McCartney Sings for Mandela

Paul McCartney and the Eurythmics' Dave Stewart have written and recorded a new song called "Whole Life" for Nelson Mandela's AIDS awareness campaign. The song is available for download at 46664.com, along with tracks featuring Sting, Jimmy Cliff, Bono, Queen and Anastacia. Proceeds from purchases will benefit the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

"Whole World," a bluesy rocker, was recorded at London's Abbey Road Studios on October 22nd, the day after Mandela visited the U.K. to promote his campaign.

Stewart is one of the organizers of the November 29th 46664 concert at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. The lineup includes Beyonce, Bono, the Corrs, Eurythmics, Paul Oakenfold, Queen, Peter Gabriel and Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens). 46664 was Mandela's prison number during his eighteen-year prison stay on Robben Island, near Cape Town.

A 46664 CD/DVD, tentatively scheduled for release in January, is slated to include the new songs as well as a live disc from the Cape Town concert.

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

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