This album was critically acclaimed and this epic song is one of the reasons why. The album was produced by George Martin and was a total departure from everything he’d done for over a decade. It was one of the many reasons Wings were disbanded. He decided to take his music down a path that didn’t suit being in a band anymore.
One of my favourite post Beatle McCartney songs and albums. I think the album has some of Paul's strongest lyrics and musically and vocally it has him at the top of his game.
Great track , great album , easily one of my fav McCartney albums , I don’t think there’s a bad track on it , it’s so polished and beautifully produced
Stunning track. Paul has said that the tug of war was a metaphor for many things in life and that he'd got that down before John was murdered. But it was the first song that he and George Martin worked on after the murder and he accepts that it did feed into it 'because John and I did try to outscore each other - that was the nature of our competitiveness - and we were both very up front about it. But it’s also important to realise that our work benefitted from this tug of war in so many ways.' Of the album as a whole he said ' . . . halfway through it, John was killed. . . . Obviously, “Tug of War” ties in . . . And so does “Somebody Who Cares.” I remember being aware of John’s death while writing it.'
This is album is a gem. Masterly produced, written and lyrically one of Paul’s strongest. Paul vocally at his best. Listening to this album is a treat for the ears. Tug of War when I first heard it on my vinyl album in 1982 as the opening track sent shivers down my spine. The song is perfect and shows the craftsmanship and genius of McCartney as a brilliant songwriter and performer. The album is a journey of so many styles & special musical moments. The magic of George Martin produces something so very special. The good old days when you got to experience an album concept with each track an integral part of the whole experience.
Tug Of War is the segue album of Paul going from his Wings sound to what we’ll get from him going forward. This and Pipes Of Peace both feature Denny Laine, when these sessions were mainly intended to be Wings efforts.
This is the first release from Paul McCartney after John Lennon's death. This song ("Tug of War") is Paul talking about his relationship with the friend/bandmate he grew up with and then conquered the world with. "It's a tug of war What with one thing and another It's a tug of war We expected more But with one thing and another We were trying to outdo each other In a tug of war" Paul is talking about how he and John were sort of in a "tug of war"... always trying to outdo each other (while in The Beatles... and after). "In another world In another world We could Stand on top of the mountain With our flag unfurled" I see this as Paul saying... In another world (one in which John had not been killed) he and John could have gotten back together and done some more great music together - and could have been standing back on top of the "recording" mountain with their flag unfurled (showing off their new creations to the world). "In a time to come In a time to come We will be dancing to the beat played On a different drum" I see this part as Paul saying that... eventually he and John will be back together (in the afterlife) and having a jolly old time together again. "It's a tug of war Though I know I mustn't grumble It s a tug of war But I can't let go If I do you'll take a tumble And the whole thing is going to crumble It's a tug of war" I see this part as Paul saying... He is trying his best to hold on - and not fall apart after John was killed so senselessly. He "can't let go - or he will fall apart... and everything will crumble - and he will be crying endlessly - falling deeper and deeper into the hurt and pain from the loss of the person that was his best mate for so long. "In years to come they may discover What the air we breathe and the life we lead Are all about But it won't be soon enough Soon enough for me No it won't be soon enough Soon enough for me" I see this part as having two possible meanings. 1. Could be seen as Paul saying that hopefully - someday (in the years to come) we can figure out what this life is all about. Maybe after time passes... he will better understand why John was taken from the world at such a young age. Why people hurt others for seemingly no reason at all... But it won't be soon enough - for him. 2. Or maybe it's Paul taking this one segment of the song - and putting a "save the planet" theme into the middle of it. He could be saying back in 1982 - that hopefully someday in the near future - we earthlings will realize that the air we breathe is precious (we can't live without it). Get our priorities right - and stop polluting the earth. Stop cutting down the great forests of the planet. And that we need to do it now. It won't be soon enough for me. "It's a tug of war, (a tug of war, a tug of war) What with one thing and another It's a tug of war We expected more But with one thing and another We were trying to outscore each other In a tug of war" This last stanza goes back to the first one - just making one minor change... saying "We were trying to OUTSCORE each other"... instead of "Outdo" each other. This is one of his McCartney's best songs from his entire career. It should be seen as a classic... but it remains unknown or forgotten by many. When looked at as a response from Paul to John's death ... it has to be one of the best songs he ever wrote. I think it is a magnificent masterpiece.
