Press to Play

Last updated

Press to Play
Paul McCartney Press to Play.jpg
Studio album by
Paul McCartney
Released25 August 1986 (1986-08-25)
RecordedMarch–May 1985; October–December 1985
Studio Hog Hill Mill (Icklesham, UK)
Genre Rock
Length45:11 (LP)
58:53 (CD)
Label Parlophone (UK)
Capitol (US)
Producer
Paul McCartney chronology
Give My Regards to Broad Street
(1984)		Press to Play
(1986)		 All the Best!
(1987)
Singles from Press to Play
  1. "Press"
    Released: 14 July 1986
  2. "Pretty Little Head"
    Released: 27 October 1986 (UK)
  3. "Stranglehold"
    Released: 29 October 1986 (US)
  4. "Only Love Remains"
    Released: 1 December 1986

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.

Contents

On release, Press to Play received a mixed critical reception and was McCartney's poorest-selling studio album up to that point. Although it failed to make the top 20 in America, the album peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart and achieved gold status from the BPI in September 1986. [1] Four singles were issued from Press to Play: "Press", "Pretty Little Head", "Stranglehold" and "Only Love Remains". "Press" was a minor success, peaking at number 21 in the US. The music video for the song featured McCartney walking around Bond Street and Charing Cross tube stations in London, catching a tube train and speaking with members of the general public.

Production and recording

After the box office flop of the musical film Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984), McCartney decided that it was time for a change of pace in his solo career. In an attempt to give his music a more contemporary sound, he joined forces with Hugh Padgham, an in-demand, multiple award-winning producer famed for having recorded Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Genesis, the Human League, the Police, and XTC. McCartney began recording Press to Play in March 1985, having written several new songs, many with current collaborator, 10cc guitarist Eric Stewart who co-wrote eight of the album's 13 songs. One additional song co-written by McCartney and Stewart was released as a B-side ("Hanglide"), while two more songs were later recorded by 10cc for their studio albums ...Meanwhile (1992) and Mirror Mirror (1995).

McCartney recalled in 1986: "When we started working on the record, Hugh came in one day and said he'd had a dream. He dreamed he woke up one morning and had made this really bad, syrupy album with me, an album he hated, and that it had blown his whole career. We took that as a little warning". [2] Guesting on the album would be the Who's lead guitarist, Pete Townshend, Genesis' drummer and lead vocalist Phil Collins, Split Enz's keyboardist Eddie Rayner and Eric Stewart. Carlos Alomar also overdubbed electric guitar on several tracks, including "Press", "Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun", "It's Not True", "Tough on a Tightrope", "Write Away" and "Move Over Busker", according to his recollections included in the book Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969–2013). [3]

The album was not finished until the end of 1985, by which time only one song would see release from its sessions – the title track to the film Spies Like Us (1985), joined by Phil Ramone in the producer's chair. "Spies Like Us", a non-album single backed by Paul McCartney and Wings' 1975 recording "My Carnival", was a US top 10 hit.

Cover artwork

The album's cover features Paul McCartney and his then-wife, Linda McCartney. The album cover's photograph was taken by George Hurrell, using the same box camera that he used in Hollywood in the 1930s and the 1940s. [4] Hurrell was renowned for his photographs of movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s like Clark Gable and Greta Garbo, to which the album's cover was meant to pay homage. [5]

Release

"Press", a slick up-tempo pop song, was released in July 1986 and went on to become the album's sole top 30 hit. Press to Play itself appeared on 25 August in the United States [6] and 1 September in the United Kingdom. [7] It received lukewarm reviews [8] and proved to be McCartney's weakest-selling studio album up to that point. [9]

Peaking at number 8 in the UK, its chart life was brief, while in the US, Press to Play failed to go gold, peaking at number 30 and selling only 250,000 copies. [10] The follow-up singles, "Pretty Little Head" and "Only Love Remains", performed poorly on the charts. As a result of this disappointing commercial reception, author Howard Sounes writes, McCartney appointed a former Polydor Records executive, Richard Ogden, as his manager, "to help revive his career". [11]

In 1993, Press to Play was remastered and reissued on the CD as part of The Paul McCartney Collection series with his 1985 hit "Spies Like Us" and an alternate mix of impending 1987 UK success "Once Upon a Long Ago" as bonus tracks. In this edition "Press" (4:25) was replaced by the 4:43 remixed version. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Essential Rock Discography 4/10 [14]
Los Angeles Times (unfavourable) [15]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Record Mirror 2/5 [17]
Rolling Stone (favourable) [18]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [19]
Smash Hits 5/10 [20]
Stylus Magazine (mixed) [21]

