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Released in 1989

This One

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on April 29, 2021

Album This song officially appears on the Flowers In The Dirt Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1989

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

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Other singles from "Flowers In The Dirt"

Related interview

“This One” is a track from 1989 album “Flowers In The Dirt“.

From Wikipedia:

“This One” is a single from Paul McCartney’s 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt. The song reached number 18 on the UK singles chart. It also reached number 8 on the Ö3 Austria Top 40 in Austria, number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 in the Netherlands and number 40 on the Media Control Charts in Germany.

The single includes two songs recorded during the sessions for CHOBA B CCCP album: “I Wanna Cry” and “I’m In Love Again“. The later appeared in a slightly edited form than the version released on 1991 international edition of CHOBA B CCCP.

Like other songs from Flowers in the Dirt, despite the song’s modest chart success, to date it has not been included on any McCartney compilation album.

Reception

Allmusic called the song “lovely“. Rolling Stone opined:”This One,” likewise, extends its cute, lyrical conceit for too long and winds up taxing the listener’s patience“.

Track listings

This song was released as a 7″ single, a 12″ maxi-single, and a CD single. All songs written by Paul McCartney exept where noted

Paul McCartney in “Club Sandwich 52, Summer 1989“:

The song is basically a love song – did I ever say I love you? And if I didn’t it’s because I was waiting for a better moment… ‘There could never be a better moment than this one…’, and the words ‘this one’ kept coming back to me as ‘this swan’, and I got off on that… The image… was like one of those Hare Krishna posters that I used to see a lot in India…this little blue god…Krishna, who’s riding on this swan floating over this beauti-fully clear pond with lovely pink lilies on it. It’s a very spiritual, tranquil picture, and although I don’t subscribe to any particular religion, I draw on the nice moments from a lot of them.

Paul McCartney, in People Music, March 24, 2017:

“That’s completely silly wordplay. My dad was very into words and crosswords and things, and so was I at school. And then becoming a songwriter I was interested in wordplay. So when I heard someone say, ‘This one,’ I thought it could also be ‘this swan.’ I liked this image of a swan, like in Hindu art—Krishna and the swan gliding over water lilies. I was attracted to that image, so that’s what it became, using the two meanings of the word. And then the video by Tim Pope turned out that way, too.”

Lyrics

Did I ever take you in my arms,

Look you in the eye, tell you that I do,

Did I ever open up my heart

Let you look inside.

If I never did it, I was only waiting

For a better moment that didn't come.

There never could be a better moment

Than this one, this one.

The swan is gliding above the ocean,

A god is riding upon his back,

How calm the water and bright the rainbow

Fade this one to black.

Did I ever touch you on the cheek

Say that you were mine, thank you for the smile,

Did I ever knock upon your door

And try to get inside?

If I never did it, I was only waiting

For a better moment that didn't come.

There never could be a better moment

Than this one, this one.

The swan is gliding above the ocean,

A god is riding upon his back,

How calm the water and bright the rainbow,

Fade this swan to black.

What opportunities did we allow to flow by

Feeling like the time it wasn't quite right?

What kind of magic might have worked if we had stayed calm,

Couldn't I have given you a better life?

Did you ever take me in your arms

Look me in the eye tell me that you do?

Did I ever open up my heart,

Let you look inside?

If I never did it, I was only waiting

For a better moment that didn't come.

There never could be a better moment

Than this one, this one.

The swan is gliding above the ocean

A god is riding upon his back

How calm the water and bright the rainbow,

Fade this swan to black.

Officially appears on

See all official recordings containing “This One”

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “This One”

Related films

Videos

Album 2017 exclusive downloads

Live performances

“This One” has been played in 108 concerts.

Latest concerts where “This One” has been played

See all concerts where “This One” has been played

Going further

Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.

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Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Zsolt Kovács • 2 years ago

Hi!

Just a minor mistake to correct: The Club Lovejoys Mix's length is 6:10!

The PaulMcCartney Project • 2 years ago

Thanks for noticing ! I have fixed this !

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