Run Devil Run

Run Devil Run
Studio album by Paul McCartney
Released	4 October 1999
Recorded	1 March - 5 May 1999 (Abbey Road studios)
Genre	Rock and roll
Length	40:46
Label	Parlophone/EMI (UK), Capitol Records (US)
Producer	Chris Thomas and Paul McCartney
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Robert Christgau (A−) link
Paul McCartney chronology
Paul McCartney's Standing Stone (1999) Run Devil Run (1999) Working Classical (1999)

Run Devil Run is a 1999 Paul McCartney album that features covers of both familiar and obscure 1950s rock and roll songs, along with three new McCartney songs written in the same style. As his first project following first wife Linda's death in 1998, McCartney felt the need to get back to his roots and perform some of the music he loved as a teenager. On 14 December 1999, McCartney returned to the Cavern Club stage to play a set publicising the new Run Devil Run album.

Recording and structure

Wanting to keep things fresh, a lesson he had learned from his experiences working on The Beatles Anthology project and put to use on Flaming Pie, McCartney planned to cut the album as quickly as possible in order to capture the excitement of a live-in-the-studio performance, in much the same way The Beatles had recorded many of their early songs. Asking Back to the Egg co-producer Chris Thomas to reprise that role, McCartney booked time in Abbey Road Studios in early March to undertake his quest.

Wanting to work with reliable and empathetic musicians, he called up Pink Floyd's David Gilmour to play guitar (having already worked with McCartney as early as The Dark Side of the Moon sessions where McCartney recorded some voice-overs which were not used; Gilmour later worked with McCartney during the "Rockestra", Give My Regards to Broad Street and Flowers in the Dirt projects). Also recruited were guitarist Mick Green (who previously played on McCartney's CHOBA B CCCP album), keyboardists Pete Wingfield and Geraint Watkins, and on drums Deep Purple's Ian Paice and Dave Mattacks. McCartney, naturally, played bass although he did play electric guitar in some instances. The initial sessions were held in early March; after a few more sessions in April and May, the album—featuring three new McCartney songs among the old classics—was complete.

The title Run Devil Run was inspired by a herbal medicine shop in Atlanta with products by that very name (the picture modifies the actual Rexall drugs sign). It appealed to McCartney as a great title for a rock and roll song, which he duly composed. The store is located at 87 Broad Street in Atlanta.^[1]

Reception

Released in October, Run Devil Run, a sort of second stab at CHOBA B CCCP, received rave reviews and performed respectably, reaching #12 in the UK and #27 in the US.

Bonus Discs and Singles

To stimulate sales, a number of different bonus discs and singles were issued to accompany the album. Two special editions of Run Devil Run with limited edition bonus discs were available only at certain retailers. A special limited edition of the album, sold only at Best Buy, featured a bonus interview disc. A similar special limited edition of the album, sold only at Musicland and Sam Goody stores, featured a four-disc E.P. that contained the original artists' versions of four songs on the album: "Blue Jean Bop" by Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps, "Lonesome Town" by Ricky Nelson, "Coquette" by Fats Domino, and "Let's Have a Party" by Wanda Jackson.

"No Other Baby" was released as a 7" vinyl single in Great Britain with two songs on the B-Side, "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" and a non-album track entitled "Fabulous". In America, "No Other Baby" was released on a special juke-box single, with "Try Not to Cry" included as the B-Side.

"No Other Baby" "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" and "Fabulous" were released together on two different CD singles, one of which contained stereo versions of the three songs and the other of which contained mono versions of the three songs.

Also, in the UK, all fifteen songs on the album, along with "Fabulous," were released on a set of eight 7" singles sold together in a "Run Devil Run Limited Edition Collector's Box" designed to look like a record case from the 1950s.

Track listing

1. "Blue Jean Bop" (Gene Vincent/Morris Levy) – 1:57
2. "She Said Yeah" (Larry Williams) – 2:07
3. "All Shook Up" (Otis Blackwell/Elvis Presley) – 2:06
4. "Run Devil Run" (Paul McCartney) – 2:36
5. "No Other Baby" (Bishop/Watson) – 4:18
6. "Lonesome Town" (Baker Knight) – 3:30
7. "Try Not To Cry" (Paul McCartney) – 2:41
8. "Movie Magg" (Carl Perkins) – 2:12
9. "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" (Chuck Berry) – 2:27
   • Featuring Chris Hall on accordion.
10. "What It Is" (Paul McCartney) – 2:23
11. "Coquette" (Green/Kahn/Lombardo) – 2:43
12. "I Got Stung" (Hill/Schroeder) – 2:40
13. "Honey Hush" (Joe Turner) – 2:36
14. "Shake a Hand" (Morris) – 3:52
15. "Party" (a.k.a. "Let's Have a Party") (Jessie Mae Robinson) – 2:38

iTunes exclusive track

16. "Fabulous" (Lowe/Mann) - 2:16
    • In 2007, upon adding McCartney's catalog of music, the iTunes Store added his cover of the Charlie Gracie song as an exclusive bonus track on this album.

Personnel

• Paul McCartney: Hofner Bass guitar, additional guitars, vocals.
• David Gilmour: Fender Esquire on all tracks, Gibson lap steel guitar on "Run Devil Run", backing vocals.
• Mick Green: Fender Telecaster.
• Pete Wingfield: Keyboards except as noted.
• Geraint Watkins: Piano on "All Shook Up" and "Try Not to Cry".
• Ian Paice: Drums except as noted.
• Dave Mattacks: Drums on "All Shook Up" and "Try Not to Cry".

Chart positions and certifications

External links

• JPGR's Beatles site: Paul McCartney's Run Devil Run
• Medicine & Curios website which inspired this record'

Notes