Flowers in the Dirt (original) (raw)

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1989 studio album by Paul McCartney

Flowers in the Dirt
Studio album by Paul McCartney
Released 5 June 1989
Recorded 1 October 1987 – 12 January 1989
Studio Hog Hill Mill, Icklesham, UK Olympic, London AIR, London Hot Nights Ltd., London Mad Hatter, Los Angeles Soundcastle, Los Angeles
Genre Rock
Length 53:42
Label Parlophone (UK) Capitol (US)
Producer Paul McCartney Mitchell Froom Neil Dorfsman Elvis Costello Trevor Horn Steve Lipson Chris Hughes Ross Cullum David Foster Phil Ramone (on CD reissue tracks)
Paul McCartney chronology
Снова в СССР(1988) Flowers in the Dirt(1989) Tripping the Live Fantastic(1990)
Singles from Flowers in the Dirt
"My Brave Face"Released: 8 May 1989 "This One"Released: 17 July 1989 (UK) "Où est le Soleil?"Released: July 1989 (US) "Figure of Eight"Released: 13 November 1989 "Put It There"Released: 5 February 1990

Flowers in the Dirt is the eighth solo studio album by Paul McCartney. The album was released on 5 June 1989 on Parlophone, as he was embarking on his first world tour since the Wings Over the World tour in 1975–76. It earned McCartney some of his best reviews for an album of original songs since Tug of War (1982). The album made number one in the United Kingdom and Norway and produced several hit singles (the first being "My Brave Face"). The album artwork was a collaboration between artist Brian Clarke, who painted the canvas and arranged the flowers, and Linda McCartney, who produced the cover photography.

The album was reissued in an expanded form under the Paul McCartney Archive Collection project in March 2017, with the original demos recorded by McCartney and Elvis Costello included as part of the release.[1][2]

Background and recording

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After the meagre sales for Press to Play, McCartney realised that he needed to work much harder on his follow-up. Thus, he not only teamed up with several different producers, but also spent the better part of 18 months perfecting Flowers in the Dirt.[3] A highlight of the sessions was McCartney's alliance with Elvis Costello, with whom he composed many new songs. In his 2015 autobiography, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, Costello described the track "That Day Is Done" as, "the unhappy sequel to 'Veronica'", which they had also co-written.[4] Despite Costello's similarities to John Lennon, the partnership was not to endure. McCartney's then manager, Richard Ogden, confided at the time to Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn that the relationship between Costello and the former Beatle was "not entirely harmonious" and that at points McCartney had gone as far as to rant at him regarding Costello's attitude and approach to the sessions.[5] Costello would appear on the album, even co-singing "You Want Her Too" with McCartney. Another guest included was his friend David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, who plays the guitar on "We Got Married". On "Put It There", McCartney used an old Buddy Holly trick, the knee-percussion, that McCartney recorded on the same day as the backing track.[6]

The album cover was conceived and designed by the McCartneys' friend and collaborator, the British artist Brian Clarke, who painted the background painting in oil on canvas. Clarke arranged the flowers and foliage and the cover was photographed by Linda McCartney. The two collaborated on multiple unique arrangements, resulting in Linda's series of Cibachrome images. Clarke was also responsible for designing stage sets and promotional material for the world tour which accompanied the album.[7] A series of Flowers in the Dirt paintings and arrangements were made, and the full set of collaborative photographs that produced the cover artwork were exhibited that same year at the Mayor Gallery in London.[8][9]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [10]
Deseret News (highly favourable)[11]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music [12]
The Essential Rock Discography 6/10[13]
Los Angeles Times [14]
MusicHound 3/5[15]
The New York Times (favourable)[16]
Q [17]
Rolling Stone [18]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide [19]
Time (favourable)[20]

With the intention of launching the biggest tour of his career, McCartney assembled a band to take out on the road, and who would appear in various forms on Flowers in the Dirt. Hamish Stuart was best known for his tenure in Average White Band, while Robbie McIntosh had been a member of the Pretenders. Filling out the sound would be Chris Whitten on drums and Paul "Wix" Wickens joining McCartney's wife Linda McCartney on keyboards. The Paul McCartney World Tour opened on 26 September 1989 and featured concerts in Europe, North America, Japan and Brazil until the following July.[21]

Finally, early in 1989, the project was ready for release. In May, the Beatlesque "My Brave Face" was released as a single and promptly gave McCartney a US hit, reaching number 25, while reaching number 18 in the UK. In June, Flowers in the Dirt was released to high anticipation and went to number 1 in the UK charts, garnering very positive reviews from all around. In the US, the reaction was better than Press to Play, with the album reaching number 21, staying on the charts for a year and going gold, though it still sold beneath expectations. The second single, "This One", also reached number 18 in the UK. The follow-ups "Figure of Eight"/"Où est le Soleil?" and "Put It There" would all be minor UK hits.[22]

A limited-edition "World Tour Pack" of Flowers in the Dirt, sold in a facsimile trunk, was issued in Britain in October 1989, and America (with British catalogue numbers) in January 1990. The set included a bonus single of "Party Party" (mixed by Bruce Forest and released on a one-sided 7" single in vinyl editions of the "World Tour Pack" and a 3" CD-single in compact disc editions of the "World Tour Pack").

