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Take It Away (Paul McCartney song)

"Take It Away" is a single by the English musician Paul McCartney from his third solo studio album Tug of War (1982). The single spent sixteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, reaching #10 and spending five consecutive weeks at that position.[2][3] It reached #15 in the UK.[4] The music video, directed by John Mackenzie, features former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, long-time producer George Martin, and songwriting collaborator Eric Stewart, all of whom played on the track, as well as actor John Hurt, Linda McCartney and Barbara Bach.[5]

"Take It Away"
Single by Paul McCartney
from the album Tug of War
B-side
  • "I'll Give You a Ring" (7")
  • "I'll Give You a Ring" / "Dress Me Up as a Robber" (12")
Released26 April 1982 (1982-04-26) (Tug of War album)
21 June 1982 (1982-06-21) (7")
5 July 1982 (1982-07-05) (12")
Recorded16–18 February 1981[1]
StudioAIR Studios, Montserrat
GenrePop
Length4:13 (album version)
3:59 (single/video version)
LabelParlophone/EMI
Songwriter(s)Paul McCartney
Producer(s)George Martin
Paul McCartney singles chronology
"Ebony and Ivory"
(1982) 		"Take It Away"
(1982) 		"Tug of War"
(1982)
Music video
"Take It Away" on YouTube

Although there is a segue from "Tug of War" into this song on the album, the single version instead starts cleanly but fades out earlier at the end.

Track listings

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7" single

  1. "Take It Away" – 3:59
  2. "I'll Give You a Ring" – 3:05

12" single (black vinyl everywhere else; clear yellow vinyl in Japan)[6]

  1. "Take It Away" – 3:59
  2. "I'll Give You a Ring" – 3:05
  3. "Dress Me Up as a Robber" – 2:40

Personnel

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"Take It Away"

"I'll Give You a Ring"

"Dress Me Up As A Robber"

Critical reception

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Billboard called it "a superior single that fuses a driving rhythm with a sleek, polished production" and said it was McCartney's "most assured, seamless, irresistible" single since the mid-1970s.[7] Cash Box said that it's a "dense, multi-layered pop confection" that "keeps the listener on his/her toes throughout the song, going from a lazy tropical-type rhythm to a galloping brass section."[8] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso rated it as the best song on Tug of War, stating that it starts "with an off-kilter rhythm courtesy of Ringo Starr and all of the tasteful hallmarks of a George Martin production" and becomes "one of McCartney's patented pop confections, featuring a feverish horn counterpoint, deceptively intricate bass, and an utterly indecipherable narrative."[9] DeRiso also praised Eric Stewart's backing vocals.[9]

Chart performance

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References

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  1. ^ "Take It Away (song)". The Paul McCartney Project.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  3. ^ a b c d "Allmusic: Paul McCartney: Charts & Awards". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Paul McCartney > Artists > Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  5. ^ Fly TIA: Behind The Scenes on 'Take It Away'. 2015.
  6. ^ Paul McCartney – Take It Away at Discogs
  7. ^ "Top Single Picks". Billboard. July 3, 1982. p. 60. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  8. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 3, 1982. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  9. ^ a b DeRiso, Nick (10 January 2019). "The Best Song From Every Paul McCartney Album". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ^ "ultratop.be Paul McCartney – "Take It Away"" (ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Top Singles - Volume 37, No. 5". RPM. 18 September 1982. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  13. ^ "Adult Contemporary - Volume 37, No. 8". RPM. 9 October 1982. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  14. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Paul McCartney – "Take It Away"" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Search the Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original (enter "Paul Mc Cartney" into the "Search by Artist" box, then select "Search") on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  16. ^ Radio Luxembourg Singles, 29 June 1982
  17. ^ "charts.nz Paul McCartney – "Take It Away"" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  18. ^ "norwegiancharts.com Paul McCartney – "Take It Away"" (ASP). VG-lista. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  19. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 4, 1982". Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  20. ^ "Single Search: Paul McCartney – "Take It Away"" (in German). Media Control. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  21. ^ a b "Talent in Action 1982". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 25 December 1982. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  22. ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1982". Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
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