Wow

Beck dropped this funky cut as the follow-up to his 2015 single "Dreams." When he first came up with the song, Beck didn't see it as a potential release as it came together so quickly. He recalled to NME: "I was working on another song – maybe 'Dreams' – when I had an idea for a flute beat. I picked up the mic and 'Wow' came out totally spontaneously. I put it away and forgot about it. Then 'Wow' was on in the studio one day and someone said 'You should put this on the record.' I went 'I don't think anybody would like this.' Usually, I turn in a whole album to my record company when they want a single. But there were a lot of songs in progress, so I sent in a cache of them this time. Nothing happened for months, then suddenly the record company said "We're putting 'Wow' out as a single." I was "Really? 'Wow'? Huh. Well, OK then." 'Wow' was the last song on the cache I'd sent over."

When asked about the life affirming lyrics by KROQ's Kevin & Bean, Beck replied: "Most of this song was completely off the top of my head. I didn't write any of it. It was just us fooling around in the studio."

Beck suffered a spinal injury in 2008, which left him in a great deal of pain. For several years he was unable to pick up his guitar. However, this song finds him in a happy place. He explained: "I had a spine injury and there was a long period where it wasn't easy to make music. Recovering from that makes it a lot easier. It's made a huge difference."