Tug of War--Almost Thirty Years On
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Michelley:
BOYCIE:
hengirl:
1982 was an odd time for the "superstars" of pop and rock in my eyes,where did they go,what to do,some like Queen tried to go the disco route(ok a few years too late but hey)with Hot Space,others such as Roxy would release one more album and wither away and in Pink Floyds case they would soon comment on the year with their album The Final Cut,the point i'm trying to make is they all seemed to struggle these rock stars they had become dinosaurs seemingly over night,punk didnt do it for them it what was came after. So to Tug Of War and Paul and what did i make of it? well i thought he dodged the bullet with it as i think its a fine album that stands up even today,there was signs sadly of what was to come with say Ebony and Ivory over produced pap but for the most part its a great album with some wonderful tunes on it,for my money it would be many years before Paul hit these heights again with Flaming Pie,of course there was flashes of brilliance in-between just not as overly consistent album wise. Yes the '80's a difficult time for any established rocker they ALL overgged the production pudding with the oddles of tech that came along (David Gilmour has more than once said he would love to go back to the Floyd album Momentary lapse of reason and "de"-eightfi it) they all did it,the ones that came through that strange time came out stronger and went on to make some wonderful music in the '90's and beyond.
You look how dated Press To Play sounds when compared to George's Cloud Nine album that came out a 15 months later. At the time Cloud Nine sounded old fashioned, now it sounds much less dated than a lot of '80's production.
Isn't there a way to strip out all the production on Press to Play -- like Yoko did for Double Fantasy? I am no expert -- at all -- but isn't that possible? I wish Paul would allow someone to tinker with his 80s stuff, or maybe put together a stripped-down compilation with the best songs from several albums.
I was thinking about this thread when I was out with Tug Of War on the car earlier today. I know things from the 80s get slammed for being overproduced but I sort of like leaving the music as is, since it offers up a distinctive style of the era and would sort of hate for it to be tinkered with in the name of improvement. One thing I would definitely love to hear in terms of this album is an extended version of the title track, with longer orchestral interludes. With George Martin scoring the orchestra, that would have been wonderful but such a version probably doesn't exist.
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Does anyone have the MP3's for Rainclouds and I'll Give You a Ring? I'm trying to find them?!
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dance-tonight:
Great album. "Wanderlust" is one of the best songs ever, "Tug of War" a great song in every way, "Take It Away" very catchy. "Dress Me Up as a Robber" is the only song on this record I don't like, but all the other ones are great. Paul at his best in the 80s.
You took the words frm my mouth!
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Love the album except for the horrible "What's that you're doing".
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I'd have to say one of the albums that proves why Paul still matters in an ever changing music world. A lot of songs have held up well from Tug of War.
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Easily Paul's best release in the 80's!
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Michelley:
Isn't there a way to strip out all the production on Press to Play -- like Yoko did for Double Fantasy? I am no expert -- at all -- but isn't that possible? I wish Paul would allow someone to tinker with his 80s stuff, or maybe put together a stripped-down compilation with the best songs from several albums.
Would be a brilliant idea--it's something I've been wondering for a while, as well, as some of those songs are way too....80's sounding.
ops: -
A complete and perfect album from start to finish, one of my very favourites. I'd say it includes atleast 2 of his very best songs in, Wanderlust & Tug Of War. And even as over exposed as it is, Here Today is one of the most touching tributes I've ever heard.
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CMackbird:
A complete and perfect album from start to finish, one of my very favourites.
As much as i love Tug Of War any album that contains the aberration Ebony And Ivory is imperfect.
The songs that bookend the album show up the dichotomy that is Paul McCartney at times. 
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To me TOW is like a "slick" version of Ram....half of it great songs, the other half very poor. The good for me are: Wanderlust Dress Me Up As A Robber Tug Of War Take It Away The Pound Is Sinking Somebody Who Cares The bad: Whats That You're Doing? Get It Ebony & Ivory Be What You See And the indifferent: Ballroom Dancing Here Today As i've said before there was one good album lurking amongst the songs he had for TOW & POP, instead we got a decent one & a poor one ! I never thought i'd hear myself say it, but I don't think getting back with George Martin was such a great thing, made him play far too safe & produced 3 of his most bland & MOR sounding albums of his career, thank God for PTP & FITD, which he sounded fresh & hungry again.
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Macca Mad:
I never thought i'd hear myself say it, but I don't think getting back with George Martin was such a great thing, made him play far too safe & produced 3 of his most bland & MOR sounding albums of his career, thank God for PTP & FITD, which he sounded fresh & hungry again.
I don't think George's production is as dated as Press To Play overall, i do think PTP is a braver album, but overall the songs are pretty average fare and that mid '80's sound grates terribly. I agree that getting back with George Martin made even some of Tug Of War's cracking songs a little slick, but i think the best songs get by because they're great. As for his work on Pipes Of Pap and Give My Regards To Bored Street, only No More Lonely Nights is a highlight from those really poor collections.
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BOYCIE:
Macca Mad:
I never thought i'd hear myself say it, but I don't think getting back with George Martin was such a great thing, made him play far too safe & produced 3 of his most bland & MOR sounding albums of his career, thank God for PTP & FITD, which he sounded fresh & hungry again.
I don't think George's production is as dated as Press To Play overall, i do think PTP is a braver album, but overall the songs are pretty average fare and that mid '80's sound grates terribly. I agree that getting back with George Martin made even some of Tug Of War's cracking songs a little slick, but i think the best songs get by because they're great. As for his work on Pipes Of Pap and Give My Regards To Bored Street, only No More Lonely Nights is a highlight from those really poor collections.
I agree the best songs do get by because they are so good, tracks like Wanderlust, No More Lonely Nights are up there with the best of 'em. But great tracks like So Bad & Through Our Love are hinderd by the over lush slick production which did reach it's peak on the POP album. PTP & FITD do have their issues, but to me they were a breath of fresh air after what came after BTTE & were more daring & got him out of a rut. However the aborted album in 87 between PTP & FITD has some of the worst stuff he put down in the studio, thank God Mr. MacManus arrived !!
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BOYCIE:
CMackbird:
A complete and perfect album from start to finish, one of my very favourites.
As much as i love Tug Of War any album that contains the aberration Ebony And Ivory is imperfect.
The songs that bookend the album show up the dichotomy that is Paul McCartney at times. I get that, Ebony & Ivory is a complete Marmite track. I happen to love it. -
love2travel:
Does anyone have the MP3's for Rainclouds and I'll Give You a Ring? I'm trying to find them?!
Like Paul once sung: I Do.
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Its one I never tire of listening too, from the opening bars of TOW then blending into Take it away. Always liked Ebony and Ivory there's just something about it. Aside from those Here Today is very heartfelt obviously due to the circumstances in why it was written. Wanderlust is one his best and Ballroom Dancing always puts a smile on my face! Happy 30th TOW.
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dance-tonight:
love2travel:
Does anyone have the MP3's for Rainclouds and I'll Give You a Ring? I'm trying to find them?!
Like Paul once sung: I Do.
Well that was not a rhetorical question... how would I be able to get them? Like Paul also once sung: Thank You Darling
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dance-tonight:
love2travel:
Does anyone have the MP3's for Rainclouds and I'll Give You a Ring? I'm trying to find them?!
Like Paul once sung: I Do.
They're both on a bootleg of outtakes from the album, along with a few others. Surprising what made, and didn't make the album...
