Chaos and Creation in the Backyard

McCartney said that the song "Friends to Go" is influenced by, and dedicated to, George Harrison. ==Production==

Upon being asked to produce an album with McCartney, Godrich admitted, "My initial reaction was one of terror, not only because it's a very important person, but I really wasn't sure how willing he would be to get his hands dirty." The two tentatively began a collaboration, recording the songs "This Never Happened Before" and "Follow Me" which was enough to convince both of them that they could develop an album. Godrich's participation was active: he inspired McCartney to write the song "At the Mercy", added piano loops on "How Kind of You" and worked with McCartney to slow the tempo of "Riding to Vanity Fair" which McCartney says "changed the mood completely". According to McCartney, Godrich was at times blunt in his appraisal of McCartney's songs-in-progress during the making of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard: :Nigel... refused to allow me to sing songs that he didn't like, which was very cheeky of him. ==Recording==

Recording sessions for the album covered a period of some 18 months, with many pauses. First sessions were held at RAK Studios, London in September 2003 by McCartney and his band. After a few takes, Godrich said to McCartney he wanted to work with him alone, not involving the band. After some months' break, sessions resumed at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles in April 2004, with more sessions in September. Final recordings took place at AIR Studios, London in April 2005. ==Artwork==

The cover for Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is from a photograph of McCartney strumming a guitar in his family's back yard in Liverpool, taken by his brother Mike McCartney (aka Mike McGear) and originally titled Paul Under Washing, before being retitled ''Our Kid Through Mum's Net Curtains''. ==Release and promotion==

The first single, the upbeat "Fine Line", was released in late August 2005, ahead of the release of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, and reached No. 20 in the UK. A second single, "Jenny Wren", reached No. 22 in the UK that November. "Fine Line" and "Jenny Wren" appeared on singles with their running time shortened. The singles also included five non-album b-sides: "Comfort of Love", "Growing Up Falling Down" ("Fine Line"), "Summer of '59" (vinyl edition of "Jenny Wren"), "This Loving Game" and "I Want You to Fly" (CD edition of "Jenny Wren"). The Japanese CD release of the album included the song "She Is So Beautiful". The song was also offered as a free download in Windows Media Audio format to US customers who purchased the CD at Target stores. Other bonus downloadable songs were made available to people who bought the CD at certain other stores, such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart. PaulMcCartney.com offered an exclusive download of the live version of "Jenny Wren". The 'US' Tour in 2005 helped to promote the album in the US and Canada. There was also a promotional concert for the album held at Abbey Road Studios, called Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road. During the show McCartney played acoustic versions of various songs, demonstrated some instruments and told stories. At the end he and the audience recorded a short track together. The album was reissued in 2018 on vinyl in black and gold editions. ==Reception==

At Metacritic, the album holds an average Metascore of 78 out of 100, based on 19 reviews, which indicates a generally favourable reception. In The New York Times, Jon Pareles wrote that McCartney's return to a multi-instrumentalist role "makes the songs more intimate and less conventional", while remarking of the project: "Sir Paul chose a producer who favored the experimental side: Nigel Godrich … Sir Paul also lined up his best backup band since the Beatles: himself." In the US, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 91,545 copies. It stayed on chart for a total of 21 weeks, selling over 530,000 copies up to 2007. In the UK, the album peaked at No. 10 with cumulative sales of around 45,000 units. According to the annual report published by EMI, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard had sold 1.3 million copies worldwide by the end of March 2006. ==Track listing==

Special edition DVD • "Between Chaos and Creation" – Documentary (30 mins) • "Fine Line" – Studio Performance Video (4 mins) • "Line Art" – 12 Minute Animated Film – drawings by the artist Brian Clarke. Animation by Momoco. (Includes 3 instrumental tracks: "Riding To Vanity Fair", "At the Mercy" and "Anyway"). • "How Kind of You" – DVD Menu (5 mins) • Executive producer: Paul McCartney • Director and editor: Simon Hilton • Producer: James Chads • Production company: Maguffin • DVD mastering: Abbey Road Interactive ==Personnel==

