Back in the U.S.

Infobox Album
Name = Back in the U.S.
Type = Live album
Artist = Paul McCartney


Released =11 November, 2002 (Japan) [http://www.emimusic.jp/international/release/200211/tocp66110-11.htm EMI Music Japan | Release Information] ] 26 November 2002 (U.S.)
Recorded = 1 April - 18 May 2002
Genre = Rock
Length = 1:55:21
Label = Capitol Records
Producer = David Kahne
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3e68mpvk9f1o link]
*Review-Christgau|D|album=11918
Last album = "Driving Rain" (2001)
This album = "Back in the U.S." (2002)
Next album = "Back in the World" (2003)

"Back in the U.S." (subtitled "Live 2002") is a double live album by Paul McCartney composed of highlights from his Spring 2002 Driving USA Tour in the United States in support of McCartney's 2001 release "Driving Rain". It was released to commemorate his first set of concerts in almost ten years with an accompanying DVD.

Using most of the musicians that appeared on "Driving Rain", McCartney assembled a new live act composed of Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray on guitar, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums and keyboardist Paul Wickens, who had been on McCartney's last two tours in 1989-1990 and 1993. As of 2008, those 4 are still with McCartney's live act.

Although McCartney was promoting "Driving Rain", the majority of his shows would be celebrations of his past, with a substantial sampling of McCartney's solo work with and without Wings, but in particular his Beatles hits. And it was with the release of those particular songs on "Back in the U.S." that sparked one of McCartney's biggest controversies in ages. Despite keeping the famous Lennon/McCartney credit intact on "Tripping the Live Fantastic", "Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)" and "Paul is Live", McCartney decided to reverse the credits to "Paul McCartney and John Lennon" much to Yoko Ono's public outcry. Reportedly, McCartney decided to act in response to Ono's recent dropping of his credit from "Give Peace A Chance" on "" in 1997. While there continues to be division among critics and fans over McCartney's move, it is worth noting that John Lennon never publicly objected to the original credit reversal that appeared on 1976's "Wings over America", four years before Lennon's death.

"Back in the U.S." was an exclusive North American and Japanese [http://www.emimusic.jp/international/release/200211/tocp66110-11.htm/ EMI Music Japan | Release Information] ] release (an international edition with a slight track listing change, entitled "Back in the World", was released a few months later). Although it was McCartney's sixth live album, "Back in the U.S." did extremely well, entering the U.S. charts at #8 with his biggest ever first week sales and going double platinum. Its tie-in DVD proved to be a large seller as well.

Track listing

All songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, except where noted (see also Lennon/McCartney).

Disc one

#"Hello, Goodbye" – 3:46
#"Jet" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 4:02
#"All My Loving" – 2:08
#"Getting Better" – 3:10
#"Coming Up" (Paul McCartney) – 3:26
#"Let Me Roll It" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 4:24
#"Lonely Road" (Paul McCartney) – 3:12
#"Driving Rain" (Paul McCartney) – 3:11
#"Your Loving Flame" (Paul McCartney) – 3:28
#"Blackbird" – 2:30
#"Every Night" (Paul McCartney) – 2:51
#"We Can Work It Out" – 2:29
#"Mother Nature's Son" – 2:11
#"Vanilla Sky" (Paul McCartney) – 2:29
#"Carry That Weight" – 3:05
#*From start to 1:58, the song "You Never Give Me Your Money" is played.
#"The Fool on the Hill" – 3:09
#"Here Today" (Paul McCartney) – 2:28
#* "McCartney's tribute to John Lennon"
#"Something" (George Harrison) – 2:33
#* "A tribute cover of one of George Harrison's most famous songs, played on the ukulele - one of Harrison's favorite instruments"

Disc two

#"Eleanor Rigby" – 2:17
#"Here, There and Everywhere" – 2:26
#"Band on the Run" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 5:00
#"Back in the U.S.S.R." – 2:55
#"Maybe I'm Amazed" (Paul McCartney) – 4:48
#"C Moon" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 3:51
#"My Love" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 4:03
#"Can't Buy Me Love" – 2:09
#"Freedom" (Paul McCartney) – 3:18
#"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 3:05
#"Let It Be" – 3:57
#"Hey Jude" – 7:01
#"The Long and Winding Road" – 3:30
#"Lady Madonna" – 2:21
#"I Saw Her Standing There" – 3:08
#"Yesterday" – 2:08
#"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" / "The End" – 4:39

Charts

References