Tug of War (Paul McCartney album) explained

Tug of War
Type:studio
Artist:Paul McCartney
Cover:PaulMcCartneyalbum - TugOfWar.jpg
Recorded:
  • December 1980
  • February–December 1981
Studio:
Genre:Rock
Label:Parlophone (UK)
Columbia (US)
Producer:George Martin
Prev Title:The McCartney Interview
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:Pipes of Peace
Next Year:1983

Tug of War is the third solo studio album by the English musician Paul McCartney, released on 26 April 1982. It is his 11th album overall following the break up of the Beatles in 1970, his first album released after the dissolution of his band Wings the previous year, and his first album following the murder of his former songwriting partner John Lennon.[1] The cover features an abstract oil painting by the artist Brian Clarke, a frequent McCartney collaborator, incorporating an overpainted transparency of a portrait of Paul taken by Linda McCartney.[2] [3]

Tug of War was produced by former Beatles producer George Martin and was a number-one hit in many countries, selling over one million copies in the United States in the year of its release.[4] Some critics hailed it as a 'return to form' for McCartney. The 2015 re-release, in a remastered deluxe edition, received a nomination for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.

Recording

Following the release of the solo album McCartney II, McCartney's band Wings regrouped in July and October 1980 to rehearse several songs which later appeared on Tug of War and Pipes of Peace. Feeling the need for direction, McCartney called upon his former producer, George Martin,[5] to begin recording a song written for the animated Rupert Bear character (to which McCartney acquired the film rights in 1970),[6] titled "We All Stand Together", among others. The productive sessions continued until 9 December, the morning McCartney woke up to learn that his former songwriting partner and fellow ex-Beatle, John Lennon, had been shot and killed in New York City the previous night. Abandoning that day's session (in which he and Denny Laine were recording future B-side "Rainclouds") part-way through, both Martin and McCartney felt it was best to leave the project for the time being and start anew once they were ready.

In February 1981, two months after Lennon's death, McCartney resumed the sessions, recording that month with Stevie Wonder, Stanley Clarke, Carl Perkins and Ringo Starr, and laying down several songs in the process. The sessions were held at AIR Studios in Montserrat, in the Caribbean, and lasted from 3 February to 2 March, ending with "Ebony and Ivory" and "What's That You're Doing",[7] two songs featuring Stevie Wonder.[8] 10cc guitarist Eric Stewart also became a frequent collaborator of McCartney during this period.[9] Further sessions were undertaken that summer at Martin's AIR Studios in Oxford Street, London. The sessions were so productive that several resulting tracks were held over for McCartney's next album, Pipes of Peace, which followed in 1983. The rest of 1981 was spent in a quiet fashion, with McCartney and Martin giving the finishing touches to the album.

Release, critical reception, and aftermath

In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, music critic Stephen Holden hailed Tug of War as "the masterpiece everyone has always known Paul McCartney could make", and particularly admired its vivid music and consistent songwriting. In The Boston Phoenix, M. Howell felt that the album "is bouncy, joyful, sweet and melodic — things we expect from Paul McCartney. It's also frightened and fierce — things he’s not supposed to be. To say that Tug of War is a far better record than McCartney’s ever made is to slight it — Tug of War goes beyond anything that McCartney ever indicated he was capable of."[10] Robert Palmer was less enthusiastic in his review for The New York Times, and found the album "exquisitely crafted though lyrically flawed", as he thought McCartney's lyrics were often "clichéd or mawkish", but that the album "at its best, is as finely crafted as his work with the Beatles".[11]

In March 1982, McCartney's duet with Stevie Wonder, "Ebony and Ivory", was released to considerable commercial success, reaching number one in many countries. Tug of War followed in April, and similarly became a worldwide number one. The follow-up single, "Take It Away", reached the top ten in the United States. The album restored McCartney's critical reputation after what was viewed as a lean period for him. Tug of War was nominated for the "Album of the Year" Grammy in 1983. Wingspan author Mark Lewisohn thought it was a better album than Band on the Run.