@@maybeimamazedtribute This is also reinforced in the video, which is just him sitting on a stool with the guitar and Linda standing behind him with her hand on his shoulder. Then at the end she fades away, and then he fades away. It's so eerie.
The album is one of his best, hands down. And yes, indeed, this is a strong, strong opening. From the very first time I heard this track I thought, he's talking to John and this is about them. He has said it's not, but I think, to this day, that even if he didn't realize it, subconsciously this is about John because the lyrics perfectly fit their story, and, this not long after John's death, so you know John was on his mind a lot.
You can tell right away that George Martin has entered the room… What's left to say? A masterpiece. A very beautiful and meaningful set of lyrics put to a comforting Yesterday-type acoustic melody, adorned with mesmerizing orchestral scores and an uptempo middle eight (That, many years later around 2005, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, then working with Paul, would address as one of McCartney's finest moments in a song)
He produced Chaos and Creation in the Backyard! And there was this 'making of' documentary (did it come as a bonus disc to the album?) in which Godrich tells this story.
Great analysis and good sense of humor. I've been listening to Tug of War since I first heard it in 1986 (a few years after the 1982 release) and you are right - there is something in it that reminds one of Fernando from ABBA. I don't think I realized this until you pointed it out. What a wonderful vocal performance by Paul and the production fits nicely. Nice guitar. Great song, great video. Keep them coming.
Paul's voice sounds almost plaintive while singing the line 'tug of war'. I've always thought he is referencing his relationship with John, at least partially here. This album was released not long after Lennon's death. (If a year and a half or two years can be considered "not long"). I had this album back in the day and enjoyed it very much. Thanks for reintroducing it to me.
I always liked the album and the song, which is also interesting because of the participants Denny Lane (also recognisable in the backing vocals) and Eric Stewart
Each of the three songwriting Beatles (sorry, Ringo) had their great statement about The World. Lennon had Imagine, Harrison had The day the world gets 'round, and this is McCartney's. It's a shame that he doesn't do this one live (that I know of), because it's one of his greatest. It's one of those songs that define him, right up there with Maybe I'm Amazed.
This album is the best one since Tug of War. Oh, wait a minute. Tug of War makes a lot of Beatle/Paul fans' favorite McCartney albums list. It's my number 5, right after Band on the Run, McCartney, Ram and Venus and Mars.
Beautiful, powerful yet poignant and sublime. This is a true Paul McCartney masterpiece, It was released later as a single and charted poorly but I am sure that was simply due to other singles coming before it and the fact that so many people bought the album. Watching the video with Linda is rather tear inducing now. Please don't equate this with Abba - that's sad. There is a John v Paul analogy which Paul has explained. Imagine if this song was created today - we would freak out to hear something so magnificent.
Of course it gets undercut by track two! 😅 but the single version has the final chord playing out in full. Also, listen to that final motif and memorize it. Something might sound familiar by the time you get to 'Average person' on the next album!
Personnel Paul McCartney - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, synthesizer, drums Linda McCartney - backing vocals Eric Stewart - electric guitar, backing vocals Denny Laine - electric guitar Campbell Maloney - military snares Kenneth Sillito - orchestral arrangement
Brilliant track and album. I think it would’ve been a great Wings album but this turned into a masterpiece. He definitely pulled out all the stops once again. George Martin, Ringo, Gadd, Stevie Wonder..etc..
If you've followed their reactions from the start (I went back and watched all of their videos before reconnecting by the end of Red Rose Speedway) you would know that they are a very specific cover band: They replicate Paul's current setlist (From 2002 onwards), so they've only listened to the song Paul has played live with his current band. And, of the non-Beatles songs, they only knew much of them from these modern live renditions, so they never listened to the studio versions of those (For example, Maybe I'm Amazed, the song that gives the very name of the band: They only knew its live renditions, but never had heard the original studio version until a few months ago)
Well to be fair, I had heard the Maybe I'm Amazed studio version in passing but never really sat down and focused on it with headphones. @dave44xxx what @Uetti said is true but part of this journey of going through every single album was to get a deeper understanding of the man who's music we play live. Maybe it's my age group but "Tug Of War" was never really on my radar. I grew up listening to the Beatles and I've been playing in Beatles tribute bands for 13 years or so playing Macca. So far I think it's a great sounding album. There's a depth in the composition that definitely warrants a few listens at least before even begining to develop an opinion about whether I agree with you that its one of his best albums. This first spin is pretty great though. ✌️
