Artist: PAUL McCARTNEY
Album: OFF THE GROUND (CD)

Year: 1993
Media type: CD

Off the Ground is an album by Paul McCartney, released in 1993. As his first studio album of the 1990s, it is also the follow-up to the acclaimed Flowers in the Dirt from 1989, and bears many similarities with its predecessor.

When the sessions for the album began in the fall of 1991, McCartney decided to use his current touring band as session musicians, most of whom had already appeared on Flowers In The Dirt. In addition, his collaboration with Elvis Costello was rekindled with both "Mistress And Maid" and "The Lovers That Never Were" emerging from their songwriting sessions and reserved for this album. Unlike Flowers In The Dirt, however, Costello would not appear on Off the Ground.

One of the main differences between Flowers In The Dirt and Off The Ground is the leaner, more direct sound. With the musicians sounding less studied than they had on the previous release, Off The Ground has a relaxed, natural feel by comparison. Another change is McCartney's increased interest in social issues, be it the scathing anti-animal cruelty rocker "Looking For Changes" (McCartney and his wife Linda long-time vegetarians by this time) or paeans for a better world ("Hope Of Deliverance" and "C'Mon People").

"Hope Of Deliverance" was chosen as the lead single, being released in the last week of December 1992 and the album following in February 1993. While Off The Ground hit #5 in the UK and reached #17 in the US, and eventually went gold, it also has the distinction of being the first Paul McCartney album to not contain a sizeable US hit single since Wings' Wild Life in 1971. While "Hope of Deliverance" floundered there, it managed to reach #18 in the UK, where "C'Mon People" would become a minor hit as well. Worldwide positions for the album were generally good, but that was mainly because Off the Ground was released during the very poorly competitive post-Christmas season. As a matter of fact, the album spent only 6 weeks inside the Top 100 in the UK, even reaching #5 there. In Germany, the album was particularly success, with "Hope of Deliverance" reaching #3 on the singles charts and the album spending 4 weeks at #2.

Some weeks following the album's release, McCartney launched "The New World Tour", taking in many successful shows across the globe during the summer months. These gigs would be documented on the album Paul Is Live, which follow at the end of 1993.

Although generally considered a slightly weaker successor to Flowers In The Dirt and now somewhat overlooked, Off The Ground is prized by many McCartney followers. The feet on the album cover are actually of McCartney, his wife Linda and his touring band.

All songs by Paul McCartney, except where noted.

TRACKLIST:

1."Off the Ground" – 3:40
2."Looking for Changes" – 2:47
3."Hope of Deliverance" – 3:22
4."Mistress and Maid" (Paul McCartney / Declan MacManus) – 3:00
5."I Owe It All to You" – 4:51
6."Biker Like an Icon" – 3:26
7."Peace In The Neighbourhood" – 5:06
8."Golden Earth Girl" – 3:45
9."The Lovers That Never Were" (Paul McCartney / Declan MacManus) – 3:43
10."Get Out of My Way" – 3:32
11."Winedark Open Sea" – 5:27
12."C'Mon People" – 7:42

- Followed by a hidden excerpt of an unlisted song called "Cosmically Conscious", originally written by McCartney in 1968 during The Beatles' transcendental meditation retreat in India.