"Pipes of Peace" is a song written by the English musician Paul McCartney and the title track on his 1983 studio album of the same name. It was released in December 1983 as a single and reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks and No. 1 on the Irish Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1984.[2][3]

In the United States, "Pipes of Peace" was issued as the B-side as its British B-side, "So Bad", was the A-side.[4] "So Bad" reached number 23 at the US Billboard Hot 100[5]

and reached number 3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. "So Bad" peaked at 18 on the Canadian RPM Chart (and two weeks at No. 2 AC).[6][7]

The song was included on the UK and Canada version of the 1987 compilation All the Best!, the 2001 compilation Wingspan: Hits and History and the 2016 compilation Pure McCartney.

Recording

The basic track was recorded on 10 September 1982 at AIR Studios,[8] with orchestral overdubs added later. McCartney plays piano, bass and knee-percussion, while tabla was added by James Kippen, who tried "something like 20–30 takes" before McCartney was satisfied.[9] A special session was organised to have the Pestalozzi Children Choir adding their voices.

Music video

At Chobham Common, Surrey, a video was shot for "Pipes of Peace", depicting the famous 1914 Christmas truce between British and German troops.[10] It portrays a British and a German soldier, both played by McCartney, who meet up in No Man`s Land and exchange photos of their loved ones while other soldiers fraternise and play football. When a shell blast forces the two armies to retreat to their own trenches both men realise that they still have each other`s pictures.[11] The video was produced by Hugh Symonds, featured more than 100 extras and, for added realism, McCartney had his hair cut short especially for the shoot.

In November 2014, the British supermarket chain Sainsbury`s, in partnership with the Royal British Legion, produced a Christmas advert[12] whose look and narrative were widely recognised[13] as being based on McCartney`s "Pipes of Peace" video. As in "Pipes of Peace" the British and German soldier return to their trenches to discover that they have inadvertently swapped their gifts from home.

Personnel

• Paul McCartney – vocals, bass, piano, synthesizer, knee-percussion, drums, orchestra arrangements
• Linda McCartney – backing vocals
• Eric Stewart – backing vocals
• Adrian Brett – pan flute
• David Bone - Keys
• James Kippen – tabla[14]
• Pestalozzi Children Choir – choir

Cover versions

Argentine singer-songwriter Sergio Denis recorded a Spanish version of the song re-titled "Pipas de la paz" on his album La Humanidad (1984).

In 2017, the American indie pop band Muna covered the song for Capitol Music Group’s compilation Holidays Rule Vol. 2.[15][16]

See also

• List of anti-war songs