Paul McCartney announced plans to rerelease his 1984 animated short Rupert and the Frog Song to mark lead character Rupert Bear’s centenary.

He wrote and produced the 13-minute movie, which was directed by Geoff Dunbar, and accompanied the original release with the single “We All Stand Together,” which reached No. 3 in the U.K. chart.

“I’ve always loved animation,” McCartney said in a statement. “It started with the Disney cartoons and went on from there. As a kid I would always get the Rupert Annual at Christmas. I remember getting the idea for a film project when looking through one of them. There was a standout image in color, and when I saw it I could imagine a concert of frogs with them all doing different parts, a choir and an orchestra, and I could almost hear the music.”

He added that he wanted to embark on a Rupert project for some time. “I remember telling John Lennon about it and he encouraged me to have a go which was great … but you need more than that to make a film," he explained. "There were so many different things to think about, things like securing the rights. It was all too much. Eventually, I had the idea to make a short film with an animator I admired, Geoff Dunbar.”

McCartney added: “Congratulations to Rupert on his 100th birthday. The great thing is he never looks a day older. … Having been a fan of his since my early days in Liverpool, I know what he means to generations of young and old kids. In his character and attitudes to the world, he sums up the best of British tradition and reminds us of an innocence we would all love to cherish.”

The restored Rupert and the Frog Song and remastered “We All Stand Together” will both be released on Nov. 6. A vinyl picture disc version of of the single is available for pre-order now.

Listen to Paul McCartney's 'We All Stand Together'

 

Paul McCartney Albums Ranked

More From Kool 96.5