Flowers in the Dirt is the eighth solo studio album byPaul McCartney. The album was released on 5 June 1989 onParlophone, as he was embarking on his first world tour since theWings Over the World tour in 1975–76. It earned McCartney some of his best reviews for an album of original songs sinceTug of War (1982). The album made number one in the United Kingdom and Norway and produced several hit singles (the first being "My Brave Face"). The album artwork was a collaboration between artistBrian Clarke, who painted the canvas and arranged the flowers, andLinda McCartney, who produced the cover photography.
After the meagre sales forPress to Play, McCartney realised that he needed to work much harder on his follow-up. Thus, he not only teamed up with several different producers, but also spent the better part of 18 months perfectingFlowers in the Dirt.[3] A highlight of the sessions was McCartney's alliance withElvis Costello, with whom he composed many new songs. In his 2015 autobiography,Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, Costello described the track "That Day Is Done" as, "the unhappy sequel to 'Veronica'", which they had also co-written.[4] Despite Costello's similarities toJohn Lennon, the partnership was not to endure. McCartney's then manager, Richard Ogden, confided at the time to Beatles historianMark Lewisohn that the relationship between Costello and the former Beatle was "not entirely harmonious" and that at points McCartney had gone as far as to rant at him regarding Costello's attitude and approach to the sessions.[5] Costello would appear on the album, even co-singing "You Want Her Too" with McCartney. Another guest included was his friendDavid Gilmour fromPink Floyd, who plays the guitar on "We Got Married".
The album was recorded in several sessions, mainly at Hog Hill Mill Studio. Apart from "We Got Married", whose basic track had been recorded back in 1984, the first sessions forFlowers in the Dirt took place in October 1987, when two songs were recorded: “Rough Ride” and “Figure of Eight”. Both were co-produced by Steve Lipson and Trevor Horn.
The next sessions took place between January and March 1988. The band consisted of McCartney, Elvis Costello, Hamish Stuart (guitar), Kevin Armstrong (guitar) and Chris Whitten (drums). This line-up recorded nine songs co-written by McCartney and Costello, including "My Brave Face" (remade later), "You Want Her Too", "Don't Be Careless Love" and "That Day Is Done". However, some disagreements arose, and after a while, guitarist Kevin Armstrong left the project.[6]
The next batch of sessions (April-May 1988) produced three more songs that would be part of the album ("Distractions", "Put It There" and "This One"). Other material from these sessions was later used as B-sides. On "Put It There", McCartney used an oldBuddy Holly trick, the knee-percussion, that McCartney recorded on the same day as the backing track.[7]
Between June and September, another group of sessions took place with Steve Lipson and Trevor Horn, resulting in the recordings of "How Many People" and "Ou Est le Soleil".
In October 1988, McCartney moved to Olympic Studios, where he reworked "My Brave Face" with producer Mitchell Froom and engineer Neil Dorfsman. Dorfsman later told author Luca Perasi: "We wanted to make it slightly edgier and pop-sounding, because we all thought it was a single."[8]
The last song recorded was "Motor of Love" (January-February 1989). This was another remake, entrusted to producers Ross Cullum and Chris Hughes. Greg Hawkes played the keyboards and Fairlight synthesiser.[9]
The album cover was conceived and designed by the McCartneys' friend and collaborator, the British artistBrian Clarke, who painted the background painting in oil on canvas. Clarke arranged the flowers and foliage and the cover was photographed by Linda McCartney. The two collaborated on multiple unique arrangements, resulting in Linda's series of Cibachrome images. Clarke was also responsible for designing stage sets and promotional material for the world tour which accompanied the album.[10] A series ofFlowers in the Dirt paintings and arrangements were made, and the full set of collaborative photographs that produced the cover artwork were exhibited that same year at the Mayor Gallery in London.[11][12]
With the intention of launching the biggest tour of his career, McCartney assembled a band to take out on the road, and who would appear in various forms onFlowers in the Dirt.Hamish Stuart was best known for his tenure inAverage White Band, whileRobbie McIntosh had been a member of thePretenders. Filling out the sound would beChris Whitten on drums andPaul "Wix" Wickens joining McCartney's wifeLinda McCartney on keyboards.The Paul McCartney World Tour opened on 26 September 1989 and featured concerts in Europe, North America, Japan and Brazil until the following July.[24]
