You Forgot These Paul McCartney ‘80s Tracks – And That’s a Crime

Paul McCartney familiarly entered the 1980s, releasing a solo album right after the breakup of a successful band. Just as he had done following the Beatles, he kicked off the decade with McCartney II, recorded at home after Wings had wrapped up their run of hit singles. During the ’70s, Wings was unstoppable — all 23 of their singles reached the U.S. Top 40, including 14 that broke into the Top 10. Their last big hit came with a live version of “Coming Up,” taken from McCartney’s 1980 album.

But after that, the path wasn’t so smooth. Despite leftover Wings material appearing on Tug of War (1982) and Pipes of Peace (1983), McCartney’s solo records were often hit-or-miss. His next two No. 1 singles were duets — first with Stevie Wonder, then with Michael Jackson. His only solo chart-topper of the decade, “No More Lonely Nights,” appeared on the soundtrack to Give My Regards to Broad Street, a project that otherwise fell flat.

Struggles and Experiments

After the platinum success of Tug of War, things took a downturn. Even working with big-name producer Hugh Padgham couldn’t turn around 1986’s Press to Play, which critics dismissed. A quirky one-off single, “Spies Like Us,” didn’t help much either.

Looking for a reset, McCartney stripped things down in 1988 with Choba B CCCP, an old-school rock ’n’ roll covers collection released only in the Soviet Union at first. Soon after, he teamed up with Elvis Costello, whose sharp edge reminded fans of John Lennon. That collaboration led to Flowers in the Dirt (1989), which signaled a real creative comeback.

Gems Among the Missteps

Even when the albums stumbled, McCartney still turned out memorable tracks. Some of his strongest moments came from surprising places, whether acoustic gems on McCartney II or overlooked highlights from otherwise uneven records. Songs like “One of These Days” and “Not Such a Bad Boy” proved he could still deliver, even when the albums around them didn’t quite measure up.

The Countdown

The ’80s weren’t McCartney’s most consistent years, but they left behind plenty of music worth revisiting. From the synth-driven energy of “Coming Up” to the orchestral beauty of “Tug of War,” and the spirited collaborations with Elvis Costello, his catalog still offered bright sparks throughout the decade. At the very top sits “Take It Away” from 1982 — a track that captured the best of McCartney’s pop instincts and felt like it could have easily come from Wings at their peak.

The Top 10 ’80s Songs by Paul McCartney

10 – “Coming Up” (1980)
The live Wings version topped the U.S. charts, but the album opened with McCartney’s synth-heavy solo take. He was still learning the keyboard, and “this studio version is one of the McCartney II tracks where he annoyingly speeds up his vocals using a vari-speed tape machine.”

9 – “Sweetest Little Show” (1983)
This track, carried over from the Wings era, held onto their playful energy and light touch. A spontaneous guitar jam earned applause from studio assistants, which McCartney kept in the final cut.

8 – “My Brave Face” (1989)
Written with Elvis Costello, it marked a return to McCartney’s classic pop style. “I felt that Elvis was pulling it in a little bit of a Beatle-y way – a Beatle-ist direction,” McCartney admitted, “but it was fine by me.”

7 – “Tug of War” (1982)
Produced by George Martin, this emotional track reflected McCartney’s tangled relationship with John Lennon. Its orchestral swells rise and fall in step with the song’s themes of conflict and reconciliation.

6 – “Not Such a Bad Boy” (1984)
Amid an otherwise disappointing album, this rocker stood out as a flash of energy. It showed that McCartney could still tap into the raw spirit of rock ’n’ roll when he wanted to.

5 – “One of These Days” (1980)
This acoustic-driven song from McCartney II stood out for its simplicity. It was described as “quietly effective,” which counted as high praise for such an experimental record.

4 – “Wanderlust” (1982)
First imagined as a possible George Harrison collaboration, it evolved into one of the brightest moments on Tug of War. Glowing brass and McCartney’s soaring vocals turned it into a standout.

3 – “Figure of Eight” (1989)
McCartney recorded this track live with raw, unpolished vocals that gave it an edge. Producers later tried to modernize the sound, but despite his mixed feelings, the song carried classic McCartney spirit.

2 – “You Want Her Too” (1989)
Teamed with Elvis Costello again, McCartney delivered a witty back-and-forth that echoed his Lennon-era collaborations. With its sharp humor and a big-band ending, the song became one of his most memorable duets.

1 – “Take It Away” (1982)
This shimmering pop gem blended horns, layered harmonies, and a catchy groove. It felt like something straight out of Wings’ chart-topping prime.