How a strange 1989 b-side is the perfect entry to explore Paul McCartney’s forgotten dance experiments.

The Twelve Inch 130 : "Où-Est-Le-Soleil" (Paul McCartney)

Welcome, I’m Pe Dupre and this is “The Twelve Inch”, a newsletter that tells the history of dance music between 1975 and 1995, one twelve inch at a time.

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Paul McCartney’s solo career is a tapestry of highs and lows, ranging from the timeless classics of Band on the Run to whimsical tracks like "We All Stand Together" with the Frog Chorus. His vast and diverse catalogue reflects an artist constantly experimenting, evolving, and often surprising his audience. Among his many musical ventures, McCartney’s foray into dance music remains one of his more curious—and often misunderstood—chapters.

Today, we dive into Paul’s dance remixes of the eighties. Our way in is the story behind his 1989 track “Où Est Le Soleil?”, that exemplifies his occasional flirtation with the genre. Why did one of the greatest songwriters in history release something so seemingly out of step with his usual work? And what does it reveal about his relationship with the emerging trends of dance music?

A Surprising Turn: Why Did Paul McCartney Make "Où est le Soleil"?

Following the lukewarm response to his 1986 album Press to Play, McCartney realized it was time for a change. His next album, Flowers in the Dirt, was a deliberate attempt to revitalize his sound and career. He teamed up with Elvis Costello and several prominent producers, including Trevor Horn, aiming to create a record that would reaffirm his relevance. Originally, the plan was for Trevor Horn to produce the entire album. In his recent biography, Horn recalls being approached by Paul’s manager with an offer to co-write songs with McCartney, a proposal that didn’t appeal to him—but he had another idea instead: “How about I listen to whatever songs he’s working on, choose one, and then produce it in two days straight”. After some initial hesitation of Paul they ended up meeting in his studio and listening to 5 songs. Trevor liked “Rough Ride” and they started working on that track

A few weeks later, they attempted a second track, "Figure of Eight," and McCartney invited them to collaborate on the album. However, at that time, Trevor Horn and Steve Lipson were already working on Street Fighting Years, the eighth Simple Minds album, and Simple Minds were eager to complete it as soon as possible. As a result, Trevor had to call Paul’s manager, Richard Ogden, to inform him that they couldn’t begin in August as initially planned, but would be available in October instead. In his biography, Trevor Horn shares the story of how Paul reacted to the news. “Paul got on the phone from the States and really started yelling at me. Who do you think you are ? You think I need you ? You’re meant to start with me in August. You’re telling me you can’t start until mid-october ? He was really going for it, so much so that I had to hold the phone away from my ear. I let the fire burn out and then said: Does this mean you don’t want me to come in October ? And with that, Paul banged down the phone” As a result, Flowers in the Dirt didn’t end up being entirely produced by Trevor Horn, but the two tracks they collaborated on were still included on the album.

Initially only the cd buyers heard the song

Paul McCartney making one of the sounds used on the twelve inch

The CD version of the album included a bonus third track produced by Horn and Lipson: "Où Est Le Soleil." The song came about during some leftover time in one of the recording sessions, but it doesn’t quite align with the rest of the album's style. Its inclusion on the CD was largely due to the fact that McCartney's children loved it. Paul McCartney describes it as: “A very wacky thing where we decided to make something up…Trevor said ‘Have you got anything for one of the verses?’ I said ‘Well I’ve got this really silly idea…’, which is like just some French words that say ‘Où est le soleil? Dans la tete. Travaillez.’ Those are the complete lyrics…So we’ve got this silly French dance track now, which I love!”

Trevor Horn: I thought we’d done pretty well, very short bursts and everything was good but if I’m honest, by I think by the time it got to Ou Est Le Soleil I’d been sucked into it a bit. I always see part of it was his personality, he was such good fun to work with him and he was so full of beans. But it sort of developed from a jam I think. I think Steve had a little bit of writing on it. Not officially, but I think he did.

Stephen Lipson: The night before, he said “well why don’t we come in tomorrow morning and just see what happens.” We came in the next day and he goes “anyone got any ideas?”  I went “yes, I have”. I hit play on my computer and, forgetting the vocal and backwards guitar – [Steve plays the track from the start for about 50 seconds] – that came out from beginning to end. Which is why Trevor says what he said. And then Paul put seven words in French on one note on the top and said he had written the song, which actually, [as] he said it is lyrics and melody, you can’t really argue. I had a discussion with him about it and you know what… it worked out fine. I think I got an arrangement credit or something, and we did some deal. Whatever.  But it is fine, he didn’t want to give me a writing credit and I think that is his prerogative. It would have been nice, but it is his prerogative. And it doesn’t make me think any less of the man.

A Track Years in the Making

Though it seemed like a spontaneous creation in 1989, "Où Est Le Soleil?" had roots that stretched back over a decade. A demo of the song appeared on the re-release of McCartney’s 1975 album Venus and Mars, proving that the idea had been percolating for years. When it was finally realized on Flowers in the Dirt, it took the form of a pulsating house track, shaped by the influence of remix culture and Paul’s desire to explore contemporary sounds.

Released as a twelve-inch single in the U.S. in September 1989, the track was remixed by Shep Pettibone—already a legendary figure in the world of dance music, having worked with Madonna and the Pet Shop Boys. Pettibone's remix transformed the song into a seven-minute house anthem, adding percussive elements. He made a proper Dub and used samples from George Krantz’s 1983 track “Din Daa Daa,”. In Europe, however, the song found a home as the B-side of the “Figure of Eight” single and never gained the same spotlight. Paul would never play the song live but they did make a video for it.