Personnel per booklet. Musicians • Paul McCartney – acoustic guitar, autoharp, Baldwin spinet, bass guitar, cello, classical guitar, drums, drum machine, electric guitar, electric piano, flugelhorn, gong, güiro, harmonium, acoustic guitar loops, maracas, melodica, moog synthesizer, B3 organ, tambourine on snare, recorders, tubular bells, 12 string guitar, tambourine, triangle, toy glockenspiel, percussion, piano, vibrachimes, violin, vocals, woodblock. • Millennia Ensemble – strings, brass instrument • Joby Talbot – string arrangement, conducting, brass arrangement • Nigel Godrich – piano and Epiphone acoustic guitar loops • Pedro Eustache – duduk • Jason Falkner – electric guitar, classical guitar • James Gadson – drums • Joey Waronker – bass drum, bongos, shaker • The Los Angeles Music Players – strings • David Campbell – string arrangement • Rusty Anderson – acoustic guitar • Brian Ray – acoustic guitar • Abe Laboriel Jr. – percussion, block, tambourine Production • Nigel Godrich – producer • Dan Grech-Marguerat – production assistant • Darrell Thorp – engineer • Alan Yoshida – mastering • Photo of Paul Mccartney taken by Mike McCartney, Paul's brother – cover • Brian Clarke – inlay • Bill Bernstein – back cover • Paul McCartney, Stylorouge London – art direction ==Session information==

Recording dates per The Paul McCartney Project Fine Line • Recorded – AIR Studios, London, September 2004 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Baldwin Spinet, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Shakers, Tambourine • Millennia Ensemble – Strings • Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement How Kind of You • Recorded – AIR Studios, London, April 2005 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Flugelhorn, Shaker, Guerrero, Ludwig Drums, Piano and Epiphone Acoustic Guitar Loops • Nigel Godrich – Piano and Epiphone Acoustic Guitar Loops Jenny Wren • Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., October 2004 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Epiphone Texan Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Floor Tom • Pedro Eustache – Duduk At the Mercy • Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., AIR Studios, London, April and September 2004 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Steinway Grand Piano, Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Cello, Mass Vibrachimes, Tambourine, B3 Organ • Jason Falkner – Electric Guitar • James Gadson – Drums • Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass • Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement Friends to Go • Recorded – AIR Studios, London, April 2005 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Tambourine on Snare, Flugelhorn, Hohner Melodica, Shakers English Tea • Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., AIR Studios, London, April 2005 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Ludwig Bass Drum, Recorders, Tubular Bells • Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass • Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement Too Much Rain • Recorded – AIR Studios, London, September 2004 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Martin 12-String Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Schmidt Autoharp, Ludwig Drums, Maracas A Certain Softness • Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., April 2004 • Paul McCartney – Vocal, Petersen Classical Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Crown Upright Piano, Harmonium, Paiste Gong, Cymbal, Triangle • Jason Falkner – Classical Guitar • Joey Waronker – Bass Drum, Bongo Drums, Shaker Riding to Vanity Fair • Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., Spring, 2004, and AIR Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Toy Glockenspiel, Wurlitzer Electric Piano • Los Angeles Music Players – Strings • David Campbell – Arrangement • James Gadson – Drums Follow Me • Recorded – RAK Studios, London, September 2003 and April 2005 (overdubs) • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Epiphone Texan Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Percussion, Block, Tambourine • Rusty Anderson – Acoustic Guitar • Brian Ray – Acoustic Guitar • Abe Laboriel Jnr – Percussion, Block, Tambourine • Millennia Ensemble – Strings • Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement Promise to You Girl • Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., November 2004 • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Crown Upright Piano, Steinway Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Moog Synthesizer, Tambourine, Triangle, Shaker This Never Happened Before • Recorded – RAK Studios, London, September 2003 and April 2005 (overdubs) • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Yamaha Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Drum Machine • Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass • Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement Anyway • Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., AIR Studios, London, November 2004 and April 2005 (overdubs) • Paul McCartney – Vocals, Steinway Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Gibson L5 Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Moog Synthesizer, Harmonium • Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass • Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement == Accolades ==

Weekly charts Year-end charts == Certifications and sales ==