Product Description

This album was a reunion for McCartney and the Beatles' producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick, and includesMcCartney's ballad to the late John Lennon, "Here Today". It also includes 2 collaborations with Stevie Wonder, "What'sThat You're Doing?" and the number 1 hit, "Ebony and Ivory".
Chartwise, TUG OF WAR was McCartney's biggest post-Beatles moment, and, not surprisingly, it found him reunited with Beatles producer George Martin for the first time since their ABBEY ROAD heyday. Yet, the album was also an artistic triumph, showing off McCartney's wide range as songwriter andperformer and his ability to incorporate an incomparable supporting cast (Ringo, Carl Perkins, Stevie Wonder) into a variety of roles. After nearly a decade in Wings, all too often structured as a (semi-) democratic vehicle, McCartney flexed his superstar muscle and came up with a smash.
TUG OF WAR is most remembered for "Ebony & Ivory", a harmonious popduet with Wonder that, even upon first inspection, sounded like part wondrous natural meditation, part brilliantly calculated songwriting. Of course it's both, and, as such, stands next to "Every Breath You Take" and "With or Without You" as a great pop standard of the '80s. But take note that the album's other Paul-Stevie duet, Wonder's funky "What's That You're Doing?", is the most groove-ridden song McCartney ever recorded. And the album's other big hit, "Take it Away", is vintage McCartney in reminiscence mode (ala Ray Davies' "Come Dancing"), with possibly the last great chorus he ever wrote.

Track Listing

1. Tug Of War
2. Take It Away
3. Always Somebody Who Cares
4. What's That You're Doing
5. Here Today
6. Ballroom Dancing
7. Pound Is Sinking
8. Wanderlust
9. Get It
10. Be What You See (Link)
11. Dress Me Up As A Robber
12. Ebony And Ivory

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35552 in Music
• Released on: 1993-08-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Customer Reviews

Fine album, hasn't aged very well
This is the second solo-album Paul didn't make at home (the first being Ram) and after the poor reception of the previous McCartney II it was a bit of a return to form. He asked George Martin to produce and there are lots of high-profile guest musicians. The result is a sleeker and fuller production and song that were actually finished!
The songs are great; typical McCartney-melodies are found everywhere; from the strong "The Pound is Sinking" and the stately "Wanderlust". It's a pity some tracks seem to be overproduced a bit; why the strange-sounding electric piano in Wanderlust? Most of his '80s albums suffer from overproduction where his strenght in the '70s were the rough rockers and simple ballads...the trouble seems to start here..
The ode to his friend John is a beautiful and heart-felt ballad that only Paul could have written.

One of Paul's best solo albums
1982's George Martin-produced 'Tug Of War' is rightfully lauded as one of the highlights of Paul McCartney's solo career. Although there are times during the album when the instrumentation and production date this recording badly (specifically 'Take It Away' and 'Ebony And Ivory'), the wonderful thing about this album is that the songs are mostly fantastic and have no problem shining through the sometimes heavy 1980's feel, making this arguably Paul's best release of the decade - with the possible exception of 1989's 'Flowers In The Dirt'.

The powerfully uplifting anthem for peace, 'Tug Of War', starts the album brilliantly and is closely followed in terms of impact by the exuberant ode to music itself, the impossibly catchy 'Take It Away', which also features Ringo Starr on drums and George Martin on piano. 'Somebody Who Cares' is a beautiful song, reassuring someone who is down and lonely that there is always someone there for them and includes a rather heavenly acoustic guitar solo. Up next, the first collaboration of the album with Stevie Wonder, 'What's That You're Doing', has a feel of Stevie's magnificent 'Superstition' to it although it never really hits the heights of that track despite being a perfectly enjoyable, funky song.

As this album was Paul's first since the untimely and tragic murder of his former bandmate and songwriting partner, John Lennon, the fifth track (which would have been the last song on side 'A' of the original album) is the outstandingly touching and genuine tribute to his fallen friend, 'Here Today'. For me, it captures the relationship Paul had with John and the openly sentimental, honest lyrics coupled with the beautifully composed music, augmented by a tastefully arranged string section. It was a song likely to have been subject to careful scrutiny by fan and media alike and if ever there was a difficult subject to write about it was that, but Paul manages to write almost the perfect tribute and a truly classic song.

If you can almost imagine - you're back in 1982, you've dried your tears, took the record off the turntable, flipped it over and then put the needle back onto the vinyl... and then you're treated to bouncy, near-honky tonk piano and an uplifting, silly rock ode to 'Ballroom Dancing' which is infectious enough to get the feet tapping and a smile creeping across your face. It is just an example of the McCartney magic, to be tugging on your heartstrings one minute and then to make you filled with silly joy the next - a whole range of emotions all contained within one album.