In March 1990, another limited edition of the album that featured a bonus disc with b-sides and exclusive track, studio version of "P.S. Love Me Do", was released exclusively in Japan and re-entered the country's chart.

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote of the album: "Paul McCartney must not only have been conscious of his slipping commercial fortunes, he must have realised that his records hadn't been treated seriously for years, so he decided to make a full-fledged comeback effort with Flowers in the Dirt."[10]

Writing for the Chicago Tribune, David Silverman wrote that the album was "a welcome, if not wholly fantastic, return from the fabbest of the Fab Four".[23]

Side two

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Figure of Eight" McCartney Horn McCartney Lipson 3:25
2. "This One" McCartney McCartney 4:10
3. "Don't Be Careless Love" McCartney MacManus McCartney Costello Froom 3:18
4. "That Day Is Done" McCartney MacManus McCartney Costello Dorfsman Froom 4:19
5. "How Many People" McCartney Horn McCartney Lipson 4:14
6. "Motor of Love" McCartney Chris Hughes McCartney Ross Cullum 6:18

Additional CD and cassette track

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
13. "Ou est le Soleil?" McCartney Horn McCartney Lipson 4:45

Bonus single on the World Tour Pack edition

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Party Party" Paul McCartney Linda McCartney Robbie McIntosh Hamish Stuart Chris Whitten Paul "Wix" Wickens McCartney 5:36

1990 Japanese special edition bonus disc

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Message" 0:28
2. "The Long and Winding Road" McCartney–Lennon 3:51
3. "Loveliest Thing" McCartney 3:59
4. "Rough Ride" (Extended Version) McCartney 4:53
5. "Ou Est Le Soleil?" (7" Mix) McCartney 4:50
6. "Mama's Little Girl" (Paul McCartney & Wings) McCartney 3:41
7. "Same Time Next Year" (Paul McCartney & Wings) McCartney 3:06
8. "Party, Party" Paul McCartney Linda McCartney Robbie McIntosh Hamish Stuart Chris Whitten Paul "Wix" Wickens 5:35
9. "P.S. Love Me Do" Lennon–McCartney 3:40

A remastered CD was released in 1993 as part of The Paul McCartney Collection with three bonus tracks: "Back on My Feet", "Flying to My Home" and "Loveliest Thing".

Archive Collection reissue

[edit]

The album was re-issued on 24 March 2017, by Capitol Music Group as the tenth release in the ongoing Paul McCartney Archive Collection.[24] Formats included a two-disc (CD) Special Edition (the second disc included McCartney and Costello's demos recorded prior to the album's sessions), a two LP vinyl edition, and a three disc (CD) and DVD Deluxe Edition Box Set that featured previously unreleased demos, unseen archival videos, a notebook of Paul's handwritten lyrics and notes, Linda McCartney Flowers in the Dirt Exhibition Catalogue, and a 112-page hardcover book documenting the making of the album.

The album features the song "The Lovers That Never Were". Costello said of the song:

The real lost gem from that batch of songs – one of these days one of us should cut it – is "The Lovers That Never Were." In its original condition, it's like something Dusty Springfield or Jackie DeShannon would have recorded. Paul straightened it out in the studio [for 1993's Off the Ground album] and wanted it to go a different way, but the demo is, I'd say, one of the great vocal performances of his solo career. He's standing up playing a twelve-string guitar and, weirdly enough, I'm playing piano, just thinking, 'Don't fuck up! He's really singing this!' He's singing a ballad in the voice of "I'm Down"! He's right over my shoulder singing all this wild, distorted stuff! I had never heard him do that before.[25]

"So Like Candy" and "Playboy to a Man" appear in finished versions on Elvis Costello's 1991 album Mighty Like a Rose.

Disc 1The original 13-track album.

Disc 2 – Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello original demos
All songs written and performed by Paul McCartney and Declan McManus (Elvis Costello), as an acoustic duo.