The album was issued in the US on compact disc on 29 February 1984.[12] In 1993, Tug of War was remastered and re-issued on CD as part of The Paul McCartney Collection series. There were no bonus tracks: "Rainclouds" and "I'll Give You a Ring", B-sides of "Ebony and Ivory" and "Take It Away", respectively, were omitted. In 2007, Tug of War was remastered and re-released on the iTunes Store adding a solo version of "Ebony and Ivory".

A further reissue of Tug of War was released on 2 October 2015, as part of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. This edition included a remixed version of the album, along with the original mix, and a series of videos.

Track listing

All songs were written by Paul McCartney, except "What's That You're Doing?" co-written by Stevie Wonder.

Side one

  1. "Tug of War" – 4:22
  2. "Take It Away" – 4:14
  3. "Somebody Who Cares" – 3:19
  4. "What's That You're Doing?" – 6:19
  5. "Here Today" – 2:27

Side two

  1. "Ballroom Dancing" – 4:07
  2. "The Pound Is Sinking" – 2:54
  3. "Wanderlust" – 3:49
  4. "Get It" – 2:29
  5. "Be What You See (Link)" – 0:34
  6. "Dress Me Up as a Robber" – 2:41
  7. "Ebony and Ivory" – 3:46

Archive Collection reissue

In 2015 the album was re-issued by Hear Music/Concord Music Group as part of the sixth set of releases, alongside Pipes of Peace, in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. It was released in multiple formats:[13]

Disc 1 – Remixed album

Remixed version of the original 12-track album.

Disc 2 – Original album remastered (deluxe edition only)

The original 12-track album.

Bonus audio (disc 2 for standard version, disc 3 for deluxe edition)

All songs written by Paul McCartney, except "Rainclouds", co-written with Denny Laine.

  1. "Stop, You Don't Know Where She Came From" – 1:44
  2. "Wanderlust" – 1:46
  3. "Ballroom Dancing" – 2:04
  4. "Take It Away" – 5:37
  5. "The Pound Is Sinking" – 2:35
  6. "Something That Didn't Happen" – 2:17
  7. "Ebony and Ivory" – 1:46
  8. "Dress Me Up as a Robber/Robber Riff" – 3:42
  9. "Ebony and Ivory" – 3:50
  10. "Rainclouds" – 3:13
  11. "I'll Give You a Ring" – 3:09

Note: Tracks 1–8 previously unreleased.

Additional download tracks available via paulmccartney.com[14]

  1. "Take It Away" – 4:05

Disc 4 – DVD

  1. "Tug of War" music video
  2. "Tug of War" music video
  3. "Take It Away" music video
  4. "Ebony and Ivory" music video
  5. "Fly TIA" – Behind the Scenes on Take It Away

Personnel

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

Production

Accolades

Grammy Awards

|-| width="35" align="center" rowspan="5"|1983 || Tug of War || Album of the Year[15] || |-|rowspan=3| "Ebony and Ivory" (Duet with Stevie Wonder) || Song of the Year || |-| Record of the Year || |-| Best Pop Vocal Performance – Duo or Group || |-| "What's That You're Doing?"
(Duet with Stevie Wonder) || Best R&B Vocal Performance – Duo or Group || |-| width="35" align="center" rowspan="1"|2017 || Tug of War (Remastered Deluxe Edition) || Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package || |-

American Music Awards

|-| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|1983 || Paul McCartney (performer) || Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist[16] || |-| "Ebony and Ivory"
(Duet with Stevie Wonder) || Favorite Pop/Rock Single || |-

Brit Awards

|-| width="35" align="center" rowspan="3"|1983
[17] || rowspan=2| Paul McCartney (performer)|| Best British Male Artist || |-| Sony Trophy for Technical Excellence || |-| George Martin (producer) || Best British Producer || |-

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1982)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Kent Music Report[18] 2
Austrian Albums Chart[19] 2
Belgium Albums Chart[20] 3
Canadian RPM Albums Chart[21] 1
Dutch Mega Albums Chart[22] 1
French SNEP Albums Chart[23] 2
Israeli Albums Chart[24] 2
Japanese Oricon Weekly LP Chart [B][25] [26] 1
New Zealand Albums Chart[27] 4
Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart[28] 1
Spanish Albums Chart[29] 2
Swedish Albums Chart[30] 1
UK Albums Chart[31] 1
US Billboard Top LPs & Tape [A][32] 1
West German Media Control Albums Chart[33] 1
Chart (2015)! scope="col"
Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[34] 49
US Billboard 200[35] 56

