Driving Rain is the twelfth solo studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 11 November 2001 as a double LP, a single cassette, and single CD.
Background
Following the example of
Run Devil Run brisk production schedule,
Driving Rain – except for two songs – was cut with
David Kahne producing in two weeks, starting in February 2001. McCartney used musicians who were scheduled to back him on tour.
Album cover
The cover of the album features a photograph taken with a
Casio wristwatch containing a built-in camera.
Music and lyrics
"Back in the Sunshine Again" was co-written by McCartney and his son
James McCartney.
On 11 September 2001, McCartney was sitting on a plane in New York City when the terrorist attacks occurred, and was able to witness the events from his seat. Incensed at the tragedy and determined to respond, he composed "Freedom" and helped organise The Concert for New York City, a large all-star show at Madison Square Garden on 20 October.
The songs "About You" and "Heather" were written for his then-wife, Heather Mills, as thanks for helping McCartney grieve the death of his first wife, Linda McCartney.[Vincent Perez Benitez, The Words and Music of Paul McCartney: The Solo Years 2010, p. 158: " Your Way hearkens back to the sound of McCartney's first two albums of the 1970s … He composed About You for Heather Mills, thanking her for helping him get over his grief regarding the death of his first wife, Linda Eastman."]
Release and reception
In November 2001,
Driving Rain was released to generally strong reviews but stunned many with its very low sales. The album sold 66,000 copies in its first week in the US.
peaked at number 46 in the UK,
and became McCartney's lowest-selling album in his homeland. The US reaction was a little stronger, with the album peaking at number 26 and being certified Gold by the
RIAA.
McCartney halted the pressing of Driving Rain so that "Freedom" could appear as a hidden track (since the artwork had already been printed).
Reviewing the album for Uncut magazine, Ian MacDonald commented on McCartney's spontaneous approach to its recording, saying that "In parts (for example, the lengthy closer 'Rinse The Raindrops'), the results are almost ferocious, coming as close to a McCartney-esque Tin Machine as one could reasonably imagine." MacDonald considered the more "polished and produced" tracks to be "the most successful", however, and concluded: "Possibly a grower, this album is certainly better than anything Macca's done for some while, if not the late masterpiece some of us have been hoping for."[ Available at Rock's Backpages ( subscription required).] Fox News commentator Roger Friedman remarked that the chorus of the song "Tiny Bubble" is "remarkably" similar to "Piggies", written by George Harrison and released on the Beatles' 1968 self-titled double album (also known as the "White Album").
McCartney opened his tour in support of the album in April 2002. Titled the Driving USA tour, it was a commercial success, with extensions being added to the itinerary around the world. Four of the album's sixteen songs were performed: "Lonely Road", "Your Loving Flame", "Freedom" and the title track. "From a Lover to a Friend" was also performed at the Concert for New York City on October 20, 2001.
Track listing
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.
Musicians
-
Paul McCartney – bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar, vocals, Ludwig Drums, Fender Rhodes electric piano, knee slaps, percussion, piano
-
Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums, tambourine, Roland electronic percussion, Ludwig drums, DW drums, , backing vocals, African drums samples, accordion
-
Rusty Anderson – electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitar, Vox Bass Guitar, backing vocals, percussion, tampura
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Gabe Dixon – Wurlitzer electric piano, piano, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, backing vocals
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David Kahne – Roland organ, electric guitar, synthesizer, samples, Wurlitzer, sampled strings
-
James McCartney – percussion, electric guitar
-
Ralph Morrison – violin
-
String quartet:
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David Campbell – viola
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Matt Funes – viola
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Joel Derouin – violin
-
Larry Corbett – cello
-
Eric Clapton – guitar on track 16
Production
-
David Leonard – Mixing engineer
-
David Kahne – producer
-
Paul McCartney – executive producer
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Mark Dearnley – engineer
-
Jaime Sickora – assistant engineer
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Kevin Mills – 2nd assistant engineer
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Geoff Emerick, Paul Hicks – additional engineers
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Mark Dearnley, David Kahne – mixing
-
Stephen Marcussen – mastering
-
Stewart Whitmore – digital editing
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Norman Hathaway with Micha Weidmann, Donat Raetzo – design
-
Paul McCartney, Heather Mills – photos
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Certifications and sales
External links
