Music / Pipes of Peace

Pipes of Peace is the fourth album by Paul McCartney. Released in 1983 through MPL (in conjunction with Parlophone Records in the UK and Columbia Records in the US), most of its tracklist is comprised of songs which were already recorded for Paul's previous album Tug of War.

This album marks a collaboration between Paul and Michael Jackson, with the two singing the lead vocals on "Say Say Say" and "The Man" (Paul returned the favor by singing on the later-recorded, but earlier-released "The Girl Is Mine" from Michael's Thriller). "The Man" was slated to be released as one of the lead singles for the album (after "Say, Say, Say," and the title track) but that project was compromised by the arrest of Paul and Linda Eastman in Barbados for marijuana possession.

Like on Tug of War, George Martin is the producer.

Tracklist:

Side One

1. "Pipes of Peace" (3:56)
2. "Say Say Say" (3:55)
3. "The Other Me" (3:58)
4. "Keep Under Cover" (3:05)
5. "So Bad" (3:20)

Side Two

6. "The Man" (3:55)
7. "Sweetest Little Show" (2:54)
8. "Average Person"(4:33)
9. "Hey Hey" (2:54)
10. "Tug of Peace" (2:54)
11. "Through Our Love" (3:28)

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This album contains examples of:

• Album Title Drop: On the Title Track:
  Let us show them how to play the pipes of peace
  • And a second time on "Tug of Peace":
  No, no, your troubles cease
  When you learn to play the pipes of peace
• Alliterative Title: "Pipes of Peace", "Say Say Say" and "Hey Hey".
• Anaphora: On "Keep Under Cover":
  What good is butter if you haven't got bread?
  What good is art when it hurts your head?
• Blackface: Alluded to in the music video for "Say Say Say". The video, a satire of race relations in America, feature the two donning identical clown makeup and doing a vaudeville act in a parody of minstrel shows. Neither actually appear in blackface, but Jackson's white-painted lips against his dark skin deliberately reference it.
• Call-Back: "Tug of Peace" is a retake on the title track off Paul's previous album.
• "Double, Double" Title: "Hey Hey"
• Epiphora: Several times on "Average Person":
  Was to work with lions in a zoo
  (Oh, to work with lions in a zoo)
  (...)
  But the part was given to a kid
  Yes, the part was given to a kid
  (...)
  That he lacked a little extra height
  (Could've used a little extra height)
• Limited Lyrics Song: "Hey Hey":
  Hey, hey (x8)
  That's all!
• Lyrical Cold Open: On "The Other Me".
• Minstrel Shows: As part of its satire of American race relations, the music video for "Say Say Say" features Paul and Michael Jackson parodying minstrel shows by donning identical makeup (which doesn't involve blackface but still alludes to it) and performing a vaudeville act.
• Mysterious Stranger: The eponymous character from "The Man":
  There's a man
  Everybody thought they knew
  Ooh there's such a man
  He's not like me and you
• One-Man Song: "The Man".
• The Power of Love: On "Pipes of Peace":
  I light a candle to our love
  In love our problems disappear
• Rearrange the Song:
  • "Tug of Peace" can be seen as a mix between a cover and a rewrite of "Tug of War", the Title Track off Paul's previous album.
  • In 2015, Paul released a remix of "Say Say Say" based around an alternate take where his and Michael Jackson's parts are swapped around.
• Siamese Twin Songs: "Sweetest Little Show" ends with a long vocal harmony which serves as a transition to "Average Person".
• Silly Love Song: "So Bad".
  Girl I love you, yes I love you so bad
  And she said, boy I love you
  Boy I love you so bad
• Snake Oil Salesman: The "Say Say Say" music video revolves around Paul playing one, with Linda and Michael Jackson as his accomplices.
• Song Style Shift: "Keep Under Cover" starts off smooth and angelic before turning more rhythmic and dramatic after the intro.
• Special Guest:
  • Michael Jackson sings with Paul on two songs: "Say Say Say" and "The Man". Of note is that Jackson's label and McCartney's US label, Epic Records and Columbia Records (respectively), were both owned by CBS (later Sony Music).
  • Jazz Fusion bassist Stanley Clarke co-wrote "Hey Hey". The track is the result of a jam session between him and Paul.
• Studio Chatter: On "Tug Of Peace".
• Take That!: "Pipes of Peace" references the chanting of the 1965 Watts riots
  Help them to learn (Help them to learn)
  Songs of joy instead of "burn, baby, burn"
• Title Drop: On all tracks except "Tug of Peace".
• Title Track
• Vocal Tag Team: Paul and Michael Jackson sing lead vocals on "Say Say Say" and "The Man".

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