Tug Of War [B&N Exclusive] [2 LP 180g]

by Paul McCartney

Overview

Like 1970's McCartney, 1980's McCartney II functioned as a way for Paul McCartney to clear the decks: to experiment and recalibrate in the aftermath of his band falling apart. This means 1982's Tug of War is, in many ways, the very first Paul McCartney solo album, a record recorded not at home but in a studio, a record made without Wings and not co-credited to Linda, who nevertheless is present as a backing vocalist. McCartney recognized this album as something of a major opportunity, so he revived his relationship with Beatles producer George Martin and brought in several heavy-hitters as guests, including his hero Carl Perkins, his Motown counterpart Stevie Wonder, fusion star Stanley Clarke, prog rock refugees Eric Stewart and Andy Mackay, and his old bandmate Ringo Starr, whose presence was overshadowed by "Here Today," an elegy written for the murdered John Lennon. Tucked away at the end of the first side, "Here Today" is bittersweet and small when compared to all the show pieces elbowing each other for attention throughout Tug of War: the grave march of the title track, the vaudevillian "Ballroom Dancing," the stately drama of "Wanderlust," and sincere schmaltz of "Ebony and Ivory," the Wonder duet that helped turn this album into the blockbuster it was intended to be. As good as some of these numbers are -- and they are, bearing an ambition and execution that outstrips latter-day Wings -- much of the charm of Tug of War lies in the excess around the edges, whether it's the rockabilly lark of the Perkins duet "Get It," the later-period Beatles whimsy of '"The Pound Is Sinking," the electro-throwaway "Dress Me Up as a Robber," or the long, electro-funk workout of "What's That You're Doing?," a track that's a fuller collaboration between Paul and Stevie than "Ebony and Ivory." Such crowd-pleasing genre-hopping finds its apotheosis on "Take It Away," a salute to eager performers and the crowds who love them, which means it summarizes not only the appeal of Tug of War in general -- it is, by design, a record that gives the people old Beatle Paul -- but McCartney in general. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/30/2015
Label:	Hear Music
UPC:	0888072384972

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Paul McCartney   Primary Artist,Bass,Drums,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Vocoder,Percussion,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass),Spanish Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Andy Mackay   Lyricon
Steve Gadd   Drums,Percussion
Steve Gold   Drums,Percussion
Philip Jones Brass Ensemble   Brass,Orchestra,Brass Ensemble
Chris Spedding   Guitar
Laurie Lewis   Violin
Eric Stewart   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Jack Brymer   Clarinet
Ringo Starr   Drums
Ray Swinfield   Saxophone
George Martin   Fender Rhodes,Piano (Electric),Piano
Kenneth Sillito   Violin,Orchestra,Orchestra Leader
Dave Mattacks   Drums,Percussion
Paddy Moloney   Uillean Pipes
Tony Coe   Clarinet
Stanley Clarke   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
David Ogden   Violin
Carl Perkins   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Electric)
Denny Laine   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Guitar (Synthesizer)
Linda McCartney   Piano,Vocals (Background)
Alexander Kok   Cello
Patrick Halling   Violin
George Turnlund   Viola
Campbell Maloney   Drums,Drums (Snare)
Adrian Brett   Pipe,Pan Flute,Pan Pipes
Michael Rennie   Violin
Galina Solodchin   Violin
Jack Rothstein   Violin
Bernard Partridge   Violin
David Odgen   Violin
Nicolas Reader   Bassoon
David Willis   Saxophone
Alan Peters   Violin
Peter Williams   Cello
Peter Willison   Cello
John Barclay   Horn
Stevie Wonder   Drums,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Percussion,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes,Piano (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Keith Harvey   Cello
Adrian Shepard   Drums,Percussion
John Underwood   Viola
Jeff Baynes   Director
Ian Jewel   Viola
Ken Essex   Viola
Adrian Sheppard   Drums,Percussion
Dennis Vigay   Cello
Thomas Whittle   Horn
Alan John Peters   Violin

Technical Credits

Paul McCartney   Mixing,Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Remixing
Steve Orchard   Remixing
Eric Stewart   Engineer
Eddie Klein   Engineer
Geoff Emerick   Mixing,Engineer
Jon Kelly   Mixing
Peter Marshall   Narrator
George Martin   Arranger,Producer
Kenneth Sillito   Leader,Orchestration
Philip Jones   Overdubs
Jon Jacobs   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Linda McCartney   Composer
John Kelly   Engineer
Terry Reed   Engineer
Sarah Randell   Editing
Maurice Phillips   Video Director
John Mackenzie   Video Director
Anthony Telson   Video Producer
David Jeffers   Video Producer
Mike Stavrou   Engineer,Assistant
Stevie Wonder   Composer
Renate Blauel   Assistant
Keefco   Video Producer
Alex Wharton   Mastering,Remastering
Keith Macmillan   Video Director