Paul McCartney will be the subject of one of the four movies being made by Sam Mendes about The Beatles that are scheduled for release in 2027. McCartney has taken his own stab at moviemaking in the past. In 1984, he made a film that, if nothing else, gave him an excuse to record a hit ballad in “No More Lonely Nights.”
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What is the song about? How did the movie that contained it do? And what guitar legend helped McCartney out with the track? Let’s find out all the answers about “No More Lonely Nights.”
Acting, Naturally
McCartney wasn’t a complete newbie to filmmaking. He acted with The Beatles in classics like A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, while also largely serving as the director for the band’s 1967 psychedelic homemade movie Magical Mystery Tour. Apparently, the urge struck him again in the early ’80s, which is why he spearheaded the making of Give My Regards to Broad Street.
McCartney enlisted some top British actors, and he also convinced his fellow ex-Beatle Ringo Starr to appear. Musical performances highlighted the action. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of a plot, which didn’t speak too well of McCartney’s screenwriting abilities. The film suffered from poor reviews and didn’t do much at the box office.
As far as the soundtrack was concerned, McCartney made some news at the time for including new versions of Beatle songs to help fill it out. For the lead track, he intended to write something new. Originally, he tried to come up with a song that had the same title as the movie. He then gave up on that, and “No More Lonely Nights” came to him. He elaborated on the process in his book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present:
“‘Word dancing’ I call it. You begin with a thought, and then you start word dancing and then it’s step, step, step. This was a straightforward love song, really, about a lonely person saying, ‘Can’t wait till we’re together.’ There are a few more lines to reinforce that idea: ‘Cause I know what I feel to be right and You’re my guiding light. It’s about the heartache of being apart from your loved one and, when you’re back together, not wishing to be apart from them again—May I never miss the thrill / Of being near you.
To give the song something extra, McCartney tapped David Gilmour to play guitar. The Pink Floyd legend comes out swinging with a fluid solo in the middle of the song. McCartney also gave him free rein the final moments, and Gilmour took advantage. His free-flowing playing makes the extended run-out extremely compelling.
You can actually find two versions of “No More Lonely Nights” on the Give My Regards to Broad Street soundtrack. McCartney took the basic song and reconfigured it into an up-tempo dance number that could play over the end credits. Even though the movie flopped, the song proved a sturdy hit, reaching the Top 10 in the U.S. in 1984.
The Meaning of “No More Lonely Nights”
As McCartney mentioned in that interview for the book, “No More Lonely Nights” speaks of the need to get back together with a romantic partner without wasting any unnecessary time. I can wait another day, he confesses at the beginning of the song, until I call you. He admits that he’s suffering a bit, but at least he can make that concession.
But another lonely night might take forever, he warns, essentially telling her there’s only so far that he’s willing to go for convenience’s sake. He also understands that some things do take an extended period of time: And if it takes a couple of years / To turn your tears to laughter. When he finally reaches the chorus and shouts, Never be another, you get the feeling that this couple won’t be separated for any significant stretch again.
Paul McCartney has delivered so many beautiful ballads that it’s easy to forget about a beauty like “No More Lonely Nights.” Listen to it again, and you’ll hear McCartney hitting a high point at a somewhat unsung part of his career, with help from Gilmour’s virtuosity. Not bad at all considering it came from a forgotten film.
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Photo by Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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