Off the Ground#Off the Ground: The Complete Works

After planning another world tour, the New World Tour, in 1993, to promote the album, McCartney chose to record Off the Ground with his touring band. Blair Cunningham joined on drums to replace Chris Whitten, who left to join Dire Straits.

McCartney decided to record the album "live in the studio", meaning that the band would rehearse an entire song then record it in one take, instead of recording each vocal track and instrumental track separately. This approach gave a raw, direct feel to the work.

The compositions, some of which were outtakes from Flowers in the Dirt, seemed less complex than those on the earlier album. "Mistress and Maid" and "The Lovers That Never Were", which emerged from McCartney's songwriting collaboration with Elvis Costello, made their appearance on this album. Costello, who had performed on Flowers in the Dirt, did not appear on Off the Ground.

The first two songs taped were "Biker like an Icon" and "Peace in the Neighbourhood", both derived from some album rehearsals in November 1991.Luca Perasi, Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969–2013), L.I.L.Y. Publishing, 2013, {{ISBN|978-88-909122-1-4}}.

McCartney's increased interest in social issues came to prominence on this album, with the anti-animal cruelty rocker "Looking for Changes" (McCartney and his wife Linda both being long-time vegetarians by this time) and paeans for a better world ("Hope of Deliverance" and "C'Mon People"). The B-Side "Big Boys Bickering" lambasted politicians, with the phrase "Big boys bickering, fucking it up for everyone" showing a more aggressive side of McCartney and rare use of a swear word in the song. Another notable B-Side is "Long Leather Coat", a protest song co-written by Linda McCartney.

The CD's hidden track, a short excerpt of "Cosmically Conscious", was written by McCartney in 1968 during The Beatles' stay in Rishikesh, India. A full-length version of the recording was released as the B-Side of the "Off the Ground" single and later included on Off the Ground: The Complete Works.

McCartney would ask Youth, an electronic music producer, to remix tracks from the album for potential releases as 12" singles. These remixes would evolve into the Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest album, the first release by the McCartney and Youth collaboration, The Fireman.{{Cite web |title=Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest |url=https://www.jpgr.co.uk/pcsd145.html |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=www.jpgr.co.uk}} A remix of "Hope of Deliverance" by Steve Anderson would be released as a 12" single instead, titled "Deliverance".{{Cite web |last=Gaar |first=Gillian G. |date=1994-06-30 |title=Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/strawberries-oceans-ships-forest-187615/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

The feet on the album cover are of McCartney, his wife Linda, and his touring band.

This album was the penultimate McCartney studio album to feature vocals and participation from Linda, who died of breast cancer in 1998.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/80516.stm |title=Tributes to Linda McCartney |work=BBC News |date=21 April 1998 |access-date=3 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021203193552/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/80516.stm |archive-date=3 December 2002 |url-status=live }}

{{Album reviews

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |author-link1=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=Off the Ground – Paul McCartney |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/off-the-ground-mw0000092911 |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508011255/https://www.allmusic.com/album/off-the-ground-mw0000092911 |archive-date=8 May 2021}}

| rev2 = Calgary Herald

| rev2score = B−Obee, Dave (14 February 1993). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.

| rev3 = Chicago Tribune

| rev3score = (favourable){{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/02/05/mccartney-back-on-top-of-his-pop-material/|first=Greg|last=Kot|author-link=Greg Kot|work=Chicago Tribune|title=PMccartney Back on Top of His Pop Material|date=5 February 1993|access-date=22 October 2011}}

| rev4 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev4score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite book|author=Larkin, Colin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th edn) |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York, NY |year=2006 |isbn=0-19-531373-9 |page=1257}}

| rev5 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev5score = C−{{cite magazine|author=Altman, Billy|title=Off the Ground Review|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207872,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421073841/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207872,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 April 2009|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=12 February 1993|access-date=31 August 2011}}

| rev6 = The Essential Rock Discography

| rev6score = 4/10{{cite book|author=Strong, Martin C. |year=2006|title=The Essential Rock Discography|publisher=Canongate|location=Edinburgh, UK|page=696|isbn=978-1-84195-827-9}}

| rev7 = Houston Chronicle

| rev7score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1993_1110411/nice-amp-friendly-mushy-paul-mccartney-finally-get.html|title=Nice & friendly/Mushy Paul McCartney finally gets off the ground and Wings it|last=Racine|first=Martin|work=Houston Chronicle|date=9 February 1993|access-date=4 November 2011}}

| rev8 = Los Angeles Times

| rev8score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-07-ca-1389-story.html|last=Hochman|first=Steve|work=Los Angeles Times|title= Paul McCartney – "Off the Ground" (Capitol)|date=7 February 1993|access-date=18 October 2011}}

| rev9 = MusicHound

| rev9score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}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}}.

