Pipes of Peace

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Pipes of Peace
Studio album by Paul McCartney
Released	31 October 1983
Recorded	February/March 1981, Summer 1981, September/October 1982
Genre	Soft rock, Pop
Length	38:58
Label	Parlophone/EMI Columbia Records (US) Capitol Records (US 1988-)
Producer	George Martin
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Robert Christgau (B−) link
Paul McCartney chronology
Tug of War (1982) Pipes of Peace (1983) Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984)

Pipes of Peace is an album by Paul McCartney released in 1983. As the follow-up to the popular Tug of War, Pipes of Peace was nearly as successful and the source of more massive hits for McCartney.

Background and structure

Upon its release, many were quick to notice that Pipes of Peace mirrored its predecessor in many ways. It was produced by George Martin, it featured two collaborations with the same artist (this time with Michael Jackson; the Tug of War collaborations being with Stevie Wonder), and continued McCartney's alliance in the studio with Ringo Starr, former 10cc guitarist Eric Stewart and his last session work with Wings guitarist Denny Laine. The reason for all of this is that many of the songs released on Pipes of Peace were recorded during the 1981 sessions for Tug of War, with "Pipes of Peace", "The Other Me", "So Bad", "Tug of Peace" and "Through Our Love" being recorded afterward in September/October of 1982. By November, McCartney would start shooting his self-written motion picture Give My Regards to Broad Street, co-starring wife Linda, Ringo Starr and Tracey Ullman, which would take up most of his time throughout 1983. Due to the filming commitments (and to allow a reasonable lapse of time between his new album and Tug of War), Pipes of Peace was delayed until October for release.

With momentum building for his film project—and the accompanying soundtrack album—McCartney would spend much of his energies finishing and preparing for Give My Regards to Broad Street until its release in the autumn of 1984.

In 1993, Pipes of Peace was remastered and reissued on CD as part of "The Paul McCartney Collection" series, with the previously unreleased "Twice in a Lifetime" (the title song for a 1985 film), his 1984 hit from the Rupert Bear project, "We All Stand Together", and "Simple as That", released in 1986 on an anti-heroin charity album - all as bonus tracks. "Ode to a Koala Bear" (the B-side to "Say Say Say") was overlooked for inclusion.

Reception

Critical reaction was, not surprisingly, less than what had greeted Tug of War, many feeling that Pipes of Peace was a weaker execution of its predecessor's formula. Nonetheless, many McCartney devotees find Pipes of Peace a satisfying album with enjoyable moments.

The album featured the celebrated duet between McCartney and Jackson (then at his zenith with Thriller, where McCartney guested on "The Girl Is Mine"), "Say Say Say" proved to be a smash hit, reaching #2 in the UK and #1 in the US where it reigned supreme for six weeks (late-1983/early-1984). From 1981 to 1985, McCartney and Jackson would enjoy a friendship, until the two fell out in 1985, when Jackson purchased ATV Music, the company that owned the bulk of The Beatles' song copyrights.

Following "Say Say Say", the album's title track became a UK #1 in early 1984, while in the US, "So Bad" was a Top 30 hit. The album itself was nearly as successful as Tug Of War, reaching #4 in the UK, but surprisingly only going to #15 in the US, though it still went platinum there. In hindsight, the failure of Pipes of Peace to reach the US Top 10 could be taken as a sign of things to come, since McCartney would have to wait until 1997's Flaming Pie to return there in the US.

Track listing

All songs by Paul McCartney, except where noted.

1. "Pipes of Peace" – 3:56
2. "Say Say Say" (Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson) – 3:55
   • A vocal duet with Michael Jackson
3. "The Other Me" – 3:58
4. "Keep Under Cover" – 3:05
5. "So Bad" – 3:20
6. "The Man" (Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson) – 3:55
   • A vocal duet with Michael Jackson
7. "Sweetest Little Show" – 2:54
8. "Average Person" – 4:33
9. "Hey Hey" (Paul McCartney/Stanley Clarke) – 2:54
   • An instrumental collaboration between McCartney and bass guitar virtuoso Stanley Clarke
10. "Tug of Peace" – 2:54
    • A response to McCartney's own song "Tug of War"
11. "Through Our Love" – 3:28

Paul McCartney Collection (1993)

12. "Twice In A Lifetime" – 2:59
13. "We All Stand Together" – 4:22
14. "Simple As That" – 4:17

Personnel

• Paul McCartney: Bass guitar, guitars, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, drums, vocals.
• Linda McCartney: Keyboards, backing vocals.
• Michael Jackson: Vocals.
• Eric Stewart: Guitars, backing vocals.
• Denny Laine: Guitars, keyboards, vocals.
• Hughie Burns: Guitar.
• Geoff Whitehorn: Guitar.
• Stanley Clarke: Bass guitar, vocals.
• Gavin Wright: Violin.
• Jerry Hey: Strings, horns.
• Gary Herbig: Flute.
• Chris Hammer Smith: Harmonica.
• Andy Mackay: Sax.
• Ernie Watts: Sax.
• Gary Grant: Horns
• Ringo Starr: Drums.
• Steve Gadd: Drums.
• Dave Mattacks: Drums.
• James Kippen: Tabla on "Pipes of Peace".
• Petalozzi's Children's Choir: Backing vocals on "Pipes of Peace".
• Martin Hunt : Extra on video, "Pipes of Peace"

Chart positions and certifications

References

External links

• JPGR's Beatles site: Paul McCartney's Pipes of Peace