Tug of War

Infobox Album
Name = Tug of War
Type = studio
Artist = Paul McCartney


Released = 26 April 1982
Recorded = February–March 1981, summer 1981, early 1982
Genre = Rock
Length = 41:10
Label = Parlophone/EMI Columbia Records (US) Capitol Records (US 1987-)
Producer = George Martin
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:aekbikz6bb19 link]
*Review-Christgau|B|album=5428
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/paulmccartney/albums/album/212835/review/5945954/tug_of_war link]
Last album = "Concerts for the People of Kampuchea"
(1981)
This album = "Tug of War"
(1982)
Next album = "Pipes of Peace"
(1983)

"Tug of War" is an album by Paul McCartney, released in 1982. It is the follow-up to the 1980 album "McCartney II" and his first official solo album after the dissolution of Wings, who were disbanded by McCartney in April 1981. The recording sessions for the album reunited McCartney with producer George Martin. "Tug of War" was also McCartney's first album after the murder of John Lennon.

Recording history

Following "McCartney II"'s release, Wings regrouped in October 1980 to begin what would be their final recording sessions, whereby several songs later to appear on "Tug of War" and "Pipes of Peace" were rehearsed and recorded. Feeling the need for direction, McCartney called upon his old producer, George Martin, to begin recording a song written for the animated Rupert Bear character (of which McCartney owned the rights), entitled "We All Stand Together," among others. The productive sessions continued until 9 December, the morning McCartney woke up to discover his old songwriting partner and fellow ex-Beatle, John Lennon, had been shot and killed the night before in New York City. Abandoning that day's session part-way through (where he and Denny Laine were recording future B-Side "Rainclouds"), 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, Paul McCartney resumed his sessions, recording that month with Stevie Wonder, Stanley Clarke, Carl Perkins and Ringo Starr and laying down several songs in the process. Ex-10cc guitarist Eric Stewart also became a frequent collaborator of McCartney's during this era. Further sessions that summer were also undertaken at McCartney's studio on his Scottish farm—all with Martin manning the controls and giving McCartney's music the benefit of 1980s technology. The sessions were so productive that several of its tracks would be held over for the next album, "Pipes of Peace", which followed in 1983. The rest of 1981 would be spent in a quiet fashion, with McCartney and Martin touching up the album and perfecting it.

Reception

In March 1982, McCartney's duet with Stevie Wonder, "Ebony and Ivory", was released to enormous acclaim. It reached #1 worldwide and did much to restore McCartney's critical reputation after what was viewed as a lean period for him. Consequently, when "Tug of War" appeared in April, it was an instantaneous worldwide #1, selling several million copies and with its stunning quality was received as a veritable masterpiece by the public, even being nominated for the "Album of the Year" Grammy in 1983. Follow-up single "Take It Away" was a US Top 10 entry as well.

Aftermath

As 1982 progressed, and with McCartney now having recovered from Lennon's death, the now forty-year-old ex-Beatle would spend the rest of the year completing the projected follow-up to "Tug of War", as well as writing and developing a film project which would begin shooting that November.

In 1993, "Tug of War" was remastered and reissued on CD as part of "The Paul McCartney Collection" series—surprisingly without any bonus tracks, although "Rainclouds" and "I'll Give You a Ring" had been issued as B-Sides from "Ebony and Ivory" and "Take It Away", respectively.

In 2007, most of McCartney's music library was remastered and re-released on the iTunes Store. This added many new bonus tracks to many of his albums, including a solo version of "Ebony and Ivory" on Tug of War with only him singing.

Inexplicably, "Rainclouds" is still unavailable, despite being one of McCartney's finest solo recordings.

Track listing

All songs by Paul McCartney, except where noted.

#"Tug of War" – 4:22
#"Take It Away" – 4:14
#* Features Ringo Starr on drums and George Martin on piano
#"Somebody Who Cares" – 3:19
#"What's That You're Doing?" (McCartney, Stevie Wonder) – 6:19
#* A duet with the song's co-writer, Stevie Wonder
#"Here Today" – 2:27
#* McCartney's tribute to John Lennon
#"Ballroom Dancing" – 4:07
#"The Pound Is Sinking" – 2:54
#"Wanderlust" – 3:49
#"Get It" – 2:29
#* A duet with 1950's rock and roll legend Carl Perkins
#"Be What You See (Link)" – 0:34
#"Dress Me Up as a Robber" – 2:41
#"Ebony and Ivory" – 3:43
#* A duet with Stevie Wonder

Chart positions and certifications

External links

* [http://www.jpgr.co.uk/pctc259.html JPGR's Beatles site: Paul McCartney's "Tug of War"]

References

succession box
before = "Asia" by Asia
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = May 29 – June 18 1982
after = "Mirage" by Fleetwood Macsuccession box
before = "Barry Live in Britain" by Barry Manilow
title = UK Albums Chart [http://www.everyhit.com/numberalb4.html number-one album]
years = May 8, 1982 – May 21, 1982
after = "Complete Madness" by Madnesssuccession box
before = "Ebba Grön" by Ebba Grön [http://swedishcharts.com/archiv.asp?todo=show&tag=04&monat=05&jahr=1982&sparte=a]
title = Swedish Albums Chart number-one album
years = May 18, 1982 – June 29, 1982
after = ""Still Life" (American Concert 1981)" by The Rolling Stones [http://swedishcharts.com/archiv.asp?todo=show&tag=03&monat=08&jahr=1982&sparte=a] succession box
before = "Kansuigyo" by Miyuki Nakajima
title = Japanese Oricon LP Albums Chart number-one album
years = May 24, 1982
after = "Pineapple" by Seiko Matsudasuccession box
before = "The Concert in Central Park" by Simon and Garfunkel [http://norwegiancharts.com/archiv.asp?todo=show&woche=17&jahr=1982&sparte=a]
title = Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart number-one album
years = (8 weeks)
after = "Avalon" by Roxy Music [http://norwegiancharts.com/archiv.asp?todo=show&woche=26&jahr=1982&sparte=a]