Ever Present Past

Album: Memory Almost Full (2007)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • McCartney told America Online (AOL) the details behind this song: "Sometimes I just sit down and try and write a Pop song. I've done it throughout my life and it's an interesting thing to do, to make something kind of catchy that might be attractive. It starts off, 'I've got too much on my plate.' The way I write I just follow that thought and think, 'What did I mean by that? Explain yourself.' So I think, 'Well what I meant was...' After I'd got the verse, this idea of my past, my 'Ever Present Past,' came about. No deep meaning in it. I think what happens with me is I just write a thing and people read into it. I like that because I think often you do things in a subliminal way you don't actually realize what you are doing. So something that I might think is a simple statement, somebody might go, 'Yeah, but it means that.' I like multiple meanings to these things even though I often start it off as a phrase that's really to help me write the song, to get me to the next bit."
  • Paul says the opening line to the song was taken from something his mother would say: "I have too much on my plate, no time to be a decent mother." He changed the last word to "lover" to make it appropriate for him to sing. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Ken - Louisville, KY

Comments: 6

  • Olivia from Philadelphia, PaThis song was from 2007 I think. Paul has still got it! He is my favorite singer in the whole world! I am hoping that he will come to Philly again so I can see him. It has been my life long dream to see him in concert!
  • Ken from Louisville, KyThe whole album has references by Paul to his Beatles past. The line "The things I think I did" was him not being sure if his memories of those days are authentic or Beatle legends. In other words, he's wondering if he bought the myth, too.
  • George from Chicago, IlPaul remains as a good song writer and performer. His musicianship is first-rate, as always.
  • Amanda from Gretna, VtFirst time i heard this song and now i officially LOVE IT!
  • Ken from Louisville, KyPaul plays every instrument on this track. The album was a cross between "Driving Rain" where he had a backing band and "Chaos And Creation" where he played all the instruments. On "Memory Amost Full" he had a band for half the tracks and played all the instruments on the other half.
  • Kristina from Albuquerque, NmI love this song! One of the very few Beatles solo songs that would actually be worthy of being a Beatles song. Sometimes Paul just hits the nail on the head with expressing something that I can't express myself. This is one of those times. The whole album was really good.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Alice Cooper

Alice CooperFact or Fiction

How well do you know this shock-rock harbinger who's been publicly executed hundreds of times?

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.