1982 single by Paul McCartney

"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")

Released| 21 June 1982 (7")
5 July 1982 (12")
Recorded| February 1981
AIR Studios, Montserrat
Genre| Pop
Length| 4:13 (album version)
3:59 (single/video version)
Label| Parlophone/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)

|
|

Alternative cover
Music video
"Take It Away" on YouTube

"Take It Away" is a single by Paul McCartney from his 1982 album Tug of War. The single spent sixteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, reaching #10 and spending five consecutive weeks at that position.[1][2] It reached #15 in the UK.[3] The music video, directed by John Makenzie, features former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and long-time producer George Martin, both of whom played on the track, as well as actor John Hurt and Linda McCartney.[4]

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."[5] 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."[6] DeRiso also praises Eric Stewart's backing vocals.[6]

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.

## Contents

* 1 Track listings
* 2 Personnel
* 3 Chart performance
* 3.1 Weekly charts
* 3.2 Year-end charts
* 4 References

## Track listings[edit]

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)[7]

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[edit]

"Take It Away"

* Paul McCartney – lead and backing vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, piano
* Linda McCartney – backing vocals
* Eric Stewart – backing vocals
* Ringo Starr – drums
* Steve Gadd – drums
* George Martin – electric piano

"I'll Give You a Ring"

* Paul McCartney – vocals, electric guitar, bass, piano, drums
* Tony Coe – clarinet
* Linda McCartney – backing vocals
* Eric Stewart – backing vocals

## Chart performance[edit]

### Weekly charts[edit]

| Chart (1982)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Kent Music Report[8] | 18
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[9] | 28
Canadian RPM Top 100 Singles[10] | 17
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary[11] | 2
Dutch Singles Chart[12] | 43
Irish Singles Chart[13] | 26
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[14] | 11
New Zealand Singles Chart[15] | 30
Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart[16] | 7
UK Singles Chart[3] | 15
US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 10
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[2] | 6
US Billboard Mainstream Rock[2] | 39
US Cash Box Top 100[17] | 6
West German Media Control Singles Chart[18] | 46

### Year-end charts[edit]

| Chart (1982)  | Position

|

US Billboard Hot 100[19] | 70
US Billboard Top AC Singles[19] | 47
US Cash Box Top 100[20] | 45

## References[edit]

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

* v
* t
* e

Paul McCartney singles discography

1970s|

* "Another Day" / "Oh Woman, Oh Why" (with Linda McCartney)
* "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" / "Too Many People" (with Linda McCartney)
* "The Back Seat of My Car" / "Heart of the Country" (with Linda McCartney)
* "Eat at Home" / "Smile Away" (with Linda McCartney)
* "Wonderful Christmastime"

1980s|

* "Coming Up"
* "Waterfalls"
* "Temporary Secretary"
* "Ebony and Ivory" (with Stevie Wonder)
* "Take It Away"
* "Tug of War"
* "The Girl Is Mine" (with Michael Jackson)
* "Say Say Say" (with Michael Jackson)
* "Pipes of Peace"/""So Bad"
* "No More Lonely Nights"
* "We All Stand Together"
* "Spies Like Us"
* "Press"
* "Pretty Little Head"
* "Stranglehold"
* "Only Love Remains"
* "Once Upon a Long Ago"
* "Ferry Cross the Mersey"
* "My Brave Face" / "Flying to My Home"
* "This One"
* "Figure of Eight"

1990s|

* "Put It There" / "Mama's Little Girl"
* "Birthday" (live) / "Good Day Sunshine" (live)
* "All My Trials" (live)
* "Hope of Deliverance"
* "C'Mon People"
* "Off the Ground"
* "Biker Like an Icon" / "Things We Said Today"
* "A Leaf" (with Anya Alexeyev)
* "Come Together" (The Smokin' Mojo Filters)
* "Young Boy"
* "The World Tonight"
* "Beautiful Night"
* "No Other Baby" / "Brown Eyed Handsome Man"
* "Run Devil Run" (promo)

2000s|

* "From a Lover to a Friend"
* "Freedom" / "From a Lover to a Friend"
* "Hello Goodbye" (promo)
* "Tropic Island Hum" / "We All Stand Together"
* "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (with U2)
* "Fine Line"
* "Jenny Wren"
* "Really Love You" (Twin Freaks)
* "This Never Happened Before" (promo)
* "Dance Tonight" / "Nod Your Head"
* "Ever Present Past"
* "Heal the Pain" (with George Michael)
* "Sing the Changes" (The Fireman)
* "Walk with You" (with Ringo Starr)

2010s|

* "(I Want to) Come Home"
* "My Valentine"
* "Only Our Hearts"
* Christmas Kisses: "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" / "Wonderful Christmastime"
* "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (The Justice Collective)
* "New"
* "Queenie Eye"
* "Only One" (with Kanye West)
* "FourFiveSeconds" (with Rihanna & Kanye West)
* "All Day" (with Kanye West)
* "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five" (with Timo Maas & James Teej)
* "I Don't Know" / "Come On to Me"
* "Fuh You"
* "Who Cares"
* "Get Enough"

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Paul McCartney

* Paul "Wix" Wickens
* Rusty Anderson
* Brian Ray
* Abe Laboriel Jr.