Finally, early in 1989, the project was ready for release. In May, the Beatlesque "My Brave Face" was released as a single and promptly gave McCartney a US hit, reaching number 25, while reaching number 18 in the UK. In June,Flowers in the Dirt was released to high anticipation and went to number 1 in the UK charts, garnering very positive reviews from all around. In the US, the reaction was better thanPress to Play, with the album reaching number 21, staying on the charts for a year and going gold, though it still sold beneath expectations. The second single, "This One", also reached number 18 in the UK. The follow-ups "Figure of Eight"/"Où est le Soleil?" and "Put It There" would all be minor UK hits.[25]
A limited-edition "World Tour Pack" ofFlowers in the Dirt, sold in a facsimile trunk, was issued inBritain in October 1989, and America (with British catalogue numbers) in January 1990. The set included a bonus single of "Party Party" (mixed by Bruce Forest and released on a one-sided 7" single in vinyl editions of the "World Tour Pack" and a 3" CD-single in compact disc editions of the "World Tour Pack").
In March 1990, another limited edition of the album that featured a bonus disc with b-sides and exclusive track, studio version of "P.S. Love Me Do", was released exclusively in Japan and re-entered the country's chart.
In a retrospective review forAllMusic, criticStephen Thomas Erlewine wrote of the album: "Paul McCartney must not only have been conscious of his slipping commercial fortunes, he must have realised that his records hadn't been treated seriously for years, so he decided to make a full-fledged comeback effort withFlowers in the Dirt."[13]
Writing for theChicago Tribune, David Silverman wrote that the album was "a welcome, if not wholly fantastic, return from thefabbest of the Fab Four".[26]
The album was re-issued on 24 March 2017, byCapitol Music Group as the tenth release in the ongoingPaul McCartney Archive Collection.[27] Formats included a two-disc (CD) Special Edition (the second disc included McCartney and Costello's demos recorded prior to the album's sessions), a two LP vinyl edition, and a three disc (CD) and DVD Deluxe Edition Box Set that featured previously unreleased demos, unseen archival videos, a notebook of Paul's handwritten lyrics and notes, Linda McCartney Flowers in the Dirt Exhibition Catalogue, and a 112-page hardcover book documenting the making of the album.
The album features the song "The Lovers That Never Were". Costello said of the song:
The real lost gem from that batch of songs – one of these days one of us should cut it – is "The Lovers That Never Were." In its original condition, it's like somethingDusty Springfield orJackie DeShannon would have recorded. Paul straightened it out in the studio [for 1993'sOff the Ground album] and wanted it to go a different way, but the demo is, I'd say, one of the great vocal performances of his solo career. He's standing up playing a twelve-string guitar and, weirdly enough, I'm playing piano, just thinking, 'Don't fuck up! He's really singing this!' He's singing a ballad in the voice of "I'm Down"! He's right over my shoulder singing all this wild, distorted stuff! I had never heard him do that before.[28]
Special edition two-CD; the original 13-track album on the first disc, plus 9 bonus tracks of Paul and Elvis's previously unreleased original demos on a second disc;
Best Buy special edition two-CD + 7-inch single; same as Special Edition with additional "My Brave Face" b/w "Flying to My Home" limited collectors 7-inch vinyl coloured single;
Deluxe edition three-CD/one-DVD;
the original 13-track disc one remastered for all the new configurations at Abbey Road Studios;
18 bonus audio tracks across two discs, featuring previously unreleased demos, written and performed by Paul with Elvis Costello;
three unheard cassette demos, as well as a collection of original B-sides, remixes and single edits as digital downloads only;
a 32-page notebook of Paul's handwritten lyrics and notes, a catalogue for Linda McCartney's 1989Flowers in the Dirt photo exhibition, a 64-page photo book featuring the music videos for "This One", and a 112-page book telling the story of making of the album;
a DVD includes all the music videos from the album, three new short films with unseen archive material that show some of the creation process of the album and the documentaryPut It There originally released on VHS in 1989;
an access to downloadable 24bit 96 kHz high-resolution audio versions of the remastered album and bonus audio tracks.
