In the late ’80s, Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello teamed up to co-write many of the songs that ended up on the former Beatle’s 1989 solo album Flowers in the Dirt. But Costello’s voice only shows up once on the album, as Macca’s duet partner on the bombastic “You Want Her Too.” Today, to accompany an upcoming reissue of Flowers in the Dirt, we’re hearing a demo of “Twenty Fine Fingers,” another song from their collaborative sessions that’s never previously been officially released.
“Twenty Fine Fingers” is low-stakes and charming, with the pair singing in tight harmony throughout over insistent acoustic guitar strumming. All in all, it’s a much better showcase of McCartney and Costello’s easy chemistry than the duet that actually ended up on the album. Hear it below.
The deluxe reissue of Flowers in the Dirt will be available March 24th via MPL/Capitol/UMe, and will include nine previously unreleased McCartney/Costello demos.
