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{{Infobox Single
{{Infobox song
| Name = Tug of War
| name = Tug of War
| Cover = 62326.jpg
| cover = Paul McCartney - Tug of War album cover.jpg
| Artist = [[Paul McCartney]]
| alt =
⚫
| border = yes
⚫
| from Album = [[Tug of War (album)|Tug of War]]
| Released = 6 September 1982
| type = single
| Format = 7"
| artist = [[Paul McCartney]]
⚫
| album = [[Tug of War (Paul McCartney album)|Tug of War]]
⚫
| Recorded =
| Genre = [[Soft rock]]
| B-side = Get It
| Length = 4:20
| released = 6 September 1982
| recorded = Summer 1981
⚫
| Label = [[Parlophone]]/[[EMI]]
| Writer = [[Paul McCartney]]
| studio =
| Producer = Paul McCartney
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|[[Soft rock]]|[[symphonic rock]]}}
⚫
| Last single = "[[Take It Away (Paul McCartney song)|Take It Away]]"<br>(1982)
| length = 4:20 <small>(album version)</small><br/>4:00 <small>(single version)</small>
| This single = "'''Tug of War'''"<br>(1982)
⚫
| label = {{hlist|[[Parlophone]]|[[EMI]]}}
⚫
| Next single = "[[The Girl Is Mine]]"<br>(1982)
⚫
| writer = [[Paul McCartney]]
| producer = [[George Martin]]
⚫
| prev_title = [[Take It Away (Paul McCartney song)|Take It Away]]
| prev_year = 1982
⚫
| next_title = [[The Girl Is Mine]]
| next_year = 1982
}}
}}
"'''Tug of War'''" is the title track from [[Paul McCartney]]’s 1982 album ''[[Tug of War (Paul McCartney album)|Tug of War]]''.


==Reception==
"'''Tug of War'''" is the title track from [[Paul McCartney]]’s 1982 album ''[[Tug of War (album)|Tug of War]]''. ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'' described the song as McCartney's equivalent to [[John Lennon]]'s "[[Imagine (song)|Imagine]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/212835/tug_of_war |title=Review of ''Tug Of War'' |last=Holden |first=Stephen |work=[[Rolling Stone]] |accessdate=2009-08-30}}</ref>. 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.<ref> [http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=17225 Tug of War Songfacts]</ref> The lyrics are also seen as describing his relationship with Lennon.
''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'' described the song as McCartney's equivalent to [[John Lennon]]'s "[[Imagine (John Lennon song)|Imagine]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/212835/tug_of_war |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312182001/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/212835/tug_of_war |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 12, 2007 |title=Review of ''Tug Of War'' |last=Holden |first=Stephen |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |accessdate=2009-08-30}}</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=17225 Tug of War Songfacts]</ref> The lyrics have been interpreted as a description of his complex relationship with Lennon,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gould|first=Jonathan|title=Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain and America|publisher=Piatkus, Little, Brown Book Group|year=2007|isbn=9780307353382|location=London|language=English}}</ref> who was [[Death of John Lennon|killed two years prior]]. ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' critic Michael Gallucci interpreted it as "a mournful meditation that could be interpreted as commentary on McCartney's splintered relationship with Lennon."<ref>{{cite web|title=How Paul McCartney tapped into a storied past with 'Tug of War'|author=Gallucci, Michael|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/paul-mccartney-tug-of-war/|accessdate=2023-04-28|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=April 26, 2017}}</ref>


''[[Cash Box]]'' said that the song is "an intriguing mix of the acoustic and the symphonic," saying that "guitar blends with strings while Paul sings of the constant push and pull in our present lives and a more optimistic 'time to come' when 'we will be dancing to the beat played on a different drum.'"<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Reviews|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1982/CB-1982-09-25.pdf|date=September 25, 1982|accessdate=2022-07-07|page=8}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' called it a "wistful slice of pop philosophy given depth by George Martin's orchestration and the vocalist's graceful transition from stately verses to urgent bridge."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=September 25, 1982|accessdate=2023-01-29|page=60|title=Top Single Picks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mSQEAAAAMBAJ}}</ref>
⚫
The single reached number 53 in the UK and number 53 in the US.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paul McCartney singles|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4865/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}}|publisher=[[allmusic]]|accessdate=2010-08-12}}</ref>


⚫
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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paul McCartney singles|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4865/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}}|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=2010-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Official Charts: Paul McCartney|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/paul%20mccartney/|publisher=The Official UK Charts Company|accessdate=2011-10-13}}</ref>
The album version starts with sound effects of people grunting before going into the song, and then fades into Take it Away at the end. The single version omits these factors.

