The World Tonight (version 1)

Two videos have been created to promote “The World Tonight“, the second single (in the UK) from the “Flaming Pie” album. The first one was directed by Geoff Wonfor, who had previously directed the “Beatles Anthology” movie in 2015.

The shooting was made in February 1997, in Paul McCartney’s studio at Hog Hill Mill and in the town of Hastings, Sussex. The video was finalized on April 18, 1997, and premiered during the VH-1 TV program “McCartney’s Town Hall Meeting“, broadcast on May 17, 1997.

Two edits have been made. From PAUL MCCARTNEY –MUSIC VIDEO COLLECTION 1970-2020 PART 1, by Mike Carrera:

The World Tonight #1 (1997) VERSION 1- EDIT A

Directed by: Geoff Wonfor.
Mastered: April 18, 1997

Filmed in Sussex and some scenes in London, England. Paul with his tape recorder on his shoulder going through various places. This version circulated only among collectors until it was officially put on sale in 2020, many thought that it was a new edition; however, this is the complete original version as created in 1997. There is no shooting star added in this version, the scene that includes it in EDIT B appears without any digital effect here. Digital Remastering: ‘Flaming Pie Archive Collection’, July 31, 2020. The slate only circulates on Bootleg DVD.

The World Tonight #2 (1997) VERSION 1- EDIT B

Directed by: Geoff Wonfor.
Mastered: April 1997

It is a slightly different edition than the previous one in terms of the scenes filmed in Sussex with 2 different sequences, plus the scene that includes a shooting star behind Paul is longer in this version. The star is a digital effect and does not appear in EDIT A. It was also included in the documentary ‘In the World Tonight’ but incomplete at the beginning and this is the best-known version, which someone ingeniously edited using the scene of the star at the beginning to complete the video which was widely circulated on Bootlegs DVD and on the internet. Many thought this was the official edition.
The real version circulates in full among collectors and is partially available in its Digital Remastering at the ‘Flaming Pie Archive Collection’, July 31, 2020 DVD #1.

The 1st promotional video for “Young Boy”, also directed by Geoff Wonfor, was shot in the same locations, around the same time.

The 2nd promotional video for “In The World Tonight” was filmed in June 1997.

From Club Sandwich N°82, Summer 1997:

Great Excuses Of The 20th Century Number 4: “Sorry I’m late, dear, I stopped to give Paul McCartney a lift – he was thumbing a ride.”

Despite the likelihood of said excuse earning you a cold supper, some guy somewhere out there could have been the proud owner of this plea of mitigation.

But he blew it. That bloke in the BMW blew it. The chap in the red MG behind him blew it too. So did you, madam, you there in the Jag. And you, sir, yes you – you in that Fiat, you driving home with your secretary.

I know you blew it because I saw you with my own eyes. And we’ve got it all on film. You blew it one night in March when all you guys (and a good 40 others) were driving through a British seaside town all desperately swerving and accelerating to get past the bloke in the overcoat with his thumb out. As the overcoated one later observed, “I became the bloke everyone wanted to avoid.”

And that‘s got to be a first: given that the guy everyone feared was a dosser was in fact Sir P McC, haplessly hitching as part of the action for the filming of the video of ‘The World Tonight’.

We – he, moi, director Geoff Wonfor, cameraman Eddie Crooks and John Hammel – took to the streets for this filming and there wasn’t a mob scene in sight. Not even one broken leg – because people simply didn’t believe it was him.

Because you wouldn’t, would you? You may do a double-take… Did you see? Was it? Nah. It bloody well was. Nah. What, him? Round ‘ere? Leave it out. He’s a flaming KNIGHT! Knights don’t tramp about in old coats, singing in the streets. Nah, not ‘im at all.

But it was. Lo – but not beheld – here was Paul out in the street, dancing in the roads, in and out of penny arcades, ordering chips at the chip shop for the filming of his video.

Usually, of course, rock stars require the population of Pittsburgh as extras for their vids. Four million extras, please – at least – plus a crew of 630. And tanks, clear the streets and order tanks for crowd control. And tell all those extras not to look at the artist. Paul had a crew of two. And he knocked it off in a couple of hours as opposed to the usually obligatory couple of weeks.

I must say, I would find it hard to imagine any other major major rock superstars shooting a video with a two-man crew, wandering among sand dunes, throwing sticks for dogs and ordering bags of chips, all while singing some top-notch rock and roll.

But then, an integral part of Paul’s medium and message is that they’re as real and true as life. And you know that can’t be bad.

Geoff Baker, Paul McCartney’s publicist

People were shocked to see Paul out filming, unannounced in the street. The weirdest thing was when he stood in the road, thumbing a ride – nobody gave him a lift

Geoff Wonfor, from Club Sandwich N°82, Summer 1997

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