Year-end charts

Chart (1982)Position
Australian Albums Chart7
Austrian Albums Chart[36] 7
Canadian Albums Chart[37] 14
French Albums Chart[38] 12
Japanese Oricon Chart[39] 37
UK Albums Chart[40] 16
US Billboard Pop Albums[41] 28

Certifications and sales

Notes

^ In the United States, Tug of War also entered the R&B chart, peaking at No. 11 there. ^ Until January 1987, Japanese albums chart had been separated into LP, CD, and cassette charts. Tug of War also entered the cassette chart, peaking at No. 12 and entering top 100 for 19 weeks. Tug of War also reached number 1 on the Music Labo albums chart in 1982.[42] ^ Combined sales of LP, CD, and audio cassette.

External links

Notes and References

  1. McCartney: Songwriter p. 128
  2. Book: Plassat, Francois . Paul McCartney: l'empreinte d'un géant . 2010 . JBz & Cie . 978-2-75560-651-5 . Paris.
  3. Tug of War . . 1982 . album liner notes . EMI.
  4. Web site: Paul McCartney: Tug of War . 16 April 2020 . RIAA Certification . Recording Industry Association of America.
  5. McCartney: Songwriter p. 129
  6. News: McCartney's solo efforts may bring an end to Beatles as recording group . The Bulletin - Google News Archive Search . 2023-03-28. (UPI) "McCartney's solo efforts may bring an end to Beatles as recording group" The Bulletin April 7, 1970: 9
  7. The end of the Beatles? p. 184
  8. Luca Perasi, Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969–2013), L.I.L.Y. Publishing, 2013,, pp.213–225.
  9. The Words and Music of Paul McCartney: The Solo Years p. 105
  10. News: Howell . M. . The war is over: And the dream begins . 30 August 2024 . The Boston Phoenix . 18 May 1982.
  11. Web site: Palmer, Robert . Robert Palmer (American writer) . 25 April 1982 . Music View; PAUL MCCARTNEY'S LATEST IS EXQUISITE BUT FLAWED . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140128231104/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/25/arts/music-view-paul-mccartney-s-latest-is-exquisite-but-flawed.html . 28 January 2014 . 31 August 2011 . The New York Times.
  12. Book: The Beatles Diary After the Break-Up: 1970–2001 . Music Sales Group . 2001 . 9780711983076 . Miles, Barry . reprint . London . Badman, Keith.
  13. Web site: 30 July 2015 . Paul To Reissue 'Tug of War' and 'Pipes of Peace' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160329171618/http://www.paulmccartney.com/news-blogs/news/paul-reissues-tug-of-war-and-pipes-of-peace . 29 March 2016 . 2 October 2016.
  14. Web site: Downloads . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160917025746/https://www.paulmccartney.com/downloads . 17 September 2016 . 2 October 2016.
  15. Web site: Rock on the Net: 25th Annual Grammy Awards – 1983 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121228091525/http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1983/grammys.htm . 28 December 2012 . 31 August 2011.
  16. Web site: 10th American Music Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130120051615/http://rockonthenet.com/archive/1983/amas.htm . 20 January 2013 . 1 February 2012.
  17. Web site: The BRITs 1983 . live . https://archive.today/20140317145858/http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1983 . 17 March 2014 . 11 February 2012 . brits.co.uk . British Phonographic Industry.
  18. Book: Kent, David . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . Kent Music Report . Australian Chart Book . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6 . St Ives, N.S.W. . David Kent (historian).
  19. Web site: Paul McCartney – Tug of War – austriancharts.at . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121104180406/http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+McCartney&titel=Tug+Of+War&cat=a . 4 November 2012 . 31 August 2011 . de . ASP.
  20. Nielsen Business Media, Inc . Hits of the World . Billboard . 12 June 1982 . 94 . 12 February 2012.
  21. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6536&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=tflvluuu3gmgse7n7epkm834m4 Library and Archives Canada.