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine admired the track "Press", but gave the album a 3 out of 5 star rating saying: "McCartney is dabbling in each of his strengths, just to see what works. It doesn't wind up as one of his stronger albums, but it's more interesting than some of his more consistent ones, and those aforementioned cuts demonstrate that he could still cut effective pop records when he put his mind to it." [12]

In a review for the Chicago Tribune , critic Lynn Van Matre wrote of the album: "No doubt about it, this is McCartney's most rocking album in ages. Much of it's catchy, most of it's fun, and it's superior to McCartney's efforts of recent years." [22] In the Los Angeles Times , Terry Atkinson praised "Press" as "a sprightly, sunny delight – one of the most playful, positive pop songs ever written about the joy of sex and its link with love", but opined that overall "the album finds McCartney as lost as usual and Stewart of little help". Atkinson concluded: "'Press to Play,' though it shows some signs of recovery, is basically just another in a long line (over 12 years!) of post-'Band on the Run' letdowns by a once almost unimaginably creative artist." [10] Rich Stim in Spin noted that 'the whole album, as well crafted as it is, offers too much conventional McCartney and not enough exceptional'. [23]

More recently, Kit O'Toole of Blogcritics has contended that much of the album belongs among McCartney's "most ambitious work" and that the adventurousness of the project is unfairly overlooked. O'Toole adds: "Press to Play, along with McCartney II , arguably laid the foundation for his future musical experiments under the name The Fireman (particularly the first two albums, Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest and Rushes )." [24]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Paul McCartney and Eric Stewart, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Stranglehold" 3:36
2."Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun"McCartney4:44
3."Talk More Talk"McCartney5:18
4."Footprints" 4:32
5."Only Love Remains"McCartney4:13
Total length:22:23
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Press"McCartney4:43
7."Pretty Little Head" 5:14
8."Move Over Busker" 4:05
9."Angry" 3:36
10."However Absurd" 4:56
Total length:22:34
Additional CD tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Write Away" 3:00
12."It's Not True"McCartney5:53
13."Tough on a Tightrope" 4:42
Total length:13:35
1993 The Paul McCartney Collection bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
14."Spies Like Us"McCartney4:45
15."Once Upon a Long Ago" (long version)McCartney4:37
Total length:9:22
iTunes bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."Press" (12" Bevans/Forward dub mix)McCartney6:31

Personnel

Musicians

Production and artwork

Charts, sales and certifications

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Jude</span> 1968 single by the Beatles

"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in August 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The single was the Beatles' first release on their Apple record label and one of the "First Four" singles by Apple's roster of artists, marking the label's public launch. "Hey Jude" was a number-one hit in many countries around the world and became the year's top-selling single in the UK, the US, Australia and Canada. Its nine-week run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 tied the all-time record in 1968 for the longest run at the top of the US charts, a record it held for nine years. It has sold approximately eight million copies and is frequently included on music critics' lists of the greatest songs of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Long and Winding Road</span> 1970 single by the Beatles

"The Long and Winding Road" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album Let It Be. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. When issued as a single in May 1970, a month after the Beatles' break-up, it became the group's 20th and final number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

<i>Run Devil Run</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Paul McCartney

Run Devil Run is the eleventh solo studio album by Paul McCartney, released in 1999. It features mostly covers of both familiar and obscure 1950s rock and roll songs, along with three original McCartney compositions written in the same style, including the title track, making it the second McCartney covers album, after his Russian cover album. 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 album.

<i>Band on the Run</i> 1973 album by Paul McCartney and Wings

Band on the Run is the third studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released on 30 November 1973. It was McCartney's fifth album after leaving the Beatles in April 1970 and his final album on Apple Records. Although sales were modest initially, its commercial performance was aided by two hit singles – "Jet" and "Band on the Run" – such that it became the top-selling studio album of 1974 in the United Kingdom and Australia, in addition to revitalising McCartney's critical standing. It remains McCartney's most successful album and the most celebrated of his post-Beatles works.

<i>Back to the Egg</i> 1979 studio album by Wings

Back to the Egg is the seventh and final studio album by the British-American rock band Wings, released in June 1979 on Parlophone in the UK and Columbia Records in North America. Co-produced by Chris Thomas, the album reflects band leader Paul McCartney's embracing of contemporary musical trends such as new wave and punk, and marked the arrival of new Wings members Laurence Juber and Steve Holley. Back to the Egg adopts a loose conceptual theme around the idea of a working band, and its creation coincided with a period of considerable activity for the group, which included making a return to touring and work on several television and film projects.

<i>Ram</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Paul and Linda McCartney

Ram is the only studio album credited to the husband-and-wife music duo Paul and Linda McCartney, and the former's second album post-Beatles. Released on 17 May 1971 by Apple Records, it was recorded in New York with guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken, and future Wings drummer Denny Seiwell. Three singles were issued from the album: "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", "The Back Seat of My Car" and "Eat at Home". The recording sessions also yielded the non-album single "Another Day".

