Paul & Linda McCartney’s Ram Revisited

The bold and creative album from 1971 which crtics savaged at the time. The public bought it and it topped the charts in the US, reaching No 2 in the UK and is now highly regarded by most if not all music lovers.

[@candelise]

Thank you for the review of the Ram album and it's good to know that you have been reading the McCartney book, at last!.

[@kekeboj8476]

Ram is my absolute favourite of all McCartney albums

[@reliablebow]

Top ten album of alltyme.

[@latinhellas6383]

To my ears, both Ram and Band On The Run are masterpieces. The song Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey is one of my earliest childhood memories. I love all The Beatles equally, but objectively Paul was/is the most prolific songwriter and versatile musician even if we stop counting at the end of 1980.

[@Straw65]

I love RAM......!!!!! I don't care what anybody thinks of RAM it resinates with me.

[@matthewmedley8532]

Yes absolute classic.

[@juliahartley-barnes975]

I absolutely love RAM and Wild Life. My 71 yr old father raised me on 60’s and early 70’s music with emphasis on The Beatles and their solo works. I'm 34 now and RAM/WILD LIFE are on my turntable weekly. George’s piss poor attitude was something my dad told me about and when I saw Get Back I witnessed just how jealous he was of John and Paul. He was petty in many ways. My dad admitted that most of his peers passed on Wild Life for 25+ years, but eventually found the profound genius in the album. Thanks for this excellent video, totally enjoyed it. Go RAM!!

[@magneto7930]

I bought Ram in the 70s. It's still one of my favorite albums!

[@benmeltzer]

Family is more important than politics. Paul's subject matter was less weighty, but more central to life. I was glad to see Neil Young talk about Paul's family life in glowing terms when inducting Paul into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He was right on point.

[@peterstone68]

outstanding album, his finest moment in my opinion...

[@ArmandoMPR]

This is my favorite post-Beatles album. It’s such a joy to experience.

[@karalyncarlton6151]

Thanks John. Always enjoy your takes on Beatles/Solo Beatles albums.

[@davecostello560]

Great review John, and so glad you loved Legacy as much as I did. Volume Two out later this year!

[@scapinapolotska1215]

10th December I believe

[@GonzoDuke]

I couldn't recommend that book enough. I purchased it last summer and found it quite the informative and pleasant read.

[@MyCovertNarcissism]

Fantastic video as always John, as soon as I'd finished, I popped on Amazon and ordered it. Excited to see that Vol 2 will be released in December.

[@stanedwards3731]

i love ram , album, since i first got it on release, , my fave paul, album, a masterpiece , i love the whole album

[@tyronewhitehead2737]

I carnt imagine what it was like been a Beatle then going on to do their own solo work just watching Get back and let it be and reading various books, and seeing footage I did have sympathy for George. Personally, I think all four did very well I do like their solo work but at the end of the day the magic was in the Beatles. Thankyou John.

[@MikeE_Fab4]

Thank you for revisiting RAM, John! RAM has always been at or near the top of favorite Beatles solo albums list. I turned 16 years old just as RAM was being released in mid-May 1971 and bought it immediately. Prior to RAM's being commercially released, WABC-AM (770) in New York City played the album in full (I assume it was the USA-only MONO mix) - that was the first time I ever heard the album. My friends and I loved RAM, and, I played it many, many times during the summer of 1971. [Carole King's TAPESTRY and Rod's EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY were also on my turntable a lot during Summer 1971] I like all songs on RAM, to varying degrees; I cannot say that I dislike any. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree with your assessment of "The Back Seat Of My Car", which I feel / believe is a masterpiece. (including George Martin's un-credited orchestration) However, I've always felt that its coda was unnecessary and that the final note (pre-coda) would have more effectively ended the album. But, then again, who am *I* to second guess Paul McCartney, eh?! Paul always envisioned the coda as the conclusion of that song, so, it is what it is. I'd have to say that RAM is my most-listened to Paul album (historically and currently), followed by BAND ON THE RUN, VENUS AND MARS, TUG OF WAR, FLOWERS IN THE DIRT, and, FLAMING PIE. I also bought the WILD LIFE album when it was initially released and loved it. WILD LIFE isn't "heavy" and wasn't groundbreaking, but, it's quite enjoyable to listen to. Cheers! Mike

[@denniswood1437]

Great revisit and overall analysis John, but I think "Back Seat of my Car" is a fine song & a quality production!

[@nervo6321]

RAM is the quintessential Macca album IMO.

[@keithrh7599]

A great favourite of mine from day one, have to agree re Long Haired Lady. I think I remember reading that Paul used the pseudonym Ramon in the early Beatles

[@petermcgarrymusicandflying]

I love George but he had a cranky side to him. The red Macca book is great I have it on audible.

[@candelise]

Hello John, I have been asking you to review this book since FOREVER!!. At last!

