TuesdayDec222020
Capitol Records/UMePaul McCartney has debuted an animated short film set to his new song, "When Winter Comes," which closes out his just-released studio album, McCartney III.
The video, which you can watch on YouTube, was directed by Geoff Dunbar, who also worked with McCartney on Paul's animated children's film Rupert and the Frog Song, and combines both hand-drawn and digital animation.
In a Twitter listening party for McCartney III on Monday, Paul explained the story behind "When Winter Comes" and its companion film, noting that the project actually helped spark the creation of his latest album.
McCartney originally recorded "When Winter Comes" back in 1992 with producer George Martin, and he'd decided to resurrect the tune and have an animated short film made to accompany it. As he prepared the updated tune and the film, he began coming up with other new songs that led to a full album.
During the Twitter event, Paul described the theme of "When Winter Comes" as "kind of an idealistic thing, a hippy existence on a farm, planting trees, mending fences and living the good life, which is something I like." He added, "I love nature and I love that idea of getting down and getting your hands dirty."
The video creates a pastoral scenario where a bearded farmer, his wife, their two children and their sheepdog are living on a rural farm, getting ready for the winter. Meanwhile, a pair of foxes chase a rabbit through the farm, and also eye chickens and sheep who live there. In another segment, we see ducks, egrets and other birds frolic in a lazy river.
As the film ends, the farm suddenly appears covered in snow, as the farmer, his family and their dog float up in the air and fly toward the sun.
By Matt Friedlander
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