St. Vincent ranks Paul McCartney praising her work as a top moment
St. Vincent is gearing up for the release of her highly anticipated full-length Daddy’s Home, but that’s not the only project she’s excited for the world to hear. This week, the mastermind behind St. Vincent, Annie Clark, opened up about what it was like to work with Paul McCartney on a reworking of “Women And Wives” for the reimagined version of his 2020 album McCartney III.
Clark joins a diverse lineup of artists on the upcoming McCartney III Imagined, which also includes Alternative Press’ Power Issue: Women Rising cover star Phoebe Bridgers, Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme and Gorillaz’s Damon Albarn among others.
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In a new interview with NME, Clark discussed a few recent collabs including working with Taylor Swift on the 2019 track “Cruel Summer.” A group effort with both artists’ regular collaborator and Grammy–winning producer Jack Antonoff, the track later appeared on Swift’s Lover.
While the singer described her matchup with Swift as a “really casual” jam session, she says that her interaction with McCartney during the “Women And Wives” recording process was a total dream come true. In fact, Clark—who has been a fan of the former Beatle for years—ranks it as a top moment.
“After it was all done and everything, Paul called me to thank me and tell me that he liked it!” she tells NME. “It was the best moment of my life… maybe? I mean, I don’t… I don’t know where to put that. One thing that occurred to me was, think about how many hours of enjoyment in the world have happened as a result of Paul McCartney’s music. Lifetimes and lifetimes of hours that people have spent listening to his work.
“At the end of the conversation, he said, ‘It’s a great thing that we get to do, this music thing, right?’” she continues in the interview. “I was like, ‘Yes Paul—yes it is.’”
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This isn’t the first time McCartney has praised the singer, giving her a shout-out during a Reddit AMA around the release of the original McCartney III in December. One fan asked McCartney about the music that inspires him, which artists he listens to currently and who he could see himself collaborating with.
“I’m lucky, I have a friend who sends me new music, which helps me keep in touch with the modern scene,” McCartney writes on Reddit. “So I listen to people like Dominic Fike, Beck, St. Vincent and Khruangbin. I also listen to a lot of classic oldies coming through, from rock n’ roll to ’60s to soul to R&B with a sprinkling of classical music now and then.”
Little did fans know at the time, but McCartney was indded working with St. Vincent, Fike, Beck and Khruangbin as all of the artists appear on McCartney III Imagined. Khruangbin reworks “Pretty Boys,” Fike has given “The Kiss Of Venus” an update and Beck is giving his own spin on “Find My Way.”
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Additionally, Bridgers is also reimagining “Seize The Day,” Homme is taking on “Lavatory Lil” and Albarn has reworked “Long Tailed Winter Bird.” Idris Elba is also remixing a different version of “Long Tailed Winter Bird,” which is only available on the physical release.
Both Fike and Beck’s collabs have already been released ahead of McCartney III Imagined, which drops April 16 via Capitol Records. You can see the full tracklist for the upcoming release below along with the already released tracks.
Paul McCartney McCartney III Imagined tracklist:
1. “Find My Way” (feat. Beck)
2. “The Kiss Of Venus” (Dominic Fike)
3. “Pretty Boys” (feat. Khruangbin)
4. “Women And Wives” (St. Vincent Remix)
5. “Deep Down” (Blood Orange Remix)
6. “Seize The Day” (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)
7. “Slidin’” (EOB Remix)
8. “Long Tailed Winter Bird” (Damon Albarn Remix)
9. “Lavatory Lil” (Josh Homme)
10. “When Winter Comes” (Anderson .Paak Remix)
11. “Deep Deep Feeling” (3D RDN Remix)
12. “Long Tailed Winter Bird” (Idris Elba Remix)*
* Physical release exclusive track
More on St. Vincent
We’re over a month out from St. Vincent’s follow-up to the Grammy Award-winning MASSEDUCTION. The upcoming sixth LP Daddy’s Home will mark her first album in nearly four years.
Ahead of its release, Clark opened up to Mojo about how she’s taking inspiration from the overall era and music of the ’70s.
“I felt I had gone as far as I could possibly go with angularity,” St. Vincent told Mojo in 2020. “I was interested in going back to the music I’ve listened to more than any other—Stevie Wonder records from the early ’70s, Sly And The Family Stone. I studied at the feet of those masters.”
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In fact, St. Vincent recently released a playlist featuring many of the artists she took inspiration from for Daddy’s Home. With a mix that includes additional artists such as David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Nina Simone, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones, the look inside the album makes it clear her influences were quite diverse.
St. Vincent debuted the first single off the release “Pay Your Way In Pain” in early March. The musician followed it up with “The Melting Of The Sun” on April 1, just days ahead of her return to the Saturday Night Live stage.
Previously performing in 2014, St. Vincent appeared alongside host and recent SAG Award–winner Daniel Kaluuya on April 3. The singer brought her ’70s-inspired set to the iconic New York City stage, delivering entrancing performances of both singles. You can see the full set below.
Daddy’s Home drops May 14 via Loma Vista Recordings. The album is available in various physical formats including 8-track, CD, vinyl and cassette. Preorder are available now here.
St. Vincent Daddy’s Home tracklist:
1. “Pay Your Way In Pain”
2. “Down And Out Downtown”
3. “Daddy’s Home”
4. “Live In the Dream”
5. “The Melting Of The Sun”
6. “The Laughing Man”
7. “Down”
8. “Somebody Like Me”
9. “My Baby Wants A Baby”
10. “…At The Holiday Party”
11. “Candy Darling”
