Run Devil Run

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Run Devil Run is an album of mostly obscure 1950's rock and roll songs recorded and released by Paul McCartney in 1999. As his first project following first wife Linda's death in 1998, McCartney felt the need to get back to his roots and perform some of the music he loved as a teenager. On December 14, 1999, Paul McCartney returned to the Cavern Club stage to play a set publicising the new Run Devil Run album.

Wanting to keep things fresh, a lesson he had learned from his experiences working on The Beatles Anthology project and put to perfect use on Flaming Pie, McCartney planned to cut the album as quickly as possible in order to capture the excitement of a live-in-the-studio performance, much like The Beatles had recorded many of their early songs. Asking Back to the Egg co-producer Chris Thomas to reprise that role again, McCartney booked time in Abbey Road Studios in early March to undertake his quest. Wanting to work with reliable and empathetic musicians, he called up Pink Floyd's David Gilmour to play guitar (having already worked with McCartney going back to the Dark Side of the Moon sessions where McCartney recorded some voice-overs which were not used), as well as Mick Green, Pete Wingfield on keyboards, and on drums Ian Paice and Dave Mattacks. McCartney, naturally, played bass although he did appear on electric guitar in some instances. After a few more sessions in April and May, the album—featuring three new McCartney songs among the old classics—was complete.

The title Run Devil Run was inspired by a herbal medicine shop in Atlanta with products by that very name (the picture modifies the actual Rexall drugs sign). It appealed to McCartney as a great title for a rock and roll song, which he duly composed. This storefront at 87 Broad St, is the only recognizable place pictured on any of his many album covers.

Released in October, Run Devil Run, a sort of second stab at CHOBA B CCCP, received rave reviews and performed respectably, reaching #12 in the UK and #27 in the US. A special limited edition of the album, featuring a bonus interview disc, was simultaneously released, as was the double A-Side single "No Other Baby"/"Brown Eyed Handsome Man" (including a special mono version) with the exclusive B-Side "Fabulous", which reached #42 in the UK.

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