‘Tropic Island Hum’ was recorded by Paul McCartney in 1987, and released as a single in 2004.
McCartney wrote a screenplay for an animated film, Tropic Island Hum, featuring the characters Wirral the Squirrel, Wilhelmina, Froggo, and Bison. The title track was produced by George Martin in 1987 at McCartney’s Hog Hill Mill studio.
The lead vocals were by McCartney and jazz singer Marion Montgomery, and the track also featured the London Community Gospel Choir.
The film project, however, was shelved until 1995, when McCartney invited Geoff Dunbar to work with him on it. Tropic Island Hum was released in cinemas in October 1997, and on DVD in 2004. Paul and Linda McCartney voiced all the characters and were the executive producers.
The title song was released as a single on 20 September 2004, a week ahead of the DVD release of The Music and Animation Collection. The DVD contained the full 5:50 version, while the single was edited to 3:14.
The single was issued in the UK on limited edition yellow vinyl, with ‘We All Stand Together’ on the b-side. It peaked at number 21 on the singles chart. Both tracks were also released on a CD single in Europe.
The 7″ was included in the 2022 box set The 7″ Singles Box.