* Linda McCartney
* Hamish Stuart
* Robbie McIntosh
* Chris Whitten
* Blair Cunningham

Studio albums|

* McCartney
* Ram
* Thrillington
* McCartney II
* Tug of War
* Pipes of Peace
* Give My Regards to Broad Street
* Press to Play
* Снова в СССР
* Flowers in the Dirt
* Off the Ground
* Flaming Pie
* Run Devil Run
* Driving Rain
* Chaos and Creation in the Backyard
* Memory Almost Full
* Kisses on the Bottom
* New
* Egypt Station
* McCartney III

with Wings|

* Wild Life
* Red Rose Speedway
* Band on the Run
* Venus and Mars
* Wings at the Speed of Sound
* London Town
* Back to the Egg

The Fireman|

* Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest
* Rushes
* Electric Arguments

Classical|

* Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio
* Standing Stone
* Working Classical
* Ecce Cor Meum
* Ocean's Kingdom

Live albums|

* Wings over America (with Wings)
* Tripping the Live Fantastic
* Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)
* Paul Is Live
* Back in the U.S.
* Back in the World Live
* Amoeba's Secret
* Good Evening New York City
* Live in Los Angeles
* Amoeba Gig

Remix albums|

* Liverpool Sound Collage
* Twin Freaks
* McCartney III Imagined

Compilations|

* All the Best!
* The Paul McCartney Collection
* Wingspan: Hits and History
* Never Stop Doing What You Love
* Pure McCartney

Books|

* High in the Clouds
* Hey Grandude!
* The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present

Filmography|

* A Hard Day's Night (1964)
* Help! (1965)
* Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
* Yellow Submarine (1968)
* Let It Be (1970)
* James Paul McCartney (1973)
* One Hand Clapping (1974)
* Wings Over the World (1979)
* Back to the Egg (1979)
* Concert for Kampuchea (1980)
* Rockshow (1980)
* Rupert and the Frog Song (1984)
* Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984)
* Put It There (1989)
* MTV Unplugged (1991)
* Get Back (1991)
* Liverpool Oratorio (1991)
* Paul Is Live (1993)
* In the World Tonight (1997)
* Standing Stone (1997)
* Tropic Island Hum (1997)
* Live at the Cavern Club (1999)
* Working Classical (2000)
* Wingspan (2001)
* The Concert for New York City (2001)
* Back in the U.S. (2002)
* Paul McCartney in Red Square (2003)
* The Music and Animation Collection (2004)
* Between Chaos and Creation (2005)
* The Space Within US (2006)
* Memory Almost Full – Deluxe Edition (2007)
* The McCartney Years (2007)
* Ecce Cor Meum (2008)
* Good Evening New York City (2009)
* The Love We Make (2011)
* A Rendez-Vous with Paul McCartney (2013)
* New – Collector's Edition (2014)
* A MusiCares Tribute To Paul McCartney (2015)
* Pure McCartney (2016)
* Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live From Liverpool (2018)

Bootlegs|

* Cold Cuts
* Costello Album
* A Toot and a Snore in '74
* Return to Pepperland

Tours|

* The Paul McCartney World Tour
* The New World Tour
* Driving World Tour
* The 'US' Tour
* Summer Live '09
* Good Evening Europe Tour
* Up and Coming Tour
* On the Run
* Out There
* One on One
* 2018 Secret Gigs
* Freshen Up
* Got Back

Tributes|

* The Art of McCartney
* Let Us in Americana: The Music of Paul McCartney
* Pure McCartney (2013 album)

Lists|

* Awards
* Discography
* Music contributions and appearances
* Song recordings

Related media|

* "Cut Me Some Slack"
* The Family Way
* A Garland for Linda
* "Lisa the Vegetarian"
* The McCartney Interview
* Many Years from Now
* Oobu Joobu
* Paul McCartney Archive Collection
* Paul McCartney's Glastonbury Groove
* Two of Us (film)
* Wide Prairie

Other topics|

* 20 Forthlin Road
* The Beatles
* Brian Clarke
* The Fireman
* Lennon–McCartney
* Heather Mills
* MPL Communications
* "Paul is dead"
* Paul McCartney Band
* Personal relationships
* The Quarrymen
* Wings

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by John Mackenzie

* One Brief Summer (1970)
* Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971)
* Made (1972)
* The Cheviot, the Stag, and the Black Black Oil (1973)
* Just Another Saturday (1975)
* Double Dare (1976)
* Apaches (1977)
* Just a Boys' Game (1979)
* The Long Good Friday (1980)
* A Sense of Freedom (1981)
* The Honorary Consul (1983)
* The Innocent (1985)
* Act of Vengeance (1986)
* The Fourth Protocol (1987)
* The Last of the Finest (1990)
* Ruby (1992)
* Voyage (1993)
* The Infiltrator (1995)
* Deadly Voyage (1996)
* Looking After Jo Jo (1998)
* When the Sky Falls (2000)
* Quicksand (2003)

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