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BBC News Online: Entertainment

Friday, 24 December, 1999, 13:14 GMT

Sir Paul writes for Jones

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has written a song for Tom Jones after the Welsh singer said he once had the chance to record one of the Fab Four's songs first - but turned it down.

The Beatles offered Tom Jones the chance in 1968 to record Long And Winding Road before they did, but although the song is part of Jones' live set, he turned them down.

But after Jones spoke of his regret on a TV show, Sir Paul resolved to create a new song for the Welsh legend.

He said: "He was telling me the story of how I offered him Long And Winding Road and he had to turn it down at the time because I stipulated it had to be his next single and he had something like Delilah coming out, so they couldn't stop it.

"I wouldn't have wanted to stop it either, but it meant that he couldn't do it for one reason or another."

Sir Paul said Jones was "a bit gutted" to have missed out on the song.

"He was telling it to me in private and said, 'Come on boy, write us a song then, go on, can you do it for me,'" he added.

"I just think he's cool and when someone asks like that, if I like them, I'll give it a try and if something comes, great.

"If not, I'll just ring them up and say, 'couldn't do it', but something came."

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