Paul McCartney
Tug Of War

THE REVIEW

"Tug Of War" was supposed to be, probably, the last Wings album. In fact, McCartney entrusted the production of the record to the faithful George Martin, who was supposed to revive the old sound of the group. However, Martin forced Paul to get rid of at least the drummer Steve Holly and the young Laurence Juber and rejected (due to poor quality of the material) a first version of the album.
In the end, after many ordeals, the record saw the light in 1982 credited only to Paul. In reality, it is still a Wings album in every respect; Linda and Denny Laine play on all tracks. It's just that Martin preferred to broaden the execution to other musicians, such as Ringo Starr, Steve Gadd, and Eric Stewart, crowning it all with the collaboration of Stevie Wonder.

Qualitatively speaking, it is not a great work. At times, the creative crisis already looms menacingly, which will hit Paul shortly after; the title track is a good ballad, a metaphor of humanity's eternal conflicts symbolized by an eternal tug of war, "Tug Of War" indeed.
Another great track, characterized by a remarkable duet that chases throughout the song, is "Wanderlust," though it will soon fall into the oblivion of Sir Paul.
The collaboration with Carl Perkins in "Get It" is curious, while the one with Wonder in "Ebony And Ivory" is banal and well-known; the album is crowned by pleasant but not very incisive pieces and some lapses in tone, like the overly catchy with a decidedly '80s sound "Take It Away."
A troubled record, therefore, for various reasons, one above all Lennon's death, to whom the splendid "Here Today" is dedicated. The Eighties will be very difficult and terrible works like "Pipes Of Peace" and "Press To Play" will undermine his credibility, but the redemption thanks to the good Costello will restore him in full form to the history of music.