Six years after the self-recorded intimacy of McCartney III, Sir Paul McCartney is inviting us back to where it all began. Following a cryptic “guerrilla” marketing campaign involving street signs in Liverpool, Macca has officially confirmed his new studio album, “The Boys of Dungeon Lane,” set for release on May 29, 2026.
If his previous work was about the present, this record is a deep dive into the “Days We Left Behind.” Produced by the modern hitmaker Andrew Watt (who recently revitalized The Rolling Stones), the album promises a raw, sentimental, and sonically rich exploration of Paul’s pre-fame life in the Speke district of Liverpool.
The Mystery of Dungeon Lane
The announcement follows a series of mysterious billboards appearing across Liverpool, featuring a street sign for “Dungeon Lane” without Paul’s name. The puzzle was solved by his brother, Mike McCartney, who revealed the artwork was designed by his son, Josh.
Dungeon Lane sits in the heart of Speke, the neighborhood where the McCartney family lived in the late ’40s and early ’50s before their famous move to Forthlin Road. “We had almost nothing,” Paul recalls in the press release, “but it didn’t matter because the people were great. You didn’t notice you didn’t own much.”
A Masterclass in Introspection
The lead single, “Days We Left Behind,” serves as the emotional anchor of the project. It’s a track that bridges the gap between the young boy wandering Western Avenue and the global icon he became. McCartney admits that the album is centered on memories of George Harrison and John Lennon, specifically focusing on their early adventures long before the world knew their names.
Interestingly, the opening track “As You Lie There” sees McCartney returning to his “one-man-band” roots, playing every instrument himself—a nod to the DIY spirit that has defined his titular “McCartney” series.
Tracklist:
As You Lie There
Lost Horizon
Days We Left Behind
Ripples in a Pond
Mountain Top
Down South
We Two
Come Inside
Never Know
Home to Us
Life Can Be Hard
First Star of the Night
Salesman Saint
Momma Gets By
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Album Title | The Boys of Dungeon Lane |
| Street Date | May 29, 2026 |
| Lead Producer | Andrew Watt |
| Tracklist Summary | Days We Left Behind (Single), As You Lie There, Lost Horizon, Ripples in a Pond, Mountain Top, Down South, We Two, Come Inside, Never Know, Home to Us, Life Can Be Hard, First Star of the Night, Salesman Saint, Momma Gets By |
| Location Theme | Speke, Liverpool (Forthlin Road & Dungeon Lane) |