"Junk" is a song written by English musician Paul McCartney and released on his debut studio albumMcCartney. He wrote the song in 1968 with the Beatles while the group were studying Transcendental Meditationin India. After the band's return from India, he recorded the song as a demo at Kinfauns, George Harrison's home, before sessions for The Beatles took place. It was ultimately passed over for inclusion on The Beatles and Abbey Road in 1969. After the group's break-up, McCartney recorded the song for inclusion on McCartney. The lyrics describe various items in a junkyard. A slightly longer, instrumental version of the song, titled "Singalong Junk", also appears on the album.
History
McCartney wrote "Junk", along with another McCartney track "Teddy Boy", during the Beatles' visit to India in 1968. The song was one of several the Beatles demoed at George Harrison's Kinfauns home before the recording of The Beatles in May 1968. The Esher demo was eventually released on Anthology 3 in 1996 and on the Super Deluxe edition of the "White Album" in 2018. While the song was considered for The Beatles, it was not included; neither did it find a place on Abbey Road. McCartney eventually recorded the song, along with "Teddy Boy", in February 1970 for his debut solo album McCartney. The song's working title was "Jubilee"; it was also known as "Junk in the Yard". Take one appeared on the McCartney album as "Singalong Junk", whereas take two was issued as "Junk". "Junk" was included on an EP released only in Mexico. The song has been dropped from his live setlist, but was included on the compilations and Pure McCartney.
Composition
The lyrics of "Junk" have McCartney describe numerous contents of a junkyard, including parachutes, army boots, and sleeping bags for two. The song's chorus: "Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window/why, why, says the junk in the yard" illustrate what it's like for these items. Beside the exclusion of vocals, "Singalong Junk" features mellotron strings and the melody is played on a piano. That version also features more prominent drums. "Singalong Junk" is said to have been the original instrumental backing over which McCartney planned to sing, but he opted for a simpler arrangement for the vocal version instead.
Reception
Since release, "Junk" has received positive reviews from music critics, with many considering it a highlight of its parent album. In a review for McCartney on initial release, Langdon Winner of Rolling Stone complimented the album's use of simplicity, saying that it "works very well." Winner praised "Junk" and "Teddy Boy", describing both as "low pressure compositions with gentle, poignant lessons to convey" that are "very tasteful and fun to listen to." Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic considers "Junk" of the "finest moments" on McCartney, describing it as "a melancholy charmer of a ballad that has become a cult favorite with McCartney fans." Guarisco further praises McCartney's vocal performance, writing that it "captures wistful mood nicely." In a retrospective review for McCartney, Record Collector has highlighted "Junk", along with "Every Night" and "Maybe I'm Amazed", as songs that "still sound absolutely effortless and demonstrate the man's natural genius with a melody". Joe Tangari of Pitchfork similarly evaluated both "Junk" and "Singalong Junk", with "Maybe I'm Amazed", as the "peaks" of McCartney.
The song called "Junk" on McCartney's 1991 albumUnplugged is played without vocals, thereby making it "Singalong Junk", but it is not listed as such on the album.
Sandie Shaw recorded a version of the song which appeared as a bonus track on the 2004 re-issue of her 1969 album Reviewing the Situation.
John Denver covered the song on his 1971 album Poems, Prayers & Promises.
Chet Atkins recorded an instrumental version that appears on the 1971 album Pickin' My Way.
Cilla Black covered the song on her 1971 album Images which was produced by George Martin.
Anne Sofie von Otter and Elvis Costello covered the song, as part of a medley with "Broken Bicycles" by Tom Waits, on their 2001 album For the Stars.
After leaving The Inbreds, vocalist Mike O'Neill released a cover version of the song via his website in 2003. His version was never officially released on any of his solo albums.