<i>McCartney</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Paul McCartney

McCartney is the debut solo studio album by the English rock musician Paul McCartney, released on 17 April 1970 by Apple Records. McCartney recorded it in secrecy, mostly using basic home-recording equipment at his house in St John's Wood. Mixing and some recording took place at professional London studios. In its loosely arranged performances, McCartney eschewed the polish of the Beatles' past records in favour of a lo-fi style. Apart from occasional contributions by his wife, Linda, McCartney performed the entire album alone by overdubbing on four-track tape.

<i>Red Rose Speedway</i> 1973 studio album by Paul McCartney and Wings

Red Rose Speedway is the second studio album by the English-American rock band Wings, although credited to "Paul McCartney and Wings". It was released through Apple Records on 4 May 1973, preceded by its lead single, the ballad "My Love". By including McCartney's name in the artist credit, the single and album broke with the tradition of Wings' previous records. The change was made in the belief that the public's unfamiliarity with the band had been responsible for the weak commercial performance of the group's 1971 debut album Wild Life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackbird (Beatles song)</span> 1968 song by The Beatles

"Blackbird" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney, and performed as a solo piece by McCartney. When discussing the song, McCartney has said that the lyrics were inspired by hearing the call of a blackbird in Rishikesh, India, and by the civil rights movement in the Southern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're Going to Lose That Girl</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"You're Going to Lose That Girl" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album and film Help! Credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership, the song was mostly written by John Lennon with contributions from Paul McCartney.

<i>Pipes of Peace</i> 1983 studio album by Paul McCartney

Pipes of Peace is the fourth solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul McCartney, released on 31 October 1983. As the follow-up to the popular Tug of War, the album came close to matching the commercial success of its predecessor in Britain but peaked only at number 15 on America's Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. While Pipes of Peace was the source of international hit singles such as "Say Say Say" and the title track, the critical response to the album was less favourable than that afforded to Tug of War.

<i>Give My Regards to Broad Street</i> 1984 soundtrack album / studio album by Paul McCartney

Give My Regards to Broad Street is the fifth solo studio album by Paul McCartney and the soundtrack to the film of the same name. It features covers of Beatles' songs, Wings and solo tracks by McCartney, as well as a few new songs. The album reached number 1 on the UK chart. The lead single, "No More Lonely Nights", was BAFTA and Golden Globe Award nominated. It was also to be his final album to be released under Columbia Records, which had been his US label for over five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebony and Ivory</span> 1982 single by Paul McCartney featuring Stevie Wonder

"Ebony and Ivory" is a song that was released in 1982 as a single by Paul McCartney featuring Stevie Wonder. It was issued on 29 March that year as the lead single from McCartney's third solo album, Tug of War (1982). Written by McCartney, the song aligns the black and white keys of a piano keyboard with the theme of racial harmony. The single reached number one on both the UK and the US charts and was among the top-selling singles of 1982 in the US. During the apartheid era, the South African Broadcasting Corporation banned the song after Wonder dedicated his 1984 Academy Award for Best Original Song to Nelson Mandela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey</span> 1971 single by Paul & Linda McCartney

"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" is a song by Paul and Linda McCartney from the album Ram. Released in the United States as a single on 2 August 1971, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 4 September 1971, making it the first of a string of post-Beatles, Paul McCartney-penned singles to top the US pop chart during the 1970s and 1980s. Billboard ranked the song as number 22 on its Top Pop Singles of 1971 year-end chart. It became McCartney's first gold record after the breakup of the Beatles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Give Ireland Back to the Irish</span> 1972 single by Wings

"Give Ireland Back to the Irish" is the debut single by the British–American rock band Wings that was released in February 1972. It was written by Paul McCartney and his wife Linda in response to the events of Bloody Sunday, on 30 January that year, when British troops in Northern Ireland shot dead thirteen civil rights protestors. Keen to voice their outrage at the killings, Wings recorded the track two days later at EMI Studios in London. It was the band's first song to include Northern Irish guitarist Henry McCullough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Love (Paul McCartney and Wings song)</span> 1973 single by Paul McCartney and Wings

"My Love" is a song by the British–American band Paul McCartney and Wings that was first released as the lead single from their 1973 album Red Rose Speedway. It was written by Paul McCartney as a love song to his wife and Wings bandmate Linda. The single marked the first time that McCartney's name appeared in the artist credit for a Wings record, after their previous releases had been credited to Wings alone. Released on 23 March 1973, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US for four weeks and peaked at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart. The single was viewed as Wings' first significant success in the US and helped Red Rose Speedway achieve commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band on the Run (song)</span> 1974 single by Paul McCartney and Wings

"Band on the Run" is a song by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, the title track to their 1973 album Band on the Run.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Getting Closer (song)</span> 1979 single by Wings

"Getting Closer" is a rock song from the British rock band Wings, Paul McCartney's post-Beatles band. The song was released on the album Back to the Egg.