'The Pound Is Sinking', a song about international currency, is an excellent three-part song which is also, post-Euro, fun to listen to and identify all of the now obsolete currencies. Because of the strength of some of the tracks around it, it is easy to miss the appeal and songwriting craft of this one, but it's a real corker, as is 'Wanderlust', a ballad of such shimmering beauty, that it is quite difficult to reconcile the fact that it was written about a drugs raid. Certainly one of the many highlights of this album and perhaps even one of his greatest songs ever, it features a soaring McCartney vocal and an excellent brass score.

From there on, the album peters out a little. 'Get It' is an admittedly foot-tapping song notable only for the fact that it was recorded with Carl Perkins. 'Dress Me Up As A Robber' is a little more interesting than enjoyable and reminds me slightly of the style of the man Paul was about to work with, Michael Jackson. Lastly, we have 'Ebony And Ivory', Paul & Stevie's pop duet about racial harmony which has a fantastic sentiment. Some people have criticised the song for being over simplistic about such problems but often the simple way of looking at things can really cut through a lot of complicated matters and I think, for the message, this song is great. Personally, I'd rather criticise it for the dated synthesizer sounds, but I really do like the song - unashamedly so.

Part of why this album is such a winner is because of the range of styles exhibited here - from the balladry of 'Somebody Who Cares', 'Here Today' and 'Wanderlust' to the funk of 'What's That You're Doing' - from the pure pop of 'Take It Away' and 'Ebony And Ivory' to the rock sensibilities of the title track and 'Ballroom Dancing', you're given an album which highlights most of Paul's strengths as a songwriter and very few of his weaknesses. This is an essential buy for any Paul McCartney or Beatles fan and justifiably regarded as one of his finest achievements as a solo artist.

Heartfelt McCartney
This album was so welcome in 1982, especially given Lennon's tragic and untimely killing and because we heard it was Paul on his own, not like on 'McCartney 2' but with a proper solo album with other musicians, free of any limitations which Wings had placed upon him. Whatever they were. But in any event, expectations were high. And on this record, McCartney did not disappoint. It is a fine record.
But is it any better than Wings? Probably not. For McCartney was the driving force behind every Wings album anyway. And here he substitutes the occasional Denny Laine vocal with guest appearances from Stevie Wonder and Carl Perkins. And here it works because it is a novelty. Collaborations with Michael Jackson or Eric Stewart would stifle his later 1980s output. But at least here, the songs are good.
'Tug Of War' is the sublime opening title track. It is such a fine song, with a decent lyric (if only Lennon could have heard this one!) and a magestic tune. Denny Laine contributes guitar so it is almost a Wings track anyway. The next track 'Take It Away' was a single but is with hindsight at least a pretty unremarkable song. Despite Ringo's presence on drums. 'Somebody Who Cares' is a great McCartney ballad, complete with a finger picking acoustic guitar solo from the man himself. Then we have the first of the McCartney-Wonder collaborations 'What's That You're Doing' which is an enjoyable disco-ish number. Not great but enjoyable yes. And now we come to 'Here Today', McCartney's heartfelt tribute to his ex partner Lennon. Easily the best song on the album, and recently performed in concert as well, 20 odd years later. Here we have Paul showing more emotion and love for someone other than Linda for about the only time in his life. I would dismiss any cynicism here. This is a Love Song, for John Lennon. Who can fail to be moved?
'Ballroom Dancing' is a decent rocker which could have fitted well on the Back To The Egg final Wings album. But the ever present Denny Laine is present here so it again has a Wings quality to it. 'The Pound Is Sinking' is interesting but ultimately forgettable. Silly lyric.
But on the next track 'Wanderlust' McCartney produces his best ballad in many a year. And the counter melody singing is really great. This song is about the highlight of the album. The song with Carl Perkins 'Get It' is charming and works perfectly in this context. 'Dress Me Up As A Robber' is an ingenious song which shows that Paul could still be innovative when he wanted to be. Infectious. So we come to 'Ebony And Ivory', the duet with Stevie Wonder, which has invited as much ridicule as George Bush over the years. But it is a heartfelt song recorded by two great artists, black and white. I personally think this song is great, an important statement less than twelve months after the ugly Brixton riots in London of 1981. Paul: don't listen to those tedious critics of this song. It is good. It was an important and valid statement to make in 1982. So there. OK so it was simple. But it was heartfelt. And what's wrong with that? I'd like to know.
All in all, this album is more consistent than any other McCartney offering from the 1980s. 'Flowers In The Dirt' (1989) obviously runs it close. But in 1982, the world and certainly the Beatle community welcomed this commendable album with open arms. And I for one will still defend it to this day.