him what we wanted to do. He was visibly flabbergasted. Three days later, the Fed Ex man delivered three Linda McCartney cookbooks.”
Make you check out ‘As It Comes’ below. The album, just in case you haven’t listened already, is an absolute killer the whole way through. Brimming with insightful and richly orchestrated tracks, Wreckorder really ought to be the next record on your ‘to-spin’ list.
