Yesterday (9 March) Paul McCartney sent out an email via The Beatles mailing list officially announcing the worldwide download release of a new song called “(I Want To) Come Home”.

As I understand it, despite earlier rumours, the song won’t be available as a CD single but only as a download from iTunes, etc.  McCartney had previously announced the UK release on his own website earlier this month.

The ballad was written last year for the film “Everybody’s Fine” , starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore and Kate Beckinsale. Paul wrote and recorded the track after seeing an early screening and being asked to contribute a song by director Kirk Jones.  The film, which I haven’t seen yet, apparently ends with “(I Want To) Come Home” starting before the final credits roll. The song was nominated earlier this year for a Golden Globe Award. It didn’t win (that honour went to “The Weary Kind” from the film “Crazy Heart”), but its a tune that rewards a couple of listens: in typical McCartney fashion there’s a strong melodic hook that gets inside your head.

Here’s a nice official film clip of the song which has footage of Paul in the studio inter-cut with scenes from the movie:

Talking about the writing process Paul explained, “When I saw the film originally, I was just watching and enjoying it, when at the end I found that the director had, unbeknown to me, put in the place where he wanted the new song another song of mine: ‘Let It Be’ sung by Aretha Franklin.  I kind of left the theatre thinking well, I can’t write another ‘Let It Be’ and I can’t sing like Aretha much as I want to, so I might have to pass.  But that evening, I came back from dinner and started doodling with some chords and I had an idea and it all grew from there.”

The WogBlog also has a fair bit more detail on the song and its creation if you are interested.