| Tripping the Live Fantastic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 5 November 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 26 September 1989 – 30 June 1990 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 138:20 | |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Paul McCartney chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Tripping the Live Fantastic | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
| The Essential Rock Discography | 4/10[3] |
| MusicHound | 2.5/5[4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Tripping the Live Fantastic isPaul McCartney's first official solo live album and his first release of concert material sinceWings' 1976Wings over America live package. Recorded duringthe Paul McCartney World Tour (1989–1990), it was released in early November 1990 as triple LP, double cassette and double CD.Tripping the Live Fantastic reached number 17 in the UK and number 26 in the US. An abridged version of the album, entitledTripping the Live Fantastic: Highlights!, was released in the end of November.[6]
A document ofthe Paul McCartney World Tour, McCartney's first solo concert series,Tripping the Live Fantastic encompasses his entire musical career from hisBeatles songs to his then most recent album,Flowers in the Dirt, while also including some unique covers; interspersed throughout are occasionalsoundcheck recordings as well.
The title is an allusion to the phrase "tripping the light fantastic", meaning to dance or move to musical accompaniment, originally from the poemL'Allegro byJohn Milton.[7]
Although he had reversed theLennon–McCartney credits onWings over America in 1976, McCartney left the credits for his Beatles songs onTripping the Live Fantastic in their original form.
Several songs from the tour were released as singles' b-sides and not found on the album: "Birthday" single featured "Good Day Sunshine", "P.S. Love Me Do" and "Let 'Em In"; "The Long and Winding Road" featured "C Moon" and "Mull of Kintyre"; and "All My Trials" additionally featured a medley of "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Help!" and "Give Peace a Chance".
Three weeks after the release of the album, an abridged version titledTripping the Live Fantastic: Highlights! was released as 17 track CD and 12 track LP.
Showcasing just the concert highlights, this set is notable for the exclusive inclusion of "All My Trials", not found on the original release. However, on the American edition of the album the track was replaced by "Put It There".
Not charting at all in the UK,Tripping the Live Fantastic: Highlights! reached number 141 in the US on theBillboard 200 and, proving to be a sustained seller, wentplatinum. The original set peaked at number 26 and failed to gogold.
Paul McCartney: Put It There
A video produced in 1989, titledPaul McCartney: Put It There, featured McCartney and his band rehearsing for the tour.
Paul McCartney: Going Home
TheDisney Channel filmedPaul McCartney: Going Home during the tour. The show highlights McCartney's return to Liverpool where he introduced a tribute to John Lennon, featured on the B-side of the "All My Trials" single, comprising "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Help!", and "Give Peace a Chance".
Get Back
A VHS concert film was also released, entitledGet Back. The video was directed byRichard Lester, the director ofA Hard Day's Night andHelp! It was his final project before his retirement.
All songs byPaul McCartney, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Notes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Showtime" | 0:38 | ||
| 2. | "Figure of Eight" | Recorded inRotterdam, Netherlands, 10 November 1989. | 5:32 | |
| 3. | "Jet" |
| Recorded inWembley, London, England, 17 January 1990. | 4:02 |
| 4. | "Rough Ride" | Recorded inParis France, 10 October 1989. | 4:48 | |
| 5. | "Got to Get You into My Life" | Lennon–McCartney | Recorded inDortmund, Germany, 17 October 1989. | 3:21 |
| 6. | "Band on the Run" |
| Recorded in Wembley, London, England, 16 January 1990. | 5:09 |
| 7. | "Birthday" |
| Concurrently released as a single to commemorate what would have beenJohn Lennon's 50th birthday, recorded inKnebworth, England, 30 June 1990. | 2:43 |
