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We All Stand Together
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Wikipedia article
in Canterbury, Kent
"'We All Stand Together'" (sometimes referred to as the 'Frog Song' or the 'Frog Chorus') is a song by Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus.
History
"We All Stand Together" is from the animated film 'Rupert and the Frog Song' and reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in 1984.
The "Frog Chorus" backing on the song was provided by The King's Singers and the choir of St Paul's Cathedral. The "flute-playing frog" was Elena Durn. The B-side of the single contains a "Humming Version" of the song performed by the Finchley Frogettes.
The song re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 1985, one of three hits to do so that had originally charted in December 1984. ("Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid and "Last Christmas" by Wham! were the other two.)
Although intended purely as a children's song in the mould of the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine", "We All Stand Together" is sometimes derided as an example of McCartney's inconsequential songwriting by his critics. In a satirical cartoon by Stephen Collins of 'The Guardian' in 2012, McCartney is shown recalling his creative partnership with John Lennon in the 1960s, before concluding: "It was a great time, y'know ... And then I went on to do The Frog Song." Far Out Magazine hold an opposing view: "This was a composer of great invention, attack and certainty, and We All Stand Together is as important an addition to the canon as anything he wrote in The Beatles or Wings."
Personnel
*Paul McCartney lead and backing vocals, arranger
*The King's Singers and the choir of St Paul's Cathedral backing vocals
*George Martin arranger
*Elena Durn flute
*Kenneth Sillito orchestral arrangement
*Geoff Emerick engineer
Release
Two shaped picture discs were issued on the 12 November 1984 and 1985, the only difference being a plain clear sleeve on the later version. In 1987, the song was included on the UK/Canada version of McCartney's compilation album 'All the Best!' It also appears on the deluxe edition of his 2016 compilation album 'Pure McCartney'. In October 2020, for the 100th anniversary of the Rupert character, the single was remastered for streaming and a vinyl re-release of the picture disc, alongside a 4K restoration of the accompanying short.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Choirs with Purpose version
In 2017, Choirs with Purpose, a collection of a dozen charity choirs, assembled for a remake of "We All Stand Together". Their recording features Scottish singer Michelle McManus in a bid to top the UK Singles Chart Christmas chart and win the coveted British Christmas number one for 2017; it failed to make the top 100. Profits from the single were split equally between the participating choirs in aid of their own charity work.
The choirs that took part in the recording with McManus include:
*Anstee Bridge Choir
*Cystic Fibrosis Virtual Choir
*Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation Choir
*Games Maker Choir
*Homelink Carers Choir
*Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir
*Lucy Lintott / MND Scotland Choir
*Maggies Cancer Centre (West London) Choir
*Missing People Choir
*Parrs Wood High School Harmony Group
*Pop Up Purpose Choir
*UK Hospices Choir
References
Category:1984 songs
Category:Paul McCartney songs
Category:Songs written by Paul McCartney
Category:Rupert Bear
Category:Music published by MPL Music Publishing
Category:English children's songs
Category:Songs written for films
Category:Songs about comics
Category:Song recordings produced by George Martin
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