In the mid-1970s, Paul McCartney envisioned an ambitious fusion of sci-fi and music—a cinematic extravaganza featuring aliens, emotion, and, naturally, Wings. Yet, despite enlisting none other than Isaac Asimov, the legendary science fiction author, the project never progressed beyond the planning stages.
The working title was Five and Five and One, and the plot, as outlined by Asimov in his preliminary treatment, centered on a dying alien race searching for a new home. These beings, described as “wraith-like energy entities” parasitically inhabiting matter-beings from their world, arrive on Earth in search of salvation. Their vessel? A flying saucer. Their transformative trick? Morphing into the members of Wings to infiltrate human society.
Asimov elaborated on McCartney’s original concept, explaining how the aliens, upon hearing Earth’s music, become “strangely affected” and realise that music is the key to unlocking human emotion. McCartney’s initial synopsis also included room for the band to showcase new songs, as the aliens planned to take over the planet “supergroup-style.”
Despite the fascinating premise, McCartney and Asimov found themselves at odds. Asimov’s version fleshed out McCartney’s outline, adding depth to the extraterrestrial plot. However, while Asimov saw his treatment as a rich expansion, McCartney saw it as a deviation from his vision. The collaboration faltered, and the project languished in development limbo.
The discord culminated in Asimov’s sharp critique, scribbled by hand on his rejected manuscript: “Nothing ever came of this because McCartney couldn’t recognize good stuff.”
The tale of Five and Five and One was rediscovered during research for The McCartney Legacy, Volume 2: 1974-80, by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair. The authors unearthed McCartney’s initial outline and Asimov’s revisions, revealing a curious clash of creative minds.
In hindsight, the concept feels like a perfect storm of whimsy and ambition: the collaboration of a musical icon and a literary titan attempting to bridge the realms of sound and storytelling. However, McCartney’s cool reception to Asimov’s additions doomed the project before it could take off, leaving fans to wonder what could have been—a sci-fi musical that might have redefined both genres.
Instead, Five and Five and One remains a footnote in McCartney’s post-Beatles career, a glimpse of a path not taken, and a testament to the challenges of collaboration, even among legends.