[@jamesboyce4000]

Sonically RAM is probably Paul's most interesting record and overall the songs are great. Also, Paul's vocals on RAM are arguably his best ever put to tape and so varied too! The muscianship on the album is fantastic especially Denny's drumming. I'm with you John Long Haired Lady is too long and the weakest track by far. Smile Away I can live with and the stoned madness of it all. Eat At Home I've never really cared for, seems out of place. Get On The Right Thing and Little Lamb Dragonfly would've made the album even stronger if they'd dumped Eat At Home or Long Haired Lady. The McCartney Legacy volume 2 is out in December and I can't wait for that.

[@jaylene.turner6524]

Great video,John!

[@aremedy4785]

Re album title and 'Ram On' song - Paul's early alias during Beatles days was Paul Ramone

[@UnderTheCovers1]

great review

[@adrianmist6681]

I first bought Ram when it was released, I was 16 and only owned a handful of albums at the time and as I was given the money to buy this album it was precious to me. I listened to Ram constantly and really loved it. 6 months later Imagine was released, I had just started work and so of course I rushed out and bought it. Imagine was an album that demanded that I should take a different view of Ram, here was an album packed with some of the best melodies that John has ever written, clear and consise arrangements and production and best of all, interesting and meaningful lyrics. I still listen to Ram and enjoy about 50% of it, what a pity it didn't include some of the other songs recorded during the sessions, like Get On The Right Thing, Little Lamb Dragonfly and A Love For You, it could have been a much better album.

[@ronster58]

Speaking of great books, “The Beatles and the Historians” by Erin Weber addresses much of the press’ anti-McCartney bias, you discuss here.

[@andrewmills509]

Great video and summary of Ram John, it’s one of my favourite albums from Paul, I think those three early albums that Paul did including this one McCartney and Wildlife have a very unique sound and perspective whilst Paul, was establishing himself as solo artist. I don’t think it wasn’t until RRS that the “Beatle Paul” started to come through in his music. It must of been a vey difficult period for Paul,with all the business and music criticism from his former band mates. Referencing his “granny music” etc I think,the sound in those first three albums were trying to distance himself from those criticisms hence the Unique sound IMHO. I was very surprised when you mentioned that John and Paul were having dinner together as early as 1971 during this period of turbulence in the Beatle relationships, it just goes to show that despite the animosity at the time there was still a deep friendship underlying it all.

[@xtstevie]

Hi John, Ram is without doubt Paul's greatest post Beatles album which has only gotten better as the years have flown by..... A special shout out to the Another Day single & it's b-side Oh Woman Oh Why which would have sat easily on any Beatles album.

[@Andy-hb3zp]

I like Band on the Run just as much if not more

[@JohnPLally]

Ditto

[@sharonevans6864]

As a thirteen year old fan when I received Ram I never compared it to his Beatles work because Paul always had such a varied writing style, he would write a Yesterday and then write Why Don't We Do It in the Road. I just thought it was a great album . Loved your video, take care.

[@markkeyton]

The rolling stone and the critics saw off this album . The listeners disagreed , the hardship pushed him on and may have been good for him . The others slowly faded away , it turned out we did see what he could do in a decade or two .

[@bassmanjez3842]

I had heard somewhere that the album was going to be called Ram On alluding to his early stage name before the Beatles of Paul Ramon. Do you buy that?

[@paulhaworth6399]

I’ve always loved Ram ( I bought it when it came out) . It was made during McCartneys best period IMO. (66-75) after Venus and Mars the percentage of songs I liked went down a bit. Every now and then he did show he could still make a 90% that I liked album eg Memory almost full ,Flaming Pie and Egypt Station ( with a few stinkers removed and the single added).

[@Bobmacca64]

' The anger doesn't last forever...' Unless you are called Roger Waters and David Gilmour, that is:) David's new solo album will even be released on Roger's birthday. Way to piss off your old mate right until the end:)

[@c.7610]

The anger in that case is pretty much all on Waters’s side, and has been for nearly 40 years.

[@mikeysaint4368]

Paul and Ram have been vindicated in the last couple of decades, with many agreeing that Ram is his masterpiece. Packed with melodies, ambition and variety, it's one of only three Beatles solo albums I rate as highly as their work as a group. Maybe Ram didn't go down well with the self proclaimed cool kids of the early 1970s, but as a fan of Led Zeppelin and Bowie, I find their work of that time sounds far more dated than this timeless album.

[@allanforrester2612]

The critics' response to both Ram and Anothrr Day shows really that contemporary reviews, whilst interesting, should never be taken as the last word on anything. Best to try to listen to anything with fresh ears, if possible. This also goes for contemporary negative reviews of, say, Dark Horse and Double Fantasy, neither of which are anything as bad as reviews at the time said.

[@EmileJoulbert]

It's the other way around: Ram got to #1 in Britain, but only #2 on Billboard - being kept off #1 by Carole King's Tapestry in late August 1971.