  1. "The Lovers That Never Were" – 3:58
  2. "Tommy's Coming Home" – 4:09
  3. "Twenty Fine Fingers" – 2:27
  4. "So Like Candy" – 3:29
  5. "You Want Her Too" – 2:40
  6. "That Day Is Done" – 4:16
  7. "Don't Be Careless Love" – 3:43
  8. "My Brave Face" – 2:40
  9. "Playboy to a Man" – 3:15

The Geoff Emerick mix of "The Lovers That Never Were" is a hidden bonus track.

Disc 3 – Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello 1988 demos
All songs written and performed by Paul McCartney and Declan McManus (Elvis Costello), with full band accompaniment.

  1. "The Lovers That Never Were" – 3:50
  2. "Tommy's Coming Home" – 5:03
  3. "Twenty Fine Fingers" – 2:47
  4. "So Like Candy" – 3:48
  5. "You Want Her Too" – 3:20
  6. "That Day Is Done" – 4:22
  7. "Don't Be Careless Love" – 3:25
  8. "My Brave Face" – 3:30
  9. "Playboy to a Man" – 2:55

Disc 4 – DVD

Music videos

  1. "My Brave Face"
  2. "My Brave Face" (version 2)
  3. "This One" (version 1)
  4. "This One" (version 2)
  5. "Figure of Eight"
  6. "Party Party"
  7. "Ou Est Le Soleil?"
  8. "Put It There"
  9. "Distractions"
  10. "We Got Married"

Creating Flowers in the Dirt

  1. Paul and Elvis
  2. Buds in the Studio
  3. The Making of "This One" (The Dean Chamberlain One)

Put It There

  1. Put It There Documentary

Digital download only – original B-sides, remixes and single edits
All songs written by Paul McCartney except "Back on My Feet" written with Declan McManus (Elvis Costello), "The First Stone" written with Hamish Stuart, and "Party Party" written with Linda McCartney, Robbie McIntosh, Hamish Stuart, Chris Whitten, and Paul "Wix" Wickens.

  1. "Back on My Feet" – 4:24
  2. "Flying to My Home" – 4:15
  3. "The First Stone" – 4:06
  4. "Good Sign" – 6:59
  5. "This One" (Club Lovejoys mix) – 6:11
  6. "Figure of Eight" (12-inch Bob Clearmountain mix) – 5:14
  7. "Loveliest Thing" – 4:03
  8. "Ou Est Le Soleil?" (12-inch mix) – 7:06
  9. "Ou Est Le Soleil?" (Tub Dub mix) – 4:30
  10. "Ou Est Le Soleil?" (7-inch mix) – 4:53
  11. "Ou Est Le Soleil?" (instrumental) – 4:29
  12. "Party Party" (original mix) – 5:32
  13. "Party Party" (club mix) – 6:21

Digital download only – Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello cassette demos
All songs written and performed by Paul McCartney and Declan McManus (Elvis Costello).

  1. "I Don't Want to Confess" – 2:21
  2. "Shallow Grave" – 2:14
  3. "Mistress and Maid" – 2:29

Digital-only bonus tracks Available only on Paulmccartney.com

  1. "Distractions" (demo) – 4:56
  2. "This One" (demo) – 3:26
  3. "Back on My Feet" (demo) – 3:23

| Chart (1989) Position Austrian Albums Chart[47] 69 Canadian Albums Chart[48] 84 Dutch Albums Chart[49] 74 French Albums Chart[50] 49 German Albums Chart[51] 39 Spanish Albums Chart[40] 6 UK Albums Chart[52] 71 | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |

