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Driving Rain

Driving Rain
Studio album by
Paul McCartney
Released12 November 2001
Recorded16 February – June 2001
StudioHenson, Hollywood, California
GenreRock
Length67:21
LabelParlophone
ProducerDavid Kahne
Paul McCartney chronology
Wingspan: Hits and History
(2001) 		Driving Rain
(2001) 		Back in the U.S.
(2002)
Singles from Driving Rain
  1. "From a Lover to a Friend"
    Released: 29 October 2001
  2. "Freedom"
    Released: 5 November 2001
  3. "Your Loving Flame"
    Released: 2002 (promo only)
  4. "Lonely Road"
    Released: 2002 (promo only)

Driving Rain is the twelfth solo studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 12 November 2001 as a double LP, a single cassette, and single CD.

Background

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Following the example of Run Devil Run's 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

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The cover of the album features a photograph taken with a Casio wristwatch containing a built-in camera.[1]

Music and lyrics

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"Back in the Sunshine Again" was co-written by McCartney and his son James.[2] 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.[3]

Release and reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic75/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The A.V. Club(mixed)[6]
Blender[7]
Dotmusic3.5/5[8]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]
entertainment.ie[10]
Entertainment WeeklyB[11]
NME6/10[12]
Q[13]
Rolling Stone[14]
Spin7/10[15]
Uncut[16]

In November 2001, Driving Rain was released to generally strong reviews but stunned many[citation needed] with its very low sales. The album sold 66,000 copies in its first week in the US.[17] Driving Rain peaked at number 46 in the UK,[18] 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). The just-released "From a Lover to a Friend" (which only reached number 45 in the UK) was repackaged with "Freedom", although the single failed to re-chart.

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."[16] 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").[19]

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

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All songs by Paul McCartney, except "Spinning on an Axis" and "Back in the Sunshine Again" co-written by James McCartney.

  1. "Lonely Road" – 3:16
  2. "From a Lover to a Friend" – 3:48
  3. "She's Given Up Talking" – 4:57
  4. "Driving Rain" – 3:26
  5. "I Do" – 2:56
  6. "Tiny Bubble" – 4:21
  7. "Magic" – 3:59
  8. "Your Way" – 2:55
  9. "Spinning on an Axis" – 5:16
  10. "About You" – 2:54
  11. "Heather" – 3:26
  12. "Back in the Sunshine Again" – 4:21
  13. "Your Loving Flame" – 3:43
  14. "Riding into Jaipur" – 4:08
  15. "Rinse the Raindrops" – 10:08
  16. "Freedom" (studio mix) – 3:34
    • Recorded live during The Concert for New York City with later studio overdubs. Due to the last minute addition of "Freedom", it was not listed in the track list and thus appears as a hidden track on CD and cassette editions. Vinyl editions and CDs with a hype sticker, an outer sleeve or an obi strip (in Japan) acknowledge "Freedom" as an official track.

iTunes exclusive track

  2. "From a Lover to a Friend" (David Kahne remix 2) – 5:26
    • In 2007, upon adding McCartney's catalogue of music, the iTunes Store added one of David Kahne's two remixes of the song "From a Lover to a Friend" as an exclusive bonus track. This remix is the version released on CD-singles for this song and "Freedom".

Personnel

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Personnel per booklet.[20]

Charts and certifications

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References

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