Tug of War (Paul McCartney album) for "Rolling Stone", music critic Stephen Holden hailed "Tug of War" as "the masterpiece everyone has always known Paul McCartney could make", and particularly admired its vivid music and consistent songwriting. Robert Palmer was less enthusiastic in his review for "The New York Times" and found the album "exquisitely crafted though lyrically flawed", as he thought McCartney's lyrics were often "cliched or mawkish", but that the album "at its best, is as finely crafted as his work with the Beatles". In March 1982, McCartney's duet with Stevie Wonder, "Ebony and Ivory", was released to considerable commercial success, reaching number one
Paul McCartney and Wings all-star collection of musicians in London in aid of UNICEF and Kampuchean refugees. Also during this tour, a live version of the "McCartney II" track "Coming Up" was recorded in Glasgow and became Wings' sixth US number one hit the following year. Paul McCartney and his family arrived in Japan on 16 January 1980 for the planned eleven-date Wings' concert tour of Japan (due to visit Budokan Hall, Tokyo from 21 to 24 January 1980; Aichi-Ken, Taiiku-Kan, Nagoya on 25–26; Festival Hall, Osaka on 28; Osaka Furitsu-Kan, Osaka on 29; Budokan Hall, Tokyo from 31 January to 2 February 1980).