Tug of War (Paul McCartney album)


Tug of War is the third solo studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, released in April 1982. It was McCartney's first album released after the dissolution of Wings the previous year. Overall, it was his 11th album since the break up of the Beatles. It was also McCartney's first album after the murder of former songwriting partner John Lennon. The album 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. Some critics hailed it as a return to form for McCartney. The cover is an abstract oil painting by the artist Brian Clarke, a frequent McCartney collaborator, incorporating an over-painted transparency of a portrait of Paul taken by Linda McCartney. Its remastered deluxe edition received a nomination for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

Recording

Following the release of the solo album McCartney II, 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 old producer, George Martin, to begin recording a song written for the animated Rupert Bear character, 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, 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", two songs featuring Stevie Wonder. 10cc guitarist Eric Stewart also became a frequent collaborator of McCartney's during this period. Further sessions that summer were undertaken at Martin's AIR studios at Oxford Street, London. The sessions were so productive that several of its 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 touching up the album and perfecting it.

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. 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 "cliched or mawkish", but that the album "at its best, is as finely crafted as his work with the Beatles".
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 went on to sell several million copies and did much to restore 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 a better album than Band on the Run.
The album was issued in the US on compact disc on 29 February 1984. 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
  2. "Ballroom Dancing" – 4:07
  3. "The Pound Is Sinking" – 2:54
  4. "Wanderlust" – 3:49
  5. "Get It" – 2:29
  6. "Be What You See " – 0:34
  7. "Dress Me Up as a Robber" – 2:41
  8. "Ebony and Ivory" – 3:46
;iTunes bonus track
  2. "Ebony and Ivory" – 3:46

    2015 remaster

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:
Digital
Standard:
Standard Res – without Ebooklet
Standard Res – with Ebooklet
Mastered for iTunes – without Ebooklet
Hi-Res – 24-bit/96 kHz – with Ebooklet
Deluxe:
Standard Res
Mastered for iTunes
Hi-Res – 24-bit/96 kHz
;Disc 1 – Remixed album
Remixed version of the original 12-track album.
;Disc 2 – Original album remastered
The original 12-track album.
;Bonus Audio
  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. : Tracks 1–8 are previously unreleased
  10. "Ebony and Ivory" – 3:50
  11. "Rainclouds" – 3:13
  12. : B-side to "Ebony and Ivory" single
  13. "I'll Give You a Ring" – 3:09
  14. : B-side to "Take It Away" single
;Additional download tracks available via paulmccartney.com
  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.

Grammy Awards

American Music Awards

Brit Awards

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Notes