Paul McCartney Shares Demo From ‘Flowers in the Dirt’ Reissue

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Paul McCartney’s Flowers in the Dirt Archive Collection release

Paul McCartney’s 1989 Flowers in the Dirt album received the deluxe treatment March 24, with a multi-format upgrade from MPL/Capitol/UMe. The album, which reached #21 in Billboard, is the 10th release in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection.

Today (May 4), Elvis Costello shared the audio of the “Back on My Feet” demo, a composition he co-wrote with McCartney. Have a listen below. (It’s also available as a free download at Sir Paul’s website.

The reissue also arrived with a video to walk you through all the bells and whistles. (Watch it below including a new video for “My Brave Face.”)

McCartney recently recalled working with Elvis Costello on the album: “I was looking for someone to work with, trying to think of something imaginative to do and one day my manager said, ‘Do you fancy writing with Elvis Costello? It might be a great thing.’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He (Elvis) came down to my studio and we sat opposite each other with our guitars because I had said to him early on that this is how I’d written with John, with me being left handed and him being right handed, it was almost like looking in a mirror. We did virtually what John and I did which was just make up a song a day.”

Nominated for both BRIT and Grammy Awards, Flowers in the Dirt saw McCartney team up with Elvis Costello to co-write a third of the album (“My Brave Face,” “You Want Her Too,” “Don’t Be Careless Love” and “That Day is Done”) and included production credits from Mitchell Froom, Trevor Horn, David Foster, Steve Lipson, Elvis Costello and McCartney himself. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour makes an appearance on “We Got Married” and George Martin created the string arrangement on “Put It There.”

In addition to its audio and video content, exclusive features of the Deluxe Edition include a 32-page notebook of Paul’s handwritten lyrics and notes, a catalog for Linda McCartney’s 1989 Flowers in the Dirt photo exhibition, a 64-page photo book featuring the music videos for “This One” and a custom-created 112-page book telling the complete story of the album through exclusive in-depth interviews with McCartney, Costello and other key contributors. Along with expanded track-by-track information, the book contains album and single artwork as well as previously unpublished photographs by Linda McCartney. (Order the Deluxe Edition here.)

Listen to the demo for “Back on My Feet”…

Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney (Photo by Linda McCartney)

According to a press release, sessions for Flowers in the Dirt began in 1987 and the majority of the album was recorded at McCartney’s Hog Hill Mill studio in East Sussex. During the sessions Costello convinced McCartney to dig out his iconic Hofner bass for the first time in years—a suggestion McCartney recalls in the press release as “unusual because I had sort of parked it. I had thought I had outgrown it. I started playing it again and never really looked back. It’s great that Elvis encouraged me to take it out.”

Original 1989 sales poster for Flowers in the Dirt

The original 13-track album was remastered for all the new configurations at Abbey Road Studios. The Deluxe Edition contains 18 bonus audio tracks across two discs, featuring previously unreleased demos, written and performed by McCartney with Costello. The Deluxe Edition also includes, as digital downloads only, three unheard cassette demos: “I Don’t Want to Confess,” “Shallow Grave” and “Mistress and Maid.”

The DVD that comes with the Deluxe Edition includes all the music videos from the album, three new short films with unseen archive material that show some of the creation process of the album and the documentary Put It There, originally released on VHS in 1989, a behind the scenes look at the making of Flowers in the Dirt as well as featuring live performances from his 1989 world tour.

The 2-CD Special Edition includes the remastered version of the album on the first disc. The second disc includes McCartney and Costello’s previously unreleased original demos. (Order it here.)

The 2-LP edition also comes with a digital download version. The first LP includes the remastered album but in keeping with the original vinyl release doesn’t include “Où Est Le Soleil?” (this track will be available with the accompanying digital download). The second LP includes McCartney and Costello’s previously unreleased original demos. (Order it here.)

Scroll down for the brand new “My Brave Face” video.

Full Format Information/Tracklisting

SPECIAL EDITION (3CD/1DVD)

DISC 1:
My Brave Face (2017 Remaster)
Rough Ride (2017 Remaster)
You Want Her Too (2017 Remaster)
Distractions (2017 Remaster)
We Got Married (2017 Remaster)
Put It There (2017 Remaster)
Figure Of Eight (2017 Remaster)
This One (2017 Remaster)
Don’t Be Careless Love (2017 Remaster)
That Day Is Done (2017 Remaster)
How Many People (2017 Remaster)
Motor Of Love (2017 Remaster)
Où Est Le Soleil? (2017 Remaster)

DISC 2:
The Lovers That Never Were (Original Demo)
Tommy’s Coming Home (Original Demo)
Twenty Fine Fingers (Original Demo)
So Like Candy (Original Demo)
You Want Her Too (Original Demo)
That Day Is Done (Original Demo)
Don’t Be Careless Love (Original Demo)
My Brave Face (Original Demo)
Playboy To A Man (Original Demo)

DISC 3:
The Lovers That Never Were (1988 Demo)
Tommy’s Coming Home (1988 Demo)
Twenty Fine Fingers (1988 Demo)
So Like Candy (1988 Demo)
You Want Her Too (1988 Demo)
That Day Is Done (1988 Demo)
Don’t Be Careless Love (1988 Demo)
My Brave Face (1988 Demo)
Playboy To A Man (1988 Demo)

DVD

Music Videos:
My Brave Face
My Brave Face (Version 2)
This One (Version 1)
This One (Version 2)
Figure Of Eight
Party Party
Où Est Le Soleil?
Put It There
Distractions
We Got Married
Creating Flowers in the Dirt:
Paul And Elvis
Buds In The Studio
The Making Of ‘This One’
(The Dean Chamberlain One)
Put it There:
Put It There Documentary

Watch the new “My Brave Face” video…

DOWNLOAD ONLY:

Original B-sides, remixes and single edits:
Back On My Feet
Flying To My Home
The First Stone
Good Sign
This One (Club Lovejoys Mix)
Figure Of Eight (12″ Bob Clearmountain Mix)
Loveliest Thing
Où Est Le Soleil? (12″ Mix)
Où Est Le Soleil? (Tub Dub Mix)
Où Est Le Soleil? (7″ Mix)
Où Est Le Soleil? (Instrumental)
Party Party (Original Mix)
Party Party (Club Mix)

Cassette demos:
I Don’t Want To Confess
Shallow Grave
Mistress And Maid

SPECIAL EDITION (2CD)

VINYL (2LP)

Side 1:
My Brave Face (2017 Remaster)
Rough Ride (2017 Remaster)
You Want Her Too (2017 Remaster)
Distractions (2017 Remaster)
We Got Married (2017 Remaster)
Put It There (2017 Remaster)
Figure Of Eight (2017 Remaster)
This One (2017 Remaster)
Don’t Be Careless Love (2017 Remaster)
That Day Is Done (2017 Remaster)
How Many People (2017 Remaster)
Motor Of Love (2017 Remaster)
Où Est Le Soleil? (2017 Remaster) (**not on vinyl, this track will be available with the accompanying digital download).

Side 2:
The Lovers That Never Were (Original Demo)
Tommy’s Coming Home (Original Demo)
Twenty Fine Fingers (Original Demo)
So Like Candy (Original Demo)
You Want Her Too (Original Demo)
That Day Is Done (Original Demo)
Don’t Be Careless Love (Original Demo)
My Brave Face (Original Demo)
Playboy To A Man (Original Demo)

Watch a video for “My Brave Face” with EC…