One Of These Days

The final song on Paul McCartney’s second solo album, ‘One Of These Days’ stood in stark contrast to the experimental, often electronic songs that came before it.

‘One Of These Days’ was classic McCartney territory, a pensive acoustic song that showcased his unmatched melodic skill. It was inspired by the serenity of a Hare Krishna devotee that visited him during the McCartney II sessions.

‘One Of These Days’ all happened when a Hare Krishna bloke came round to see me. He was a nice fellow, very sort of gentle. After he left, I went to the studio and the vibe carried through a bit. I started writing something a bit more gentle that particular day. The song seemed right as a very simple thing and it basically just says, ‘One of these days I’ll do what I’ve been meaning to do the rest of my life.’ I think it’s something a lot of people can identify with.

Sounding more like a Rishikesh-inspired outtake from The Beatles’ White Album than a summer 1979 song, the lyrics of ‘One Of These Days’ – with their references to breathing fresh air and enjoying freedom – took on an added poignancy in the light of McCartney’s incarceration after his arrest for cannabis possession in Japan in 1980.