My Brave Face
Encyclopedia
"My Brave Face" is a single from Paul McCartney
's 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt
. Written by McCartney and Elvis Costello
, "My Brave Face" is one of the most acclaimed songs from Flowers in the Dirt. It peaked at #18 in the United Kingdom a week after its debut, and #25 in the United States 7 weeks after its debut. It was McCartney's final top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
, and also the final solo top 40 hit of any of the ex-Beatles. The song was also massively popular in Spain, where Los 40 Principales
played the track in high rotation throughout the month of July 1989 and it peaked at #1.
in London
, with producer Mitchell Froom
joining in on the work. According to the Put It There documentary, Costello requested that McCartney bring his iconic Höfner
violin bass, which he had not played in years, to the recording session. To this day, Paul still uses this bass, in addition to the Rickenbacker 4001
and his Wal
5-String Customized.
B-side:
. It features a Japanese McCartney-fanatic who acquires McCartney memorabilia, films, and audio by means of robbery, and, allegedly, through Sotheby's
. The video was shot in both black-and-white and in colour, and it features rare videos of him with The Beatles
as well as with Wings
. There is a video of him and the rest of the Beatles doing The Charleston
, and him and Linda (as well as a visible Joe English in the background) being greeted by people in New Orleans
. In the end, the Japanese fanatic gets arrested, and a clip of McCartney looking in the camera is shown, with 2007 McCartney voicing-over on the audio commentary, "What did you expect?"
. It was also included in some of the small shows McCartney played in 1991. He has not performed the song since.
SR-71
recorded the song for the McCartney tribute album
Listen To What The Man Said. Star Collector performed it for another tribute album, Love In Song: An Atlanta Tribute To Sir Paul McCartney.
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
's 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt
Flowers in the Dirt
-Additional tracks:-Special Package :Following tracks are included on bonus disc.#"Message" - 0:28#* A environmental message from Paul to the Japanese fans.#"The Long and Winding Road" - 3:51...
. Written by McCartney and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
, "My Brave Face" is one of the most acclaimed songs from Flowers in the Dirt. It peaked at #18 in the United Kingdom a week after its debut, and #25 in the United States 7 weeks after its debut. It was McCartney's final top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, and also the final solo top 40 hit of any of the ex-Beatles. The song was also massively popular in Spain, where Los 40 Principales
Los 40 Principales
Los 40 Principales is the main musical radio station in Spain with more than 4,000,000 listeners. The station was founded in 1966 and in 2006 the station celebrated its 40th anniversary...
played the track in high rotation throughout the month of July 1989 and it peaked at #1.
Recording
"My Brave Face" was first recorded at sessions overseen by McCartney and Costello in early 1988. Excerpts from this session were eventually used in McCartney's documentary video Put It There, but other than that were not used. The final version of the song was recorded later the same year at Olympic StudiosOlympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with producer Mitchell Froom
Mitchell Froom
-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
joining in on the work. According to the Put It There documentary, Costello requested that McCartney bring his iconic Höfner
Höfner
Karl Höfner GmbH & Co. KG is a German manufacturer of musical instruments, with one division that manufactures guitars and basses, and another that manufactures other string instruments....
violin bass, which he had not played in years, to the recording session. To this day, Paul still uses this bass, in addition to the Rickenbacker 4001
Rickenbacker 4001
The Rickenbacker 4001 is a bass guitar that was manufactured by Rickenbacker as a "deluxe model" of the 4000 between 1961 and 1981 before being replaced by an updated version, the Rickenbacker 4003...
and his Wal
Wal (bass)
Wal is a brand of electric bass manufactured by Electric Wood Ltd. in High Wycombe, England. It was started in 1974 by electronics expert Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens...
5-String Customized.
Personnel
- Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– bass, guitar, tambourine, lead vocals - Linda McCartneyLinda McCartneyLinda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
– background vocals - Hamish StuartHamish StuartHamish Stuart is a guitarist, bassist, singer, composer and record producer.- Biography :Stuart had recorded a couple of singles with his first band, the Dream Police, before he was invited to join the recently formed Average White Band in June 1972.A member of AWB from 1972 to 1982, he went on to...
– guitar, background vocals - Chris WhittenChris WhittenChris Whitten is a British session drummer who provided drums for the hit singles "What I Am" by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, "World Shut your Mouth" by Julian Cope and "The Whole of the Moon" by The Waterboys...
– drums - Robbie McIntoshRobbie McIntoshRobbie McIntosh is an English guitarist. McIntosh is well known as a session guitarist and member of The Pretenders from 1982 until 1987. In 1988 he began doing session guitar work for Paul McCartney joining his band full time until early 1994...
– guitar - Mitchell FroomMitchell Froom-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
– keyboards - David Rhodes – EBow Guitar
- Chris David – saxophone
- Chris White – saxophone
- Dave Bishop – saxophone
Track listing
This song was released on many formats, including the standard 7" single, a 12" maxi-single, a cassette single, and a CD single.12" single
A-side:- "My Brave Face"
- "Flying to My Home"
B-side:
- "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel SomedayI'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday"I'm Gonna to Be a Wheel Someday" is a popular song written by Roy Hayes, Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. The song was first recorded by Bobby Mitchell & The Toppers in 1957 and released in the same year as the single, "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday"...
" - "Ain't That a ShameAin't That a Shame"Ain't That a Shame" is a song recorded by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew, in New Orleans, Louisiana, for Imperial Records and released in 1955. It was previously recorded in 1901 by Silas Leachman. The recording was a hit for Domino, eventually selling a million copies. It reached #1 on the...
"
CD single
- "My Brave Face"
- "Flying to My Home"
- "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday"
- "Ain't That a Shame"
Music video
The music video for "My Brave Face" was shot in April 1989, directed by Roger Lunn. It was frequently seen on video channels that year, and was released in 2007 on the three disc collection The McCartney YearsThe McCartney Years
The McCartney Years is a three-DVD set featuring music videos, live performances and other rare footage from Paul McCartney's solo career and Wings. The set spans the years 1970 to 2005...
. It features a Japanese McCartney-fanatic who acquires McCartney memorabilia, films, and audio by means of robbery, and, allegedly, through Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
. The video was shot in both black-and-white and in colour, and it features rare videos of him with The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
as well as with Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
. There is a video of him and the rest of the Beatles doing The Charleston
Charleston (dance)
The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
, and him and Linda (as well as a visible Joe English in the background) being greeted by people in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. In the end, the Japanese fanatic gets arrested, and a clip of McCartney looking in the camera is shown, with 2007 McCartney voicing-over on the audio commentary, "What did you expect?"
Live performances and cover versions
McCartney included the song on his world tour in 1989-1990; a recording of it is included on the live album Tripping the Live FantasticTripping the Live Fantastic
Tripping the Live Fantastic is Paul McCartney's first official live album and his first release of concert material since Wings' 1976 Wings over America live package. It was released in 1990 as triple LP, double cassette and double CD. Tripping the Live Fantastic reached #16 in the UK and #26 in...
. It was also included in some of the small shows McCartney played in 1991. He has not performed the song since.
SR-71
SR-71 (band)
SR-71 is an American rock band that was formed in Baltimore, Maryland. They are best known for their 2000 single "Right Now", their 2002 single "Tomorrow", and as the authors of Bowling for Soup's 2004 hit "1985" . The name of the band came from SR-71 Blackbird, a supersonic surveillance aircraft...
recorded the song for the McCartney tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Listen To What The Man Said. Star Collector performed it for another tribute album, Love In Song: An Atlanta Tribute To Sir Paul McCartney.