Tug of War is the third solostudio album by the English musicianPaul McCartney, released on 26 April 1982. It is his 11th album overall following the break up ofthe Beatles in 1970, his first album released after the dissolution of his bandWings the previous year, and his first album followingthe murder of his former songwriting partner John Lennon.[1] The cover features an abstract oil painting by the artistBrian Clarke, a frequent McCartney collaborator, incorporating an overpainted transparency of a portrait of Paul taken byLinda McCartney.[2][3]
Tug of War was produced by former Beatles producerGeorge 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.[4] Some critics hailed it as a 'return to form' for McCartney, withFar Out declaring it his strongest work in 2022.[5] The 2015 re-release, in a remastered deluxe edition, received a nomination forBest Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package at the59th Annual Grammy Awards.
Following the release of the solo albumMcCartney II, McCartney's band Wings regrouped in July and October 1980 to rehearse several songs which later appeared onTug of War andPipes of Peace. Feeling the need for direction, McCartney called upon his former producer,George Martin,[6] to begin recording a song written for the animatedRupert Bear character (to which McCartney acquired the film rights in 1970),[7] titled "We All Stand Together", among others. The productive sessions continued until 9 December, the morning McCartney woke up to learn that his former songwriting partner and fellow ex-Beatle,John Lennon, had beenmurdered in New York City the previous night. Abandoning that day's session (in which he andDenny Laine were recording future B-side "Rainclouds") 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 withStevie Wonder,Stanley Clarke,Carl Perkins andRingo Starr, and laying down several songs in the process. The sessions were held atAIR 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",[8] two songs featuring Stevie Wonder.[9]10cc guitaristEric Stewart also became a frequent collaborator of McCartney during this period.[10] Further sessions were undertaken that summer at Martin'sAIR Studios in Oxford Street, London. The sessions were so productive that several resulting 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 giving the finishing touches to the album.
In a contemporary review forRolling Stone, music criticStephen Holden hailedTug of War as "the masterpiece everyone has always known Paul McCartney could make", and particularly admired its vivid music and consistent songwriting.[18] In The Boston Phoenix, M. Howell felt that the album "is bouncy, joyful, sweet and melodic—things we expect from Paul McCartney. It's also frightened and fierce—things he’s not supposed to be. To say thatTug of War is a far better record than McCartney’s ever made is to slight it—Tug of War goes beyond anything that McCartney ever indicated he was capable of."[21]Robert Palmer was less enthusiastic in his review forThe New York Times, and found the album "exquisitely crafted though lyrically flawed", as he thought McCartney's lyrics were often "clichéd or mawkish", but that the album "at its best, is as finely crafted as his work with the Beatles".[22]
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 restored 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 authorMark Lewisohn thought it was a better album thanBand on the Run.[23]
The album was issued in the US on compact disc on 29 February 1984.[24] In 1993,Tug of War was remastered and re-issued on CD as part ofThe 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 ofTug of War was released on 2 October 2015, as part of thePaul McCartney Archive Collection. This edition included a remixed version of the album, along with the original mix, and a series of videos.
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Notes
A^ In the United States,Tug of War also entered the R&B chart, peaking at No. 11 there.[44]
B^ Until January 1987, Japanese albums chart had been separated into LP, CD, and cassette charts.Tug of War also entered the cassette chart, peaking at No. 12 and entering top 100 for 19 weeks.Tug of War also reached number 1 on theMusic Labo albums chart in1982.[62]
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