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. These sounds were recorded during the National Indoors Tug of War Championship in [[Huddersfield]], by Eddie Klein on December 7 1980, one day before his bandmate [[Murder of John Lennon|John Lennon was shot and killed]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Recording the intro of "Tug Of War" (Dec 07, 1980) |url=https://www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/session/recording-the-intro-of-tug-of-war/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=The Paul McCartney project |language=en}}</ref> At the end of the song, it fades into "[[Take It Away (Paul McCartney song)|Take It Away]]". The single version omits these factors.

==Music video==
The music video for "Tug of War" was directed by Maurice Phillips.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9485492|title=Paul McCartney: Tug of War (1982)|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=October 25, 2019}}</ref>

==Personnel==
*[[Paul McCartney]] – [[Lead vocalist|lead]] and [[Backing vocalist|backing vocals]], [[acoustic guitar]], [[electric guitar]], [[Bass (guitar)|bass]], [[synthesizer]], [[Drum kit|drums]], [[Mellotron]]
*[[Linda McCartney]] – backing vocals
*[[Eric Stewart]] – electric guitar, backing vocals
*[[Denny Laine]] – electric guitar
*Campbell Maloney – [[Drum stick|military snares]]
*Kenneth Sillito – [[orchestra]]l [[arrangement]]


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
;7" single
;7" single
# "Tug Of War"
# "Tug of War"
# "Get It" (with [[Carl Perkins]])
# "Get It" (with [[Carl Perkins]])


==Notes==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


⚫
{{Paul McCartney}}
{{Paul McCartney singles}}
{{Paul McCartney singles}}

{{Paul McCartney}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:1982 singles]]
[[Category:1982 singles]]
[[Category:Paul McCartney songs]]
[[Category:Paul McCartney songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Paul McCartney]]
[[Category:Songs written by Paul McCartney]]
[[Category:Parlophone singles]]

[[Category:Song recordings produced by George Martin]]
{{Beatles-song-stub}}
[[Category:Music published by MPL Music Publishing]]

[[Category:1981 songs]]
[[ja:タッグ・オブ・ウォー (楽曲)]]
[[Category:Symphonic rock songs]]

Latest revision as of 02:57, 13 September 2024

"Tug of War"
Single by Paul McCartney
from the album Tug of War
B-side"Get It"
Released6 September 1982
RecordedSummer 1981
Genre
Length4:20 (album version)
4:00 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)Paul McCartney
Producer(s)George Martin
Paul McCartney singles chronology
"Take It Away"
(1982) 		"Tug of War"
(1982) 		"The Girl Is Mine"
(1982)

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

Reception

[edit]

Rolling Stone described the song as McCartney's equivalent to John Lennon's "Imagine".[1] 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 have been interpreted as a description of his complex relationship with Lennon,[3] who was killed two years prior. Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci interpreted it as "a mournful meditation that could be interpreted as commentary on McCartney's splintered relationship with Lennon."[4]

Cash Box said that the song is "an intriguing mix of the acoustic and the symphonic," saying that "guitar blends with strings while Paul sings of the constant push and pull in our present lives and a more optimistic 'time to come' when 'we will be dancing to the beat played on a different drum.'"[5] Billboard called it a "wistful slice of pop philosophy given depth by George Martin's orchestration and the vocalist's graceful transition from stately verses to urgent bridge."[6]

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.[7][8]

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. These sounds were recorded during the National Indoors Tug of War Championship in Huddersfield, by Eddie Klein on December 7 1980, one day before his bandmate John Lennon was shot and killed.[9] At the end of the song, it fades into "Take It Away". The single version omits these factors.

Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Tug of War" was directed by Maurice Phillips.[10]

Personnel

[edit]

Track listing

[edit]
7" single
  1. "Tug of War"
  2. "Get It" (with Carl Perkins)

References

[edit]
  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. ^ Gould, Jonathan (2007). Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain and America. London: Piatkus, Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9780307353382.
  4. ^ Gallucci, Michael (April 26, 2017). "How Paul McCartney tapped into a storied past with 'Tug of War'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  5. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 25, 1982. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  6. ^ "Top Single Picks". Billboard. September 25, 1982. p. 60. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  7. ^ "Paul McCartney singles". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-08-12.
  8. ^ "Official Charts: Paul McCartney". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  9. ^ "Recording the intro of "Tug Of War" (Dec 07, 1980)". The Paul McCartney project. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  10. ^ "Paul McCartney: Tug of War (1982)". IMDb. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
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