Remastered vinyl two-album with a download card. The first album includes the remastered album but in keeping with the original vinyl release does not include "Où Est Le Soleil?" (this track is available with the accompanying digital download). The second album includes McCartney's and Costello's previously unreleased original demos;
Digital download Digital album available as both standard and special versions.
Record Store Day 2017 exclusive three-track cassette with demos of "I Don't Want to Confess", "Shallow Grave" and "Mistress and Maid" as in deluxe edition[29]
Disc 1The original 13-track album.
Disc 2 – Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello original demos All songs written and performed by Paul McCartney and Declan McManus (Elvis Costello), as an acoustic duo.
"The Lovers That Never Were" – 3:58
"Tommy's Coming Home" – 4:09
"Twenty Fine Fingers" – 2:27
"So Like Candy" – 3:29
"You Want Her Too" – 2:40
"That Day Is Done" – 4:16
"Don't Be Careless Love" – 3:43
"My Brave Face" – 2:40
"Playboy to a Man" – 3:15
"The Lovers That Never Were"(Geoff Emerick mix) – 4:05
The Geoff Emerick mix of "The Lovers That Never Were" is a hidden bonus track.
Disc 3 – Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello 1988 demos All songs written and performed by Paul McCartney and Declan McManus (Elvis Costello), with full band accompaniment.
"The Lovers That Never Were" – 3:50
"Tommy's Coming Home" – 5:03
"Twenty Fine Fingers" – 2:47
"So Like Candy" – 3:48
"You Want Her Too" – 3:20
"That Day Is Done" – 4:22
"Don't Be Careless Love" – 3:25
"My Brave Face" – 3:30
"Playboy to a Man" – 2:55
Disc 4 – DVD
Music videos
"My Brave Face"
"My Brave Face"(version 2)
"This One"(version 1)
"This One"(version 2)
"Figure of Eight"
"Party Party"
"Ou Est Le Soleil?"
"Put It There"
"Distractions"
"We Got Married"
CreatingFlowers in the Dirt
Paul and Elvis
Buds in the Studio
The Making of "This One"(The Dean Chamberlain One)
Put It There
Put It There Documentary
Digital download only – original B-sides, remixes and single edits All songs written by Paul McCartney except "Back on My Feet" written with Declan McManus (Elvis Costello), "The First Stone" written with Hamish Stuart, and "Party Party" written with Linda McCartney, Robbie McIntosh, Hamish Stuart, Chris Whitten, and Paul "Wix" Wickens.
"Back on My Feet" – 4:24
"Flying to My Home" – 4:15
"The First Stone" – 4:06
"Good Sign" – 6:59
"This One"(Club Lovejoys mix) – 6:11
"Figure of Eight"(12-inch Bob Clearmountain mix) – 5:14
"Loveliest Thing" – 4:03
"Ou Est Le Soleil?"(12-inch mix) – 7:06
"Ou Est Le Soleil?"(Tub Dub mix) – 4:30
"Ou Est Le Soleil?"(7-inch mix) – 4:53
"Ou Est Le Soleil?"(instrumental) – 4:29
"Party Party"(original mix) – 5:32
"Party Party"(club mix) – 6:21
Digital download only – Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello cassette demos All songs written and performed by Paul McCartney and Declan McManus (Elvis Costello).
"I Don't Want to Confess" – 2:21
"Shallow Grave" – 2:14
"Mistress and Maid" – 2:29
Digital-only bonus tracks Available only on Paulmccartney.com
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Notes
A^ Aside from standard version, Double-CD deluxe edition subtitledSpecial Package released in Japan. In 1990, it peaked at No. 27 on the chart and entered there for 4 weeks.[69]
B^ Combined sales of standard edition and its expanded reissue.
^Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds) (1999).MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 730.ISBN1-57859-061-2.
^Randall, Mac; Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds) (2004).The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. p. 526.ISBN0-7432-0169-8.
