Paul McCartney's decision to write and star in the 1984 film Give My Regards to Broad Street led him to rework several classic Beatles songs for its soundtrack, a bold move given how sacred that catalogue was to fans. The film flopped with critics and audiences, and McCartney's role as screenwriter drew particular criticism, but the soundtrack itself fared better and offered a rare instance of a former Beatle re-recording the band's own material rather than keeping it at a distance.

The album featured new tracks including the hit single "No More Lonely Nights", which featured Pink Floyd's David Gilmour on guitar, alongside fresh studio versions of Beatles staples such as "Yesterday", "Eleanor Rigby", "The Long and Winding Road" and "Here, There and Everywhere". Ringo Starr played on other parts of the sessions but declined to drum on the Beatles remakes, reportedly uneasy about his new performances being compared to the originals. The soundtrack sold well in Britain, though less so in America, marking a commercial high point before McCartney's next album, Press, underperformed in 1986 and he did not fully recover his creative footing until 1989's Flowers in the Dirt.