A wild, untold chapter of pop and sci-fi history has surfaced: treatments for an alien-themed musical co-written by Paul McCartney and legendary science fiction author Isaac Asimov.
The discovery, revealed in the upcoming biography The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974 – 80, showcases a fascinating but ultimately unrealized project that saw McCartney and Asimov imagining a shapeshifting alien invasion tied to the Wings era.
With the working title Five And Five And One, McCartney’s initial draft envisioned aliens transforming into the Wings lineup to conquer Earth through music. Asimov, however, reimagined the story, evolving the aliens into "energy-beings" incapable of understanding human emotions but profoundly affected by music—a concept that could unlock the mysteries of love and humanity.
Despite the intriguing premise, the collaboration faltered. “McCartney didn’t particularly like Asimov’s version,” revealed co-author Allan Kozinn, who stumbled upon the correspondence between the two icons. Asimov, known for his biting humor, reportedly wrote on his draft, “Nothing ever came of this because McCartney couldn’t recognize good stuff.”
This unearthed moment reflects McCartney’s fearless experimentation during the Wings years and offers a glimpse into a “what-if” scenario where rock and sci-fi collided. While the project was abandoned by early 1975, the discovery adds a fascinating layer to McCartney’s post-Beatles legacy and highlights the creative possibilities born from unexpected collaborations.
The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974 – 80 hits shelves December 10 via HarperCollins, promising more behind-the-scenes revelations.
Photo: Getty Images
