McCartney and Wonder Re-Unite 30 Years After Ebony and Ivory

When it comes to Kisses on the Bottom, the soon-to-be-released album by Sir Paul McCartney, it’s all about the numbers. Take, for example, 69: McCartney’s age. Or 35: McCartney’s post-Beatles album count. Or 14: the number of tracks on the album. Perhaps, however, the most intriguing is 30: the number of years since McCartney and old friend Stevie Wonder have teamed up to record a song.

It was in 1982 when last the two legendary musicians headed into the studio to record a duet. Ebony and Ivory, a tune that history has shown to be alternately revered and lampooned, climbed its way to number one on American and British charts.

Now, three decades later, McCartney and Wonder, 61, teamed up again to record “Only Our Hearts” for release on the ex-Beatle’s upcoming album.

“Stevie came along to the studio in LA and he listened to the track for about ten minutes and he totally got it,” McCartney told the U.K.’s Daily Mail. “He just went to the mic and within 20 minutes had nailed this dynamite solo. When you listen you just think, ‘How do you come up with that?’ But it’s just because he is a genius.”

Kisses on the Bottom is available in Canada February 7, 2012.

-Mike Crisolago