| rev10 = Music Week

| rev10score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|first=Alan|last=Jones|title=Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums|magazine=Music Week|date=30 January 1993|page=11|accessdate=29 January 2023|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-01-30.pdf}}

| rev11 = The New York Times

| rev11score = (favourable){{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/14/arts/recordings-view-paul-mccartney-reaches-for-past-glory.html?|author=Kozinn, Allan|author-link=Allan Kozinn|work=The New York Times|title=RECORDINGS VIEW; Paul McCartney Reaches for Past Glory|date=14 February 1993|access-date=31 August 2011}}

| rev12 = Q

| rev12score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite news|last=Hepworth|first=David|title=New LPs: Paul McCartney Off the Ground |work=Q |date=March 1993 |page=93}}

| rev13 = Rolling Stone

| rev13score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|author=Puterbaugh, Parker|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416214350/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/paulmccartney/albums/album/210717/review/5941223/off_the_ground|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/paulmccartney/albums/album/210717/review/5941223/off_the_ground|archive-date=16 April 2009 |date=18 February 1993|access-date=16 April 2008|url-status=dead|title=Off the Ground by Paul McCartney|magazine=Rolling Stone}}

| rev14 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev14score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/paul-mccartney/albumguide |title=Paul McCartney: Album Guide |publisher=rollingstone.com |access-date=22 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704174106/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/paul-mccartney/albumguide |archive-date=4 July 2014 }}

}}

The lead single, "Hope of Deliverance", was released on 29 December 1992,{{cite magazine|title=Dooley's Diary|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=12 December 1992|quote=His new single Hope Of Deliverance isn't released until December 29...}}{{cite magazine|title=Ad Focus|magazine=Music Week|page=12|date=26 December 1992|quote=Paul McCartney's Hope Of Deliverance, released on December 29...}} and the album followed on 1 February 1993.{{cite web|last=Calkin |first=Graham |url=http://www.jpgr.co.uk/pcsd125.html |title=Off The Ground |publisher=Jpgr.co.uk |access-date=3 May 2013}} Off the Ground was the first Paul McCartney album to contain no sizeable US hit singles since Wings' Wild Life in 1971. The album's first single barely reached the top 20, hitting number 18, in the UK, where "C'Mon People" became a minor hit as well. In the US, the album's title track also entered the Adult Contemporary chart at number 27. Singles from Off the Ground floundered on the US and the UK charts. However, "Hope of Deliverance" achieved commercial success elsewhere. It became McCartney's first international hit single since "Say, Say, Say" with Michael Jackson in 1983, cracking the top 5 on the charts in over five European territories except his homeland and selling over 250,000 copies in Germany alone.

In the United Kingdom, the album itself debuted at number 5 and quickly fell off the chart, spending only six weeks inside the top 100.{{cite web| url=http://homepage1.nifty.com/tuty/after_beatles_paul_albumchartaction_uk.htm/| title=Paul McCartney UK Album Chart listings| publisher=UK Albums Chart| access-date=1 August 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209034236/http://homepage1.nifty.com/tuty/after_beatles_paul_albumchartaction_uk.htm/| archive-date=9 December 2008| url-status=dead}} In the United States, it peaked at the number 17 on the Billboard 200 with the first-week sales of only 53,000 copies, managing to receive Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-26-ca-62605-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|title= Can't Buy Me Love? How About an Album?|date=26 May 1997|access-date=18 May 2011}} Although it met with mixed reviews from critics and suffered from lackluster sales in the UK and North America, the album fared better in other key markets such as Spain. In Japan, it surpassed its predecessor Flowers in the Dirt in cumulative sales.{{cite book |title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 |publisher=Oricon Entertainment |location=Roppongi, Tokyo |year=2006 |isbn=4-87131-077-9}} In Germany, Off the Ground has been McCartney's best-selling album, spending 20 weeks on the top-ten and eventually achieving Platinum for shipments of over half a million copies.{{cite web|publisher=hitparade.ch|url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/title/McCartney%2CPaul/Off+The+Ground/longplay|website=www.musicline.de|title=McCartney, Paul – Off The Ground|access-date=31 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010180624/http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/title/McCartney,Paul/Off+The+Ground/longplay|archive-date=10 October 2012|url-status=dead}}

Some weeks after its release, McCartney launched the New World Tour, playing many shows across the world during the summer months. These concerts were documented on the album Paul Is Live, which followed at the end of 1993.

{{Track listing

| headline = Off the Ground track listing

| total_length = 50:25

| all_writing = Paul McCartney, except where noted

| title1 = Off the Ground

| length1 = 3:40

| title2 = Looking for Changes

| length2 = 2:47

| title3 = Hope of Deliverance

| length3 = 3:22

| title4 = Mistress and Maid

| note4 = McCartney, Declan MacManus

| length4 = 3:00

| title5 = I Owe It All to You

| length5 = 4:51

| title6 = Biker Like an Icon

| length6 = 3:26

| title7 = Peace in the Neighbourhood

| length7 = 5:06

| title8 = Golden Earth Girl

| length8 = 3:45

| title9 = The Lovers That Never Were

| note9 = McCartney, Declan MacManus

| length9 = 3:43

| title10 = Get Out of My Way

| length10 = 3:32

| title11 = Winedark Open Sea

| length11 = 5:27

| title12 = C'Mon People

| note12 = ends at 5:46, includes an excerpt of "Cosmically Conscious"

