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Released in 1997

Atlantic Ocean

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on June 26, 2022

Album This song officially appears on the Young Boy #2 EP.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1997

Timeline This song was recorded in 1987

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1987, when Paul McCartney was 45 years old)

Related session

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Other songs produced by Phil Ramone

“Atlantic Ocean” is a song written and recorded in 1987 during the sessions with producer Phil Ramone. It was released 10 years after, as the B-Side of the “Young Boy” single.

What about the dance track “Atlantic Ocean”. Paul is famous, or infamous with some folks, for his fascination with dance tracks.

Yeah. It was one of those things where we were messing around with percussion loops and started with just straight backbeat from an old drum machine and then he started playing shakers and stuff and didn’t even play the bass part until the end.

So that one was written in the studio?

Yeah, he had some… he would just sing a riff like “Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean” and then he would jump and bars and bars of music would go by. A week later maybe we’d be sitting around the breakfast table and be talking about something comes from an island and maybe they go from one place in Africa to another island, and the music continues, and he had a great idea. I kept saying what a video it would make. I still think it’s a terrific song.

Phil Ramone, remembering the 1987 sessions with Paul McCartney – Interview in Beatlefan N°119, July / August 1999

“Atlantic Ocean” was included in the 2020 reissue of “Flaming Pie” but was not remastered. 

Paul McCartney dancing on “Atlantic Ocean” – Backstage at Glastonbury 2022.

Lyrics

Uh!

Hit it!

Uh!

Hit it out!

Stolen black man, fam'ly lost,

Packed as cargo, ship was tossed,

Now survives to count the cost.

He feels the rhythm of the atlantic ocean.

The rhythm of the atlantic ocean.

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean.

The rhythm.

Uh, uh, uh, uh-uh

British pirate ruled the sea

In trinidad to bimini

Now he has eternity to feel

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, the rhythm.

Ocean liners come and go

Sending sailors to and fro

Whale and dolphin down below

Listen to the rhythm.

Foreign artists stows away,

Wants to reach the usa,

Lives to paint another day.

And feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Listen to the rhythm.

Off the bus from penny lane,

Young musicians took a plane,

Got invited back again .

Uh, uh, uh,

To feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Uh, feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, uh-uh.

Yeah, yeah

Yeah.

The rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm.

Uh uh uh-uh-uh

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Yeah, feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

I feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, oh-oh, of the atlantic ocean, ooh.

Feel the rhythm, oh-oh, of the atlantic ocean, oh-oh-oh.

Uh-

Doo, doo, doo.

Ocean liners come and go

Sending sailors to and fro

Whale and dolphins down below.

Aah -

Foreign artist stows away,

Wants to reach the usa,

Lives to paint another day.

And feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

They feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, oh-oh, yeah, the atlantic ocean, uh-uh,

Yeah, feel the rhythm oh-oh, of the atlantic ocean, uh-uh-ooh.

Ooh -

Hey-hey, yeah -

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, woh-oh-oh, of the atlantic ocean.

Doo-doo-doo-doo -

Feel the rhythm, oh-oh, of the atlantic ocean, oh-oh,

Yeah, feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

I feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

I feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

I feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Yeah, i feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

I feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, feel the rhythm, of the atlantic ocean, atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, feel the rhythm, of the atlantic ocean, atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm, feel the rhythm, of the atlantic ocean, atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Yeah,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean,

Feel the rhythm of the atlantic ocean.

Variations

  • A Commercial version
  • A1 Short edit for the Oobu Joobu radio show
  • A2 This alternate mix contains a different vocal track than the final released version.

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Atlantic Ocean”

Videos

Album Flaming Pie - Archive Collection

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

Going further

Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 2) 1990-2012

This new book by Luca Perasi traces Paul McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1990 to 2012 in the form of 250 song entries, filled with details about the recordings, stories behind the sessions and musical analysis. His pop albums, his forays into classical and avant-garde music, his penchant for covering old standards: a complete book to discover how these languages cross-pollinate and influence each other.

The second volume in a series that has established itself as a unique guide to take the reader on a journey into the astonishing creativity of Paul McCartney.

Read our exclusive interview with Luca Perasi

Buy on Amazon

Paul McCartney writing

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