Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder » Tracks
Ebony And Ivory (3:42)
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“Ebony and Ivory” is a 1982 number-one single by Paul McCartney, performed with Stevie Wonder. It was released on March 29 of that year. The song is featured on McCartney’s album Tug of War as well as several of Wonder’s Greatest Hits albums. The song reached number one on both the UK and the US charts in 1982.
At the simplest level, the song is about the ebony (black) and ivory (white) keys on a piano, but also deals with integration and racial harmony on a deeper level. The title was inspired by McCartney hearing Spike Milligan say “black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!”. The figure is much older. It was popularized by James Aggrey in the 1920s, inspiring the title of the pan-African journal The Keys, but was in use from at least the 1840s.
Although written by McCartney alone, the song was performed live in the studio by both McCartney and Wonder, though due to conflicting work schedules, both recorded their parts for the song’s music video separately (as explained by McCartney in his commentary for The McCartney Years 3-dvd boxed set).
“Ebony and Ivory” spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the fourth-biggest hit of 1982. For McCartney, the song’s run atop the chart was the longest of any of his post-Beatles works, and second longest career-wise (behind “Hey Jude” with The Beatles); for Wonder, it was his longest-running chart-topper. The song also spent five weeks atop the adult contemporary chart.
At the simplest level, the song is about the ebony (black) and ivory (white) keys on a piano, but also deals with integration and racial harmony on a deeper level. The title was inspired by McCartney hearing Spike Milligan say “black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!”. The figure is much older. It was popularized by James Aggrey in the 1920s, inspiring the title of the pan-African journal The Keys, but was in use from at least the 1840s.
Although written by McCartney alone, the song was performed live in the studio by both McCartney and Wonder, though due to conflicting work schedules, both recorded their parts for the song’s music video separately (as explained by McCartney in his commentary for The McCartney Years 3-dvd boxed set).
“Ebony and Ivory” spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the fourth-biggest hit of 1982. For McCartney, the song’s run atop the chart was the longest of any of his post-Beatles works, and second longest career-wise (behind “Hey Jude” with The Beatles); for Wonder, it was his longest-running chart-topper. The song also spent five weeks atop the adult contemporary chart.
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Shouts
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Pellkoppf wrote:
ღ ♫ღ
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snuggles1966 wrote:
classic n perfect love itxxxxxxxxxxxx
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pinknblu wrote:
A simple and yet wonderful song about harmony.
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slushie360 wrote:
my best childhood friend and i used to sing this eachother...lol
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natu26 wrote:
I feel so innocent, right now.
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tyrhandske wrote:
I love this song.
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SilAlcantara wrote:
I love love this!!
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MAX650071 wrote:
Sos fenomenos cantantado un tema magnifico!!!¡¡¡
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coanta wrote:
magnific!
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Retro_Saiyan wrote:
Nice.
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SilAlcantara wrote:
Maravilhosa!!
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GipsyInstrument wrote:
Why did I have to miss the wonder years?
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whistledog wrote:
oooh yeeees!
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Romaingautie wrote:
C'est vraiment une chanson calme, qui s'eccouterait en boucle =)
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bAzTNM wrote:
Classic!
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gag_hiyokko wrote:
Sound of spring of '82.Guilty pleasure, please.
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JakeJustice wrote:
perfect!
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