| 8. | "Ebony and Ivory" | Recorded in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 8 November 1989. | 4:00 | |
| 9. | "We Got Married" | Recorded in Wembley, London, England, 16 January 1990. | 6:38 | |
| 10. | "Inner City Madness" |
| Soundcheck by McCartney and his touring band, recorded inBirmingham, England, 2 January 1990. | 1:22 |
| 11. | "Maybe I'm Amazed" | Recorded in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 8 November 1989. | 4:41 | |
| 12. | "The Long and Winding Road" |
| Recorded inRio de Janeiro, Brazil, 19 April 1990. | 4:18 |
| 13. | "Crackin' Up" | Ellas McDaniel | Recorded inLos Angeles, United States, 23 November 1989. | 0:49 |
| 14. | "The Fool on the Hill" |
| Recorded in Wembley, London, England, 13 January 1990. | 5:01 |
| 15. | "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" |
| Recorded in Los Angeles, US, 23 November 1989. | 6:23 |
| 16. | "Can't Buy Me Love" |
| Recorded inMunich, Germany, 21 October 1989. | 2:14 |
| 17. | "Matchbox" | Carl Perkins | Recorded in Wembley, London, England, 21 January 1990. | 3:09 |
| 18. | "Put It There" | Recorded inGothenburg, Sweden, 28 September 1989. Contains the outro part ofthe Beatles' "Hello Goodbye". | 2:43 | |
| 19. | "Together" | Soundcheck, recorded inChicago, US, 5 December 1989. | 2:17 | |
| Total length: | 69:48 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Notes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Things We Said Today" | Lennon–McCartney | Recorded inMadrid, Spain, 2 November 1989. | 5:01 |
| 2. | "Eleanor Rigby" |
| Recorded inWorcester, Massachusetts, 8 February 1990. | 2:36 |
| 3. | "This One" | Recorded inDetroit, US, 1 February 1990. | 4:28 | |
| 4. | "My Brave Face" |
| Recorded in Wembley, London, England, 19 January 1990. | 3:09 |
| 5. | "Back in the U.S.S.R." |
| Recorded inTokyo, Japan, 5 March 1990. | 3:15 |
| 6. | "I Saw Her Standing There" |
| Recorded inMontreal, Canada, 9 December 1989. | 3:25 |
| 7. | "Twenty Flight Rock" |
| Recorded in Wembley, London, England, 13 January 1990. | 3:09 |
| 8. | "Coming Up" | Recorded in Tokyo, Japan, 3 March 1990. | 5:18 | |
| 9. | "Sally" |
| Recorded in Wembley, London, England, 21 January 1990. | 2:03 |
| 10. | "Let It Be" |
| Recorded inMiami, US, 14 April 1990. | 3:53 |
| 11. | "Ain't That a Shame" |
| Recorded in Tokyo, Japan, 9 March 1990. | 2:40 |
| 12. | "Live and Let Die" |
| Recorded in Gothenburg, Sweden, 28 September 1989. | 3:11 |
| 13. | "If I Were Not upon the Stage" |
| A faux beginning to the next song, recorded inCincinnati, US, 12 February 1990.(N.B. Booklet has incorrect date of 26 September 1989) | 0:36 |
| 14. | "Hey Jude" |
| Recorded in Cincinnati, US, 12 February 1990. | 8:03 |
| 15. | "Yesterday" |
| Recorded in Worcester, Massachusetts, 9 February 1990. | 2:06 |
| 16. | "Get Back" |
| Recorded in Tokyo, Japan 13 March 1990. | 4:11 |
| 17. | "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End" |
| Recorded inToronto, Canada, 7 December 1989. | 6:41 |
| 18. | "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" | Joe Greene | Recorded in Montreal, Canada, 9 December 1989. | 4:31 |
| Total length: | 68:16 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Notes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Got to Get You into My Life" | Not available on vinyl | 3:15 | |
| 2. | "Birthday" | 2:43 | ||
| 3. | "We Got Married" | Not available on vinyl | 7:09 | |
| 4. | "The Long and Winding Road" | 3:48 | ||
| 5. | "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" | 6:21 | ||
| 6. | "Can't Buy Me Love" | 2:14 | ||
| 7. | "All My Trials" "Put It There" | Traditional, arr. McCartney | US only | 3:14 2:44 |
| 8. | "Things We Said Today" | Not available on vinyl | 5:01 | |
| 9. | "Eleanor Rigby" | 2:36 | ||
| 10. | "My Brave Face" | 3:09 | ||
| 11. | "Back in the U.S.S.R." | Not available on vinyl | 3:15 | |
| 12. | "I Saw Her Standing There" | 3:25 | ||
| 13. | "Coming Up" | 5:18 | ||
| 14. | "Let It Be" | 3:53 | ||
| 15. | "Hey Jude" | 8:03 | ||
| 16. | "Get Back" | 4:11 | ||
| 17. | "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End" | Not available on vinyl | 6:41 |
|
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
