McCartney II

McCartney II
a yellow-tinted photograph of Paul McCartney at shoulder-length giving a confused or ambivalent expression.
Studio album by
Paul McCartney
Released16 May 1980 (1980-05-16)
RecordedAugust – 7 September 1979
StudioMcCartney's home (Sussex); Spirit of Ranachan (Campbeltown)
Genre
Length37:59
Label
ProducerPaul McCartney
Paul McCartney chronology
Back to the Egg
(1979) 		McCartney II
(1980) 		The McCartney Interview
(1980)
Singles from McCartney II
  1. "Coming Up"
    Released: 11 April 1980
  2. "Waterfalls"
    Released: 13 June 1980
  3. "Temporary Secretary"
    Released: 19 September 1980

McCartney II is the second solo studio album by the English musician Paul McCartney, released on 16 May 1980. It was recorded by McCartney at his home studio in the summer of 1979, shortly before the dissolution of his band Wings in 1981. Like his debut solo studio album, McCartney (1970), he performed all the instruments himself. It yielded three singles: "Coming Up", "Waterfalls", and "Temporary Secretary".

The album was a significant departure for McCartney, as much of it relies heavily on synthesizers and studio experimentation, while its music style embraces new wave and elements of electronica. It was initially released to largely unfavourable reviews by critics, though retrospective reception has been more positive[1] and the album has become a cult favourite.[2] In 2011, an expanded edition of McCartney II was issued with over a dozen bonus tracks. In 2020, the album was succeeded by McCartney III. In 2022, the trilogy was reissued in the McCartney I II III box set.

  1. ^ McCartney: Songwriter ISBN 0-491-03325-7 p. 126
  2. ^ Dalton, Stephen (14 June 2011). "Check His Machine: Paul McCartney Interviewed On McCartney II". The Quietus. Retrieved 28 November 2016.