Tug of War (Paul McCartney song)

"Tug of War"
"Tug of War"
Single by Paul McCartney
from the album Tug of War
B-side	"Get It"
Released	6 September 1982
Recorded	Summer 1981
Genre	Soft rock; symphonic rock;
Length	4:20 (album version); 4:00 (single version)
Label	Parlophone; EMI;
Songwriter(s)	Paul McCartney
Producer(s)	George Martin
Paul McCartney singles chronology

"Tug of War" is the title track from Paul McCartney’s 1982 album Tug of War.

Reception[]

Rolling Stone described the song as McCartney's equivalent to John Lennon's "Imagine".^[1] To others, however, "Pipes of Peace" is. The song has a clear division between the verses featuring sad lyrics about the struggle to survive, the necessity of conflict (pushing and pulling) and the hopeful refrain, in which McCartney looks for a future where these struggles are no longer necessary.^[2] The lyrics are seen^[who?] as describing his complex relationship with Lennon, who was killed two years prior.

The single reached number 11 in Poland, number 53 in the UK and number 53 in the US. It also reached number 31 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.^[3]^[4]

The album version starts with the sounds of people grunting as part of a real tug of war- a popular sporting event since ancient times, before Paul goes into the song, and then at the end of the song, it fades into "Take It Away". The single version omits these factors.

Music video[]

The music video for "Tug of War" was directed by Maurice Phillips.^[5]

Personnel[]

Paul McCartney – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, electric guitar, synthesizer
Linda McCartney – backing vocals
Eric Stewart – backing vocals, electric guitar
Denny Laine – electric guitar
Campbell Maloney – military snares
Kenneth Sillito – orchestral arrangement

Track listing[]

7" single

"Tug Of War"
"Get It" (with Carl Perkins)

References[]

^ Holden, Stephen. "Review of Tug Of War". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
^ Tug of War Songfacts
^ "Paul McCartney singles". allmusic. Retrieved 2010-08-12.
^ "Official Charts: Paul McCartney". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
^ "Paul McCartney: Tug of War (1982)". IMDb. Retrieved October 25, 2019.

[1] Holden, Stephen. "Review of Tug Of War". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved 2009-08-30.

[2] Tug of War Songfacts

[3] "Paul McCartney singles". allmusic. Retrieved 2010-08-12.

[4] "Official Charts: Paul McCartney". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-10-13.

[5] "Paul McCartney: Tug of War (1982)". IMDb. Retrieved October 25, 2019.

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show v t Paul McCartney singles discography
1970s	"Another Day" / "Oh Woman, Oh Why" (with Linda McCartney) "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" / "Too Many People" (with Linda McCartney) "The Back Seat of My Car" / "Heart of the Country" (with Linda McCartney) "Eat at Home" / "Smile Away" (with Linda McCartney) "Wonderful Christmastime"
1980s	"Coming Up" "Waterfalls" "Temporary Secretary" "Ebony and Ivory" (with Stevie Wonder) "Take It Away" "Tug of War" "The Girl Is Mine" (with Michael Jackson) "Say Say Say" (with Michael Jackson) "Pipes of Peace"/""So Bad" "No More Lonely Nights" "We All Stand Together" "Spies Like Us" "Press" "Pretty Little Head" "Stranglehold" "Only Love Remains" "Once Upon a Long Ago" "Ferry Cross the Mersey" "My Brave Face" / "Flying to My Home" "This One" "Figure of Eight"
1990s	"Put It There" / "Mama's Little Girl" "Birthday" (live) / "Good Day Sunshine" (live) "All My Trials" (live) "Hope of Deliverance" "C'Mon People" "Off the Ground" "Biker Like an Icon" / "Things We Said Today" "A Leaf" (with Anya Alexeyev) "Come Together" (The Smokin' Mojo Filters) "Young Boy" "The World Tonight" "Beautiful Night" "No Other Baby" / "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" "Run Devil Run" (promo)
2000s	"From a Lover to a Friend" "Freedom" / "From a Lover to a Friend" "Hello Goodbye" (promo) "Tropic Island Hum" / "We All Stand Together" "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (with U2) "Fine Line" "Jenny Wren" "Really Love You" (Twin Freaks) "This Never Happened Before" (promo) "Dance Tonight" / "Nod Your Head" "Ever Present Past" "Heal the Pain" (with George Michael) "Sing the Changes" (The Fireman) "Walk with You" (with Ringo Starr)
2010s	"(I Want to) Come Home" "My Valentine" "Only Our Hearts" Christmas Kisses: "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" / "Wonderful Christmastime" "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (The Justice Collective) "New" "Queenie Eye" "Only One" (with Kanye West) "FourFiveSeconds" (with Rihanna & Kanye West) "All Day" (with Kanye West) "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five" (with Timo Maas & James Teej) "I Don't Know" / "Come On to Me" "Fuh You" "Who Cares" "Get Enough"
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