  22. Web site: dutchcharts.nl Paul McCartney – Tug of War . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025184735/http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+McCartney&titel=Tug+Of+War&cat=a . 25 October 2012 . 19 August 2011 . dutchcharts.nl . . nl . ASP.
  23. Web site: InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101228034713/http://infodisc.fr/Album_M.php . 28 December 2010 . 31 August 2011 . infodisc.fr . fr . PHP.
  24. Nielsen Business Media, Inc . Hits of the World . Billboard . 19 June 1982 . 56 . 12 February 2012.
  25. Web site: Paul McCartney Japanese Album Chart listings . dead . https://archive.today/20121204143552/homepage1.nifty.com/tuty/after_beatles_paul_albumchartaction_japan.htm/ . 4 December 2012 . 29 August 2011 . Original Confidence.
  26. Web site: 30 December 2007 . – Yamachan Land (Archives of the Japanese record charts) – Albums Chart Daijiten – The Beatles . dead . https://archive.today/20120214060626/http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/album/al_beatles.html . 14 February 2012 . 31 August 2011 . ja . dmy-all.
  27. Web site: charts.nz Paul McCartney – Tug of War . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170521064227/http://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+McCartney&titel=Tug+Of+War&cat=a . 21 May 2017 . 31 August 2011 . . ASP.
  28. Web site: norwegiancharts.com Paul McCartney – Tug of War . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121024011630/http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+McCartney&titel=Tug+Of+War&cat=a . 24 October 2012 . 31 August 2011 . VG-lista . ASP.
  29. Nielsen Business Media, Inc . Hits of the World . Billboard . 3 July 1982 . 57 . 12 February 2012.
  30. Web site: swedishcharts.com Paul McCartney – Tug of War . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121012141949/http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+McCartney&titel=Tug+Of+War&cat=a . 12 October 2012 . 31 August 2011 . ASP.
  31. Web site: The Official Charts Company Paul McCartney – Tug of War . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191026144532/https://www.officialcharts.com/archive/official-albums-chart/ . 26 October 2019 . 31 August 2011 . . PHP.
  32. Paul McCartney Chart History: Billboard 200. Billboard. 13 November 2024.
  33. Web site: Album Search: Paul McCartney: Tug of War . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140725020450/http://www.officialcharts.de/album.asp?artist=Paul+McCartney&title=Tug+Of+War&cat=a&country=de . 25 July 2014 . 31 August 2011 . Media Control . de . ASP.
  34. Web site: OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART RESULTS MATCHING: TUG OF WAR . 2022-05-20 . officialcharts.com.
  35. Web site: Billboard 200 WEEK OF OCTOBER 22, 2015 . 20 May 2022 . billboard.com.
  36. Web site: Austriancharts.st – Jahreshitparade 1982 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105013141/http://austriancharts.at/1982_album.asp . 5 November 2012 . 1 August 2010 . Hung Medien.
  37. Web site: 25 December 1982 . Top 100 Albums '82 . live . https://archive.today/20120729165245/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6170&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 . 29 July 2012 . 29 January 2012 . RPM.
  38. Web site: Les Albums (CD) de 1982 par InfoDisc . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120614180609/http://www.infodisc.fr/B-CD_1982.php . 14 June 2012 . 29 January 2012 . infodisc.fr . fr . PHP.
  39. Web site: Japanese Year-End Albums Chart 1982 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161020173634/http://www.geocities.jp/entamedata/music/music_a1982.html . 20 October 2016 . 27 November 2010 . Oricon . ja.
  40. Web site: UK best albums 1982 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120927003953/http://uktop40.republika.pl/najlep%20sprzalbumy%20uk%201982.html . 27 September 2012 . 27 November 2010 . dmy-all.
  41. Nielsen Business Media, Inc . Top Pop Albums . Billboard . 25 December 1982 . 29 January 2012.
  42. Billboard, 5 June 1982, p 61.

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