Released 21 November 2005 Genre Folk rock | Format 7", CD, Maxi-CD | |
B-side "Summer of '59" (7" only)
"I Want You to Fly", "This Loving Game" (CD only) Recorded Ocean Way Recording, L.A., October 2004 Length 3:47 (album version)
2:09 (radio edit) | ||
"Jenny Wren" is a song by Paul McCartney from his 2005 album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. It was also issued as the second single from the album in the United Kingdom 21 November 2005.
Contents
Background
"Jenny Wren" was written in Los Angeles, and is about a character of the same name from Charles Dickens' novel Our Mutual Friend. It also refers to a bird known as the wren, which is reported to be McCartney's favourite. McCartney wrote the tune in the same sort of finger picking style found in "Blackbird", "Mother Nature's Son" (The Beatles) and "Calico Skies" (Flaming Pie). The song earned a nomination for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category.
The solo is played on an Armenian woodwind instrument, called duduk — a first in pop music history — played by Venezuelan-born world winds specialist and multi-instrumentalist Pedro Eustache. The guitar is tuned down a whole step for the song, providing a unique sound that reflects McCartney's earlier works.
Recording
The song was recorded in October 2004, with duduk overdub added in a separate session on 25th of the same month.
Track listing
- "Jenny Wren" (radio edit) – 2:09
- "Jenny Wren" – 3:47
- "Summer of '59" – 2:11
- "Jenny Wren" – 3:47
- "I Want You to Fly" – 5:03
- "Jenny Wren" – 3:47
- "I Want You to Fly" – 5:03
- "This Loving Game" – 3:15
Chart positions
"Jenny Wren" charted at #22 on the UK Singles Chart.
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.