| "Figure of Eight" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Paul McCartney | ||||
| from the album Flowers in the Dirt | ||||
| B-side | "Où est le Soleil?" | |||
| Released | 13 November 1989 | |||
| Recorded | 9 November 1987 | |||
| Studio | Hog Hill Mill (Icklesham, UK) | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 3:25 (album version) 5:11 (single version) | |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Paul McCartney | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Paul McCartney singles chronology | ||||
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"Figure of Eight" is a song from Paul McCartney's 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt .
After the completion of the album, McCartney recorded a new version for single release, using his newly formed touring band. [1] [2] The new version is unusual in running nearly two minutes longer than the album version, rather than following the typical radio edit pattern of shortening the track for single release. Some versions of the single included an edit of the new version.
Despite this quirk, the single — which was released in seven formats including a 7", a 12", a cassingle, a CD and a 3" CD single — reached number 42 on the UK singles chart [3] [4] and number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. [5]
On various editions the single was labeled "Figure Of Eight" / "Ou Est le Soleil?" making it as double A-side.
"Figure of Eight" was the opening song throughout McCartney's 1989–1990 world concert tour. A version recorded in Rotterdam on 10 November 1989 appeared on the live album from the tour, Tripping the Live Fantastic . [6]
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The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan and shows footage from the concert at Hallenstadion, Zurich on October 29, 1989. [7]
All tracks written by Paul McCartney except "The Long and Winding Road" written by McCartney / Lennon
Personnel are taken from the Flowers in the Dirt Archive Collection LP liner notes [8]
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland [9] | 25 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [10] | 42 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [11] | 42 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [12] | 92 |
| US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [13] | 47 |
| US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [14] | 8 |
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