[@PhilJS67]

Wasn’t the reporter at Rolling Stone magazine told to rewrite his review as it was too positive? Rolling Stone was pro Lennon and very negative of McCartney.

[@jacketjim1]

A very deep, informative, interesting dive into Ram. It seems the layers continue to be peeled back on the relationships between the members of The Beatles, before the breakup and after. I’ve seen a number of pundits on KZbin talk about what a great song “Back Seat of My Car” is. I don’t get it. Was interested hearing your thoughts.

[@ijw2009]

I first got into the Beatles in the early 90s. I kept reading about how awful Ram was at the time so I didn't bother to get it or listen to it for quite a while. When I finally did I realised in fact it's great and one of his best. These days its often described as the first indie album and I quite like that description. Some of the tracks are fantastic and I regularly go back to listen to most of the tracks. I particularly like Dear Boy, Ram on and Uncle Albert, like you i'm not so keen however on Smile Away and Long-Haired Lady. I think Band on the Run is his best solo work, Ram though is a close number 2, Red Rose and McCartney for me joint 3rd with the rest some way back.

[@trevordixon1427]

Was watching your book review again.have you got .the dead straight guide to the beatles chris ingham? Thanks again!!

[@LapsangTe]

It's not one of my favourite albums by Paul, but it has a certain freshness about it that i like. The some goes for "Wild Life". One feels that he is really trying his wings (excuse the pun) after The Beatles. I agree that "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" is a masterpiece. it would have fitted perfectly on "Abbey Road".

[@trevordixon1427]

Monkberry moon is great?

[@martinmcgrath1985]

Yes it is yes

[@garyfowkes8794]

Great album & equal with ATMP as best Beatles solo albums

[@trevordixon1427]

John bared his soul.but paul maybe not?

[@wolfgangschafer8592]

I had been listening to the Beatles since 1964. But it was "Ram" that made me realize that it was McCartney who had made the band so musically unique and versatile. I found his predecessors "McCartney" and "Wild Life" frighteningly irrelevant. But with "Ram" he had found his old, great form again. In contrast to Lennon and Harrison, who always remained strangely one-dimensional musically as solo artists. And the critics - forget them.

[@craigphillips6308]

Sorry, but Wildlife came after Ram.

[@wolfgangschafer8592]

@@craigphillips6308 you are right of course, my fought.

[@SteveM-ly7oy]

John, I love your work. But please, could you do a review of an album from a band who were active in the 1980s or later? Just wondering if you have something in your record collection that is a bit different. Sometimes you just gotta move on.

[@ronfowlermusic]

hey man, there are plenty of channels reviewing all the hip 80s 90s 00s bands. I like John's channel just as it is.

[@petejp1]

I have always liked ram, it's loaded with excellent songs. I think it's far superior to mccartney's debut album.

[@stephenpharrison1124]

Interesting that Ram and Double Fantasy were both initially criticized for being too preoccupied with the domestic life of Paul and John respectively.

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

'Monumentally irrelevant' - surely that is one obvious oxymoron. Still Rolling Stone always excelled at having oxymorons in their magazine. One would think it was run by morons. I admit I too do not like Long Haired Lady.

[@seansmusicandstuff8876]

Why have you chosen to ignore the Let It Be documentary rerelease?

[@billmay7364]

RAM is my Favorite McCartney album. Is it his best ? No but I go back to it often . I like the early Solo work of all the Beatles . Band on the RUN is Paul's Best Overall.

[@michaeldaley5831]

It’s he’s best album.

[@fredericlatreille]

I totally agree .... "Smile Away" and "Long Haired Lady" are not very good song ... the 2lp version from the archives collection has better songs

[@christopherhahn6728]

Best album of 1971? Well, Who's Next is pretty tough to beat. Having said that, I could argue that Ram should get the brass ring because Who's Next didn't reach its full potential as Lifehouse so it feels unrealized.

[@paulhaworth6399]

In my eyes Ram was better than imagine. I’m afraid I probably would have done something similar to the photo of the two beetles on the album cover if I was in his position . I would imagine he was extremely hacked off with the other three and I doubt he was trying to be clever or funny.

[@schitzwatz]

Didn't Paul consider having his stage name as Paul RamOn in his early Beatle days?

[@rodneygriffin7666]

John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band crushes this album. Nonetheless, this is a perfect McCartney album for it's time. He would do better later. Imagine alone crushes this album. Sorry, soilly. McCartney is the last Beatle. The dream is over. I was born in 1965. I will be 59 years old. Wisdom is a blessing. Love is bliss.

[@ronfowlermusic]

Ringo is the last Beatle.

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

George had terrible insecurities about Paul and imo he treated McCartney terribly with his continual negativity, criticisms and whinging. I am trying not to let the more I learn about George effect my thoughts too much but it is becoming an increasingly difficult task. George seemed a happy Beatle in the first few years but he