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Released in 1982

Dress Me Up As A Robber

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on May 9, 2020

Album This song officially appears on the Tug Of War Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1982

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1977, when Paul McCartney was 35 years old)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interview

“Dress Me Up As A Robber” is a song from 1982 album “Tug Of War“. Like “The Pound Of Sinking” on the same album, it was written in 1977.

From an interview with Club Sandwich, 1982:

Andy Mackay – “Dress Me Up as a Robber” – is that the one you were talking about that sounds Steve Gaddish?

Paul – Yes, I think that does sound Steve Gaddish in its rhythm, but it’s a kinda Latin thing that Steve would do anyway. We did it in Montserrat where we had different people at different times, you know. Dave Mattacks was there drumming on certain tracks and then we was returned to England and nearly overlapping him was Steve Gadd, to kinda take over. And I think for me, I always say today, I can hear him sort of anticipating Steve’s arrival and sort of thinking about this. He plays a bit Steve Gadd-y style, which is nice actually, it makes a nice change for us. It sort of keeps a bit of a continuity rather than it just being everyone’s very different, they kind of assimilated a bit to each other, sort of thing.

Andy – Are the words anything of great significance?

Paul – Dressed up as a robber — the words are just kinda words, they just came about. You can do whatever you like to me, you can call me what you like. but I’ll still be what I am; you can dress me up as a sailor, a robber, a soldier, but it really won’t matter, I will still be me. If you dress me up as a soldier I will be the little fellow who goes to Northern Ireland and writes a book about the horrors of it — I won’t be a soldier really, or you know what I mean, that kind of thought.

Lyrics

Well you can dress me up as a robber

But I won't be in disguise

Only love is a robber

And he lives within your eyes

Ooh, ooh eee ooh

You can dress me up as a sailor

But I'll never run to sea

As long as your love is available to me

What do I do with a sea of blue?

Ooh, eee ooh

Dressing me up

It doesn't make a difference

What you want to do

Whichever way you look at it

I'm still in love with you

If we go on forever

I may never make a change

Dressing me up

And if I don't convince you

You needn't look too far

To see that I'm not lying

‘cos I love you the way you are

And what's the point of changing

When I'm happy as I am?

Well you can dress me up as a soldier

But I wouldn't know what for

I was the one that told you he loved you

Don't wanna go to another war

No, no, no

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Dress Me Up As A Robber”

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

Going further

The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present

"Dress Me Up As A Robber" is one of the songs featured in the book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present," published in 2021. The book explores Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, his time with the Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. It pairs the lyrics of 154 of his songs with his first-person commentary on the circumstances of their creation, the inspirations behind them, and his current thoughts on them.

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Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.

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