| length12 = 7:42

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Bonus CD on the Japanese edition

| total_length = 9:03

| title1 = Long Leather Coat

| note1 = Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney

| length1 = 3:35

| title2 = Kicked Around No More

| length2 = 5:28

}}

{{infobox album

|name = Off the Ground: The Complete Works

|cover = Off_the_Ground_The_Complete_Works.jpg

|artist = Paul McCartney

|type = studio album

|longtype = (reissue)

|released = 1 December 1993

|length = 98:56

|label = {{hlist|Parlophone|MPL}}

|producer = {{hlist|Paul McCartney|Julian Mendelsohn}}

|genre = Rock

}}

Off the Ground: The Complete Works is a two-disc set released in Germany and the Netherlands. The first disc contains the original Off the Ground album, with the second collecting various B-sides and two previously unreleased tracks from his 1991 MTV Unplugged concert, "Things We Said Today" and "Midnight Special", which were later released as B-sides to the single "Biker Like an Icon".

Despite the title, the set is missing two B-sides, three promo remixes, one promo B-side, and one international single mix:

• "Deliverance" and "Deliverance (Dub Mix)", dance-oriented reworkings by Steve Anderson of the song "Hope of Deliverance", released as B-sides of the "C'mon People" CD single No. 1;
• the three promo remixes of "Off the Ground" released to American radio, namely the Bob Clearmountain remix, the Keith Cohen remix, and the Keith Cohen AC remix;
• the MTV Unplugged outtake "Mean Woman Blues", which was a B-side of the "Biker Like An Icon" promo CD single, and
• the single mix of "Off the Ground" contained on the EU and Japanese CD singles.

Off the Ground: The Complete Works has not been reissued and is now out of print and not legally for sale as a digital download.

{{Track listing

| headline = Off the Ground: The Complete Works disc two

| total_length = 47:25

| extra_column = B-side of

| title1 = Long Leather Coat

| note1 = McCartney, Linda McCartney

| extra1 = "Hope of Deliverance"

| length1 = 3:35

| title2 = Keep Coming Back to Love

| note2 = McCartney, Hamish Stuart

| extra2 = "C'Mon People"

| length2 = 5:00

| title3 = Sweet Sweet Memories

| extra3 = "Off the Ground"

| length3 = 4:03

| title4 = Things We Said Today

| note4 = Lennon–McCartney

| extra4 = "Biker Like an Icon"

| length4 = 3:45

| title5 = Midnight Special

| note5 = Traditional, arranged by McCartney

| extra5 = "Biker Like an Icon"

| length5 = 4:55

| title6 = Style Style

| extra6 = "Off the Ground"

| length6 = 6:00

| title7 = I Can't Imagine

| extra7 = "C'Mon People"

| length7 = 4:37

| title8 = Cosmically Conscious

| extra8 = "Off the Ground"

| length8 = 4:41

| title9 = Kicked Around No More

| extra9 = "Hope of Deliverance"

| length9 = 5:24

| title10 = Big Boys Bickering

| extra10 = "Hope of Deliverance"

| length10 = 3:20

| title11 = Down to the River

| extra11 = "C'Mon People"

| length11 = 3:31

| title12 = Soggy Noodle

| extra12 = "Off the Ground"

| length12 = 0:28

}}

• Paul McCartney – vocals, bass guitar, piano, mellotron, celesta, Wurlitzer electric piano, electric guitars, acoustic guitars, Spanish guitar, ocarina, percussion, sitar, drums
• Linda McCartney – vocals, autoharp, celesta, harmonium, minimoog, keyboards, percussion, whistle
• Hamish Stuart – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, bass guitar, percussion, piano
• Robbie McIntosh – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, Spanish guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
• Paul Wickens – keyboards, piano, hammond organ, clavinet, synthesizer, accordion, LinnDrum, drum programming, percussion, backing vocals
• Blair Cunningham – drums, congas, percussion, backing vocals

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Off the Ground}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|certyear=1993|certmonth=3|region=Australia|award=Gold|source=book|id=181}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|region=Austria|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|region=Canada|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|region=France|award=Gold|certyear=1993|source=infodisc}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|region=Germany|award=Platinum}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=オフ・ザ・グラウンド|artist=ポール・マッカートニー|type=album|region=Japan|award=Gold|relyear=1993|certyear=1993|certmonth=4|salesamount=92,000|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|certyear=1993|region=Spain|award=Platinum|certref={{cite web|url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/vqzno2c0fe48zam|title=Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1991–1995|publisher=Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|region=Switzerland|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|id=4797-3435-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Off the Ground|type=album|artist=Paul McCartney|relyear=1993|region=United States|award=Gold}}

{{certification Table Bottom}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|93701|name=Off the Ground}}

{{Paul McCartney}}

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Category:Paul McCartney albums

Category:1993 albums

Category:Parlophone albums

Category:Albums produced by Paul McCartney

Category:Albums produced by Julian Mendelsohn