McCartney’s relationship with Dance Music tells us something about himself.

The question remains: why did McCartney decide to revisit and complete the song after 15 years, and why turn it into a house track? The answer likely lies in McCartney's ever-curious musical nature. He has always been intrigued by new trends and innovations. Whether it was experimenting with electronic music alongside Youth in the Fireman project (a few years later/picture below) or using synthesizers as early as 1980 on McCartney II, Paul has continually pushed his creative limits. Flowers in the Dirt was no different—he probably aimed for a sound that resonated with the late '80s vibe. While there are no direct quotes to confirm this, it seems likely that McCartney himself chose Shep Pettibone to remix the track. Pettibone, a leading figure in the house and pop crossover scene, had already worked with major artists like Madonna and Pet Shop Boys and was at the height of his career when "Où Est Le Soleil?" came to life in the studio.

McCartney’s Dance Music Forays: Not the First Time

"Où est le Soleil?" wasn’t Paul McCartney’s first attempt at creating dance-oriented music. While many fans may recall his more famous work, his curiosity about the genre goes way back. In 1979, he worked on "Goodnight Tonight" with Wings—a funky, disco-infused track that was clearly meant for the dance floors of the late ‘70s. And there is the 1983 duet with Michael Jackson “Say Say Say”. I’ll be returning to those in separate episodes.

There's also the previously mentioned McCartney II album, which featured the lead single "Coming Up" and included two dance tracks that would later become influential.

"Frozen Jap" is a track that wouldn’t have seemed out of place on a Yello or Yellow Magic Orchestra album. The original version on the album ran for 3 minutes, but the recent re-release includes the full 5 minute 45 second version. At the time of recording, it was likely intended as a track suited for a twelve-inch release.

"Temporary Secretary" was featured in the 2003 Secret History compilation, which showcased a selection of influential early electro tracks. McCartney personally authorized Radio Slave to remix the song for a limited twelve-inch release. The fact that the track was chosen to appear alongside artists like Visage, Telex, Klein & MBO, My Mine, and Liaisons Dangereuses speaks volumes about Paul's vision and intent when recording these songs at the time.

The rest of the '80s was a bit of a mixed bag for McCartney. In 1984, he enlisted Arthur Baker to remix "No More Lonely Nights." Why a ballad was turned into a dance track is unclear to me, and even Baker himself regards it as one of his weakest efforts—I have to agree with him on that.

"Spies Like Us," the 1985 theme song for the film Spies Like Us starring Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase, wasn't well received by the movie's director, John Landis, who called it a "terrible song." However, he couldn’t refuse McCartney’s involvement. Despite Landis' opinion, the US audience thought otherwise, as the track became a top 10 hit that year—McCartney's last for quite some time.

Two singles from the Press to Play album also received remix treatments: the title track "Press," which was the first single, and "Pretty Little Head."

The Bigger Picture: Dance Music in the (Late) ‘80s

Paul McCartney kept an eye on what was happening in dance music and either he or the record company wanted a presence of Paul’s repertoire on the dance floor. To understand "Où est le Soleil?" fully, you have to zoom out and look at what was happening in dance music at the time. The late ‘80s was a period of incredible cross-pollination between genres. House music was making its way across the Atlantic and merging with the burgeoning acid house scene in the UK. In Europe, rave culture was taking off, and electronic music was creeping into pop production more heavily than ever before.

Flowers in the Dirt—the album on which "Où est le Soleil?" appeared—was released at a time when the music world was becoming more fragmented but also more interconnected. Dance music was no longer a subculture. Artists from every genre were dabbling in remixes, and clubs were becoming the primary testing grounds for new sounds. McCartney’s flirtation with house music wasn’t an isolated event. It was part of a larger trend of established artists, from David Bowie to U2, experimenting with remixes and electronic production.

Was McCartney Ahead of His Time?

In retrospect, “Où Est Le Soleil?” can be seen as a track that didn’t quite fit with McCartney’s image at the time but was very much in tune with the evolving music scene. His willingness to experiment with house music, a genre that was still in its infancy for many mainstream listeners, was a bold move. The track may not have been a commercial success, but it showed that McCartney was still willing to push boundaries.

Call to Action: What Are Your Memories?

So, what do you remember about "Ou est le Soleil?"? Were you a fan of Paul McCartney’s more experimental tracks, or were you among those scratching their heads when this house-influenced track hit the airwaves?

I’d love to hear your memories and thoughts. Share your experiences with "Ou est le Soleil?" in the comments, and let’s dive deeper into this often overlooked moment in McCartney’s storied career.

Further reading (or should I say watching)

There are a number of interesting video’s/links :

1. The official video

2. The demo version for the “Venus And Mars” album

3. Maybe I’m Amazed discussing the song, but even they have not a lot to say about it 😃

So You Wanna Hear More ?

I thought you would !

It’s fun to write about music but let’s be honest. Music is made to listen to.

Every week, together with this newsletter, I release a 1 hour beatmix on Mixcloud and Soundcloud. I start with the discussed twelve inch and follow up with 10/15 songs from the same timeframe/genre. The ideal soundtrack for…. Well whatever you like to do when you listen to dance music.

The MIXCLOUD Mix Of The Week

So what’s in this week’s mix ?

Ou Est Le Soleil was released in 1989 so it is logical we take a deep dive in the late eighties house. There is some “piano house” and a lot of the work of the big remixers : Justin Strauss, Arthur Baker & Shep Pettibone.

Enjoy !

Next week we zoom in on the work or Arthur Baker and an English band that released the most successful twelve inch, ever.