PAUL MCCARTNEY "PIPES OF PEACE" (1983)
By Mark Nobes
Pipes of Peace was #1 for two weeks in the UK in January 1984. Taken from the album of the same name, the song was released as a b-side to So Bad
in the US.
So what was the subject matter of the song? It was about the Christmas truce between German and British Troops during 1914 in the first World War. The video was filmed at Chobham Common in Surrey, and both the German and British soldier are played by McCartney. As they exchange photos of their loved ones, other soldiers form a friendship and play football together.
The single was actually McCartney's only solo single to reach #1. But let's not forget that he had seventeen #1 singles with the Beatles and a #1 with "Ebony and Ivory", which he sang as a duet with Stevie Wonder.
McCartney's previous hit single Say, Say, Say which was a duet with Michael Jackson also featured on the Pipes of Peace album.

Pipes Of Peace - Vinyl Single Sleeve
Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas
Benny Hill - Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)
Boney M - Little Drummer Boy
Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas
David Essex - A Winter's Tale
Elton John - Cold As Christmas
Frank Kelly - Christmas Countdown
Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas
Holly & The Ivy's - Christmas On 45
John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is Over)
Johnny Mathis - When A Child Is Born
Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
Keith Harris & Orville - Orville's Song
Mel & Kim - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime
Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind
Pretenders - 2000 Miles
Santa Claus & The Christmas Trees - Singalong-A-Christmas
Shakin' Stevens - Blue Christmas
Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone
Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
The Futureheads - Christmas Was Better in the 80s
The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York
The Snowmen - Hokey Cokey
The Wombles - Wombling Merry Christmas
Wham - Last Christmas
Wings - Mull Of Kintyre
Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday