"Press" | ||||
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Single by Paul McCartney | ||||
from the album Press to Play | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 14 July 1986 | |||
Recorded | April–May 1985 | |||
Studio | Hog Hill Mill (Icklesham, UK) | |||
Genre | Synth-pop | |||
Length | 4:43(Album version) 3:55 (Single version) | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Paul McCartney | |||
Producer(s) |
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Paul McCartney singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Press" on YouTube |
"Press" is a song by the English rock musician Paul McCartney. It was released as the lead single from his sixth studio solo album, Press to Play (1986), being McCartney's 37th single. The single has "It's Not True" as its B-side, which was only included on CD releases of Press to Play.
Released on 14 July 1986, "Press" peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart [1] and number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it spent eight weeks in the top 40. [2] This marked the beginning of a downturn in McCartney's fortunes on the singles charts, since it was the first time since Back to the Egg in 1979 that a lead single from a McCartney album had failed to reach the top 20 in the US or the UK.
Various issues in the UK include two 7-inch singles ("Press" and "Press-video edit"), a 10-inch single in a special fold-out sleeve, and two 12-inch singles.
The 1986 music video for "Press" was shot entirely in the London Underground. McCartney sings the song as he takes the Tube from South Kensington to Piccadilly Circus. As he takes the escalator to the platform and boards a Tube train, he begins singing the track. The video continues with scenes from around the Underground. These include shots of various commuters and buskers, featuring an accordionist and a violinist. McCartney interacts with members of the general public aboard the train and in the station, signing autographs, accepting a kiss from a female fan and leaving a tip for the violinist. In the final shot, he is seen riding the escalator up out of the Underground. The video edit was also included on The 7" Singles Box in 2022. [3]
AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes "Press" as "a terrific mid-'80s drum machine-driven slice of synth-pop, utterly featherweight in the best possible way". [4] In his contemporary review for the Los Angeles Times , Terry Atkinson stated that the track was "a sprightly, sunny delight – one of the most playful, positive pop songs ever written about the joy of sex and its link with love". [5] Cash Box said that "The master of the pop song form is back with yet another instantly accessible cut," calling the song "a sure-fire, pleasing and lighthearted track that should collect big numbers at radio." [6] Billboard reviewed the song calling it "do-it-yourself double entendre with whimsical bounce." [7]
All songs written by Paul McCartney except where noted.
Chart (1986) | Position |
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Belgium Ultratop | 17 |
UK Singles Chart | 25 |
Irish Singles Chart [8] | 15 |
Billboard Hot 100 | 21 |
Polish Music Charts | 34 |
Canadian RPM | 43 |
German Media Control Charts | 53 |
Australian ARIA Charts | 47 |
Federation of the Italian Music Industry | 90 |
"Get Back" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Beatles and Billy Preston, written by Paul McCartney, and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. It was originally released as a single on 11 April 1969 and credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston". The song is one of the few examples of John Lennon featuring prominently as lead guitarist. The album version of this song contains a different mix that features a studio chat between Paul McCartney and John Lennon at the beginning, which lasts for 20 seconds before the song begins, also omitting the coda featured in the single version, and with a final dialogue taken from the Beatles' rooftop concert. This version became the closing track of Let It Be (1970), which was released just after the group split up. The single version was later issued on the compilation albums 1967–1970, 20 Greatest Hits, Past Masters, and 1.
"Venus" is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue, released as a single in the Netherlands in the summer of 1969. Written by Robbie van Leeuwen, the song topped the charts in nine countries.
"No More Lonely Nights" is a song written and performed by Paul McCartney, first released on 24 September 1984 on the album Give My Regards to Broad Street
Press to Play is the sixth solo studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 25 August 1986. It was McCartney's first album of entirely new music since Pipes of Peace in 1983, and his first solo album to be issued internationally by EMI following a six-year alliance with Columbia Records in the United States and Canada. Keen to re-establish himself after his poorly received 1984 musical film Give My Regards to Broad Street, McCartney enlisted producer Hugh Padgham to give the album a contemporary sound.
"Coming Up" is a song written and performed by the English rock musician Paul McCartney, released as the opening track on his second solo studio album McCartney II (1980). Like other songs on the album, the song has a synthesised sound, featuring sped-up vocals created by using a vari-speed tape machine. McCartney played all instruments.
"Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, Kick, as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also achieved their highest charting position in the United Kingdom, where the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart; however, this peak was only reached after a re-release of the single in November 1988. On its first run on the UK charts in October 1987, it stalled at No. 58. It was one of the last songs recorded for the album, yet it would arguably become the band's signature song.
"Let 'Em In" is a song by Wings from their 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and reached the top 3 in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. It was a No. 2 hit in the UK; in the U.S. it was a No. 3 pop hit and No. 1 easy listening hit. In Canada, the song was No. 3 for three weeks on the pop chart and No. 1 for three weeks on the MOR chart of RPM magazine. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies. It can also be found on McCartney's 1987 compilation album, All the Best! A demo of the song, featuring Denny Laine on lead vocal, was included as a bonus track on the Archive Collection reissue of Wings at the Speed of Sound.
"With a Little Luck" is a single by the band Wings from their 1978 album London Town.
"Goodnight Tonight" is a song by the British–American rock band Wings. Written and produced by Paul McCartney, it was released as a non-album single on 23 March 1979 by Parlophone in the UK and Columbia Records in the US. It was recorded during the sessions for the band's 1979 album Back to the Egg and is notable for its disco-inflected sound and spirited flamenco guitar break.
"Spies Like Us" is the title song to the 1985 Warner Bros. motion picture of the same name, starring Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, and Donna Dixon. It was written and performed by Paul McCartney, and reached #7 on the Billboard singles chart in early 1986, making it McCartney's last US top ten hit until 2015's "FourFiveSeconds". It also reached #13 in the UK.
"Hope of Deliverance" is a song by English singer-songwriter Paul McCartney, released in December 1992 by Parlophone as the lead single from his ninth solo studio album, Off the Ground (1993). The rock and Latin song was written by McCartney and produced by him with Julian Mendelsohn. It reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-five hit in Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Switzerland. The accompanying music video was directed by Andy Morahan. The song was recorded during sessions for Off the Ground, which took place on 17 July 1992. The overdub session is described in detail by Italian percussionist Maurizio Ravalico in the book Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969–2013).
"Mystify" is a song by Australian rock band INXS, released the fifth and final single from their sixth studio album, Kick (1987). The song was written by Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence and Tim Farriss as part of the first sessions for Kick. The song was first previewed to Australian audiences on the Australian Made tour in January 1987.
"Once Upon a Long Ago" is a song by English musician Paul McCartney, released as his fortieth single on 16 November 1987, from his compilation All the Best!, released two weeks before the single. The track was produced by Phil Ramone and mixed by George Martin, and features violin by Nigel Kennedy.
"My Brave Face" is a song by the English musician Paul McCartney, released as a single from his 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt. Written by McCartney and Elvis Costello, "My Brave Face" is one of the most popular songs from Flowers in the Dirt. It peaked at number 18 in the United Kingdom and at number 25 in the United States. It was McCartney's last top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 until his 2014 collaboration with Kanye West, "Only One", and was the last Billboard top 40 hit by any former Beatle as a solo artist.
"Stranglehold" is a song by English musician Paul McCartney, written by McCartney and 10cc guitarist Eric Stewart for his sixth solo studio album Press to Play. It was issued as single exclusively in the US and reached number 81. The B-side featured the remix of "Angry" by Larry Alexander taken from the previous single "Pretty Little Head".
"This One" is a single from Paul McCartney's 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt. The song reached number 18 on the UK singles chart. It also reached number 8 on the Ö3 Austria Top 40 in Austria, number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 in the Netherlands, number 40 on the Media Control Charts in Germany and number 14 in Japan.
"Only Love Remains" is a song by English musician Paul McCartney, released in 1986 as the fourth single from his sixth solo album, Press to Play. The song reached number 34 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Figure of Eight" is a song from Paul McCartney's 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt.
"Say Say Say" is a song by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, released in October 1983 as the lead single from McCartney's 1983 album Pipes of Peace. Produced by George Martin, it was recorded during production of McCartney's 1982 Tug of War album, about a year before the release of "The Girl Is Mine", the pair's first duet from Jackson's album Thriller (1982).
The 7" Singles Box Set is a box set by Paul McCartney released in December 2022 containing 80 seven-inch vinyl singles originally released between 1971 and 2022. The box set was packaged in a wooden crate manufactured in the United Kingdom and limited to only 3000 units worldwide. The box set sold out upon announcement by McCartney. It was also made available on various digital platforms.