Certifications and sales

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Notes

  1. ^ Blistein, Jon (15 December 2016). "Paul McCartney Preps Huge Reissue With Rare Elvis Costello Demos". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Paul Announces Reissue of 'Flowers in the Dirt'". Paul McCartney. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  3. ^ The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Volume 1 ISBN 978-1-846-09856-7 p. 318
  4. ^ Elvis Costello (13 October 2015). Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink. Viking. p. 494. ISBN 978-0241003466.
  5. ^ 013 – LEWISOHN, retrieved 3 April 2017
  6. ^ Luca Perasi, Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969–2013), L.I.L.Y. Publishing, 2013, p.281, ISBN 978-88-909122-1-4.
  7. ^ Paul McCartney: I Saw Him Standing There ISBN 978-0-823-08369-5 p. 53
  8. ^ "Linda McCartney: Flowers in the Dirt". The Mayor Gallery. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  9. ^ "1989: Flowers in the Dirt Cibachromes". lindamccartney.com. Linda Enterprises Limited. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  10. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Flowers in the Dirt – Paul McCartney". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  11. ^ Boren, Ray (18 June 1989). "BATTERED EX-BEATLE DELIVERS VALIANT EFFORT IN 'FLOWERS IN THE DIRT'". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  12. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th edn). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 1257. ISBN 0-19-531373-9.
  13. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2006). The Essential Rock Discography. Edinburgh, UK: Canongate. p. 696. ISBN 978-1-84195-827-9.
  14. ^ Hilburn, Robert (4 June 1989). "McCartney Generation Nears Middle Age: Paul McCartney 'Flowers in the Dirt'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  15. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds) (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 730. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  16. ^ Kozinn, Allan (18 June 1989). "'Flowers in the Dirt': Love on the Rocks". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  17. ^ "Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt CD Album". CD Universe/Muze. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  18. ^ DeCurtis, Anthony (29 June 1989). "Paul McCartney Flowers in the Dirt". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 20 April 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
  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. ^ "Critics' Choice: Jul. 3, 1989". Time. 3 July 1989. Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  21. ^ "Paul McCartney releases unheard demo of This One and unseen exclusive Flowers in the Dirt pictures". The Daily Telegraph. London. 21 March 2017.
  22. ^ "Official Charts: Paul McCartney". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  23. ^ Silverman, David (11 June 1989). "Paul Is Back – Well, Almost". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  24. ^ "Paul Announces Reissue of 'Flowers in the Dirt'". Paulmccartney.com.
  25. ^ "Mojo Magazine July 2011". Mojo. July 2011.
  26. ^ "Record Day Exclusive – 3 Track Cassette Release". paulmccartney.com. 13 March 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  27. ^ Sinclair, Paul (22 March 2017). "In Their Own Words: The Producers discuss McCartney's Flowers in the Dirt". Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  28. ^ Ingham, Chris (2009). The Rough Guide to the Beatles. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1-84836-525-4. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  29. ^ "HERE'S LIST OF NOMINEES FROM ALL 77 CATEGORIES". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  30. ^ "The BRITs 1990". Brit Awards. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  31. ^ "australian-charts.com Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (ASP). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  32. ^ "Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt – austriancharts.at" (ASP) (in German). Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  33. ^ Library and Archives Canada. Archived 13 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 5 March 2012
  34. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (ASPl) (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  35. ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste". infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 28 December 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  36. ^ "Album Search: Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (in German). Media Control. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  37. ^ "Highest position and charting weeks of Flowers in the Dirt by Paul McCartney" (in Japanese). oricon. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  38. ^ "norwegiancharts.com Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (ASP). Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  39. ^ "swedishcharts.com Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (ASP). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  40. ^ a b Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  41. ^ "Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt – hitparade.ch" (ASP) (in German). Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  42. ^ "The Official Charts Company – Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (PHP). Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  43. ^ "Paul McCartney Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  44. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  45. ^ "Official Albums Chart Results Matching: Flowers in the Dirt". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  46. ^ "Billboard 200 Week of April 15, 2017". Billboard. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  47. ^ "Jahrescharts Top 75 Auswertung Alben 1989" (in German). chartsurfer.de. Archived from the original on 5 April 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  48. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1989". RPM. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  49. ^ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1989" (ASP) (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  50. ^ "Les Albums (CD) de 1989 par InfoDisc" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original (PHP) on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  51. ^ "Jahrescharts Top 100 Auswertung Alben 1989" (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  52. ^ "UK best albums 1997". Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  53. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt". Music Canada.
  54. ^ "French album certifications – Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt" (in French). InfoDisc. Select PAUL MCCARTNEY and click OK_._
  55. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Paul McCartney; 'Flowers in the Dirt')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  56. ^ Ornella Rota (28 September 1989). "McCartney, I segreti del ritorno". La Stampa. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  57. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  58. ^ "Japanese album certifications – ポール・マッカートニー – フラワーズ・イン・ザ・ダート" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1990年3月 on the drop-down menu
  59. ^ "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1979–1990". Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano.
  60. ^ "Viva Espana – Best Sellers" (PDF). Billboard. 8 December 1990. p. VE-28. Retrieved 22 February 2021 – via World Radio History.
  61. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  62. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Flowers in the Dirt')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  63. ^ "British album certifications – Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt". British Phonographic Industry.
  64. ^ a b Rosental Calmon Alves (15 February 1990). "McCartney vem mesmo". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese). p. 42. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via National Library of Brazil.
  65. ^ "American album certifications – Paul McCartney – Flowers in the Dirt". Recording Industry Association of America.
  66. ^ "Highest position and charting weeks of Flowers in the Dirt: Special Package by Paul McCartney" (in Japanese). oricon.co.jp.