<i>Photograph Smile</i> 1998 studio album by Julian Lennon

Photograph Smile is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Julian Lennon, released in 1998, after a seven-year hiatus following his previous album, Help Yourself. A promotional sampler was released in 1999 in the US containing the tracks: "I Don't Wanna Know", "Day After Day" and "And She Cries".

"Six O'Clock" is a song by the English rock musician Ringo Starr from his 1973 album Ringo. It was written by Starr's former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney and the latter's wife, Linda, who also participated in the recording of the song. It was the first time McCartney and Starr had worked together since the Beatles' break-up in 1970. Their collaboration reflected an easing of the tensions that had existed between the two musicians for much of that period.

References

  1. ↑ "Paul McCartney: Artist: Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  2. ↑ Palmer, Robert (29 August 1986). "PAUL McCARTNEY GOES BACK TO THE HARD SOUND". The New York Times.
  3. ↑ Luca Perasi, Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969–2013), L.I.L.Y. Publishing, 2013, ISBN   978-88-909122-1-4, pp.245–258.
  4. 1 2 "Paul McCartney – Press To Play (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  5. ↑ "Paul McCartney – Press to Play (1993, CD)". Discogs .
  6. ↑ Madinger, Chip; Easter, Mark (2000). Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium. Chesterfield, MO: 44.1 Productions. p. 601. ISBN   0-615-11724-4.
  7. ↑ Badman, Keith (2001). The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001. London: Omnibus Press. p. 376. ISBN   978-0-7119-8307-6.
  8. ↑ Madinger, Chip; Easter, Mark (2000). Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium. Chesterfield, MO: 44.1 Productions. pp. 281, 291. ISBN   0-615-11724-4.
  9. ↑ Sounes, Howard (2010). Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney. London: HarperCollins. pp. 405–06. ISBN   978-0-00-723705-0.
  10. 1 2 Grein, Paul (28 May 1989). "McCartney: Low-Key With New Album". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  11. ↑ Sounes, Howard (2010). Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney. London: HarperCollins. p. 407. ISBN   978-0-00-723705-0.
  12. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Paul McCartney Press to Play". AllMusic . Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  13. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th edn). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 1257. ISBN   0-19-531373-9.
  14. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2006). The Essential Rock Discography. Edinburgh, UK: Canongate. p. 696. ISBN   978-1-84195-827-9.
  15. ↑ Atkinson, Terry (31 August 1986). "Paul: Signs Of Hope Before The Letdown". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  16. ↑ Nicol, Jimmy (October 1993). "Re-releases: Paul McCartney The Paul McCartney Collection". Q . p. 119.
  17. ↑ Levy, Eleanor (13 September 1986). "Albums: Paul McCartney – Press to Play (Parlophone)" (PDF). Record Mirror . London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 18. ISSN   0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024– via World Radio History.
  18. ↑ DeCurtis, Anthony (23 October 1986). "Paul McCartney Press to Play". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  19. ↑ Randall, Mac; Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds) (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. p. 526. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  20. ↑ Patterson, Sylvia (24 September – 7 October 1986). "Albums: Paul McCartney – Press to Play (WEA)". Smash Hits . Vol. 8, no. 19. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 56. ISSN   0260-3004 . Retrieved 2 January 2023– via Flickr.
  21. ↑ Soto, Alfred (8 February 2005). "Press to Play – On Second Thought". Stylus Magazine . Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  22. ↑ Van Matre, Lynn (12 September 1986). "No Silly Love Songs On 'Press To Play'". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  23. ↑ Stim, Rich (December 1986). "Press to Play review". SPIN . 2 (9): 40 – via Google Books.
  24. ↑ O'Toole, Kit (22 April 2010). "Want to hear Paul McCartney's Most Adventurous Album? Just Press to Play". Blogcritics . Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  25. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  26. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 45, No. 2". RPM. 4 October 1986. Archived from the original (PHP) on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  27. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl Paul McCartney – Press to Play". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). MegaCharts . Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  28. 1 2 Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  29. ↑ "norwegiancharts.com Paul McCartney – Press to Play". VG-lista. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  30. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  31. ↑ "swedishcharts.com Paul McCartney – Press to Play" (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  32. ↑ "Paul McCartney – Press to Play – hitparade.ch" . Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  33. ↑ "Paul McCartney: Artist: Official Charts". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  34. ↑ "The Pop Life – The New York Times". The New York Times . 5 July 1989. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  35. ↑ "Album Search: Paul McCartney – Press to Play" (in German). Media Control. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  36. ↑ "British album certifications – Paul McCartney – Press to Play". British Phonographic Industry.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.