Track Listing

1. Tug of War
2. Take It Away
3. Somebody Who Cares
4. What's That You're Doing?
5. Here Today
6. Ballroom Dancing
7. Pound Is Sinking
8. Wanderlust
9. Get It
10. Be What You See [Link]
11. Dress Me up as a Robber
12. Ebony and Ivory

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7130 in Music
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com
Jolted by John Lennon's murder in 1980, McCartney mostly kept mum on the subject until 1982's Tug of War, which contained "Here Today," a belated admission of love for his old chum, who McCartney says would have probably laughed it off were he still alive. George Martin's production makes this McCartney's most unabashedly Beatlesque effort. Rockabilly legend Carl Perkins stops by for a cameo, while Stevie Wonder appears on two songs, the funky "What's That You're Doing" and the simplistic (but massively successful) hit single "Ebony and Ivory." --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews

One of Macca's Best
This is one of those album's that gets played over and over in my CD player. The reason is great songs and great production. Here's a song by song account:

1. Tug of War - great melody, lots of different parts, and great production by George Martin, great way to start the album. 5 stars

2. Take it Away - Another great song. Irrisistably catchy and upbeat. One to sing along with at the top or your lungs. 5 stars

3. Somebody Who Cares - Very nice melody, but Paul's already been there. 4 stars

4. What's that You're Doing - I never really got into this song. Probably Paul at his funkiest, but it still isn't one of my favorites. 2 stars

5. Here Today - Gorgeous, I definetely think this is the most effective of the Lennon tribute songs. This is one of the two or three best songs on the album. 5 stars

6. Ballroom Dancing - Entertaining. Kind of jazzy, daft lyrics. 3 stars

7. The Pound is Sinking - Fabulous, three different sections in this song. One of the best. 5 stars

8. Wanderlust - Without a doubt my favorite song on the album. Fantastic melody, great piano and horns. 5 stars

9. Get It - Fun, not the best song, but a tad rockabilly and nice to listen to. 3 stars

10. Be What You See - Not really a full song, but I really like it for what it is. 4 stars

11. Dress Me up as a Robber - Maybe the only real "rocker" on the CD. It really grew on me. 4 stars

12. Ebony and Ivory - It's not really as bad as everyone says it is. It think we've all just heard it too many times. 4 stars

Definetely recommended. Paul fan or otherwise.

Solid Pop Album
"Tug of War" is the best album that Paul McCartney has produced since the mid-1970s heyday of Wings. It contains two massively successful first rate hit singles in "Take it Away" and the Stevie Wonder duet "Ebony and Ivory." Both feature McCartney's melodic songwriting sensibilities at their best. Other highlights include the fine title track, the John Lennon tribute "Here Today" and another hummable winner in "Ballroom Dancing." The rest of the material also holds its own. McCartney's post Beatles career has been an up and down affair. "Tug of War" most definately is one of the ups.

Winning McCartney
Tug Of War was the best album that Paul McCartney released in the 80's and one of the best he's ever released. This was his first release after the death of John Lennon and by the album's sound, you can tell he was thinking of the old times. He re-teamed with Beatles producer George Martin and Ringo Starr plays drums on a couple of tracks. The album has the spirit of teamwork as he duets with Stevie Wonder and one of his idols, Carl Perkins. The two tracks with Stevie Wonder are exceptional, "What's That Your Doing" and the number one smash hit "Ebony & Ivory". The former song is basically a Stevie Wonder song with him singing lead and it is easily the funkiest song ever to appear on a McCartney album, while the latter is an unabashed call for racial understanding that contains some marvelous vocal interplay. The album's opening song is the title track and it is a beautiful song with a soaring string section that has George Martin written all over it. That song merges right into one of McCartney's all time best efforts, "Take It Away, which features Ringo on drums. Mr. McCartney must of be feeling the spirit of John Lennon as with "Ebony & Ivory", "The Pound Is Sinking" is another socio-political commentary song and is quite good. "Get It" is his duet with Mr. Perkins and it is a rockabilly number. "Here Today" is his tribute to John Lennon and although the song is not one of his best, the love and feeling he puts into it outweighs any of its deficiencies. The album doesn't always hit as with the silly "Ballroom Dancing" and the typically sappy "Wanderlust", but the overall sound and production is crisp and vibrant and it shows why Paul McCartney is one of the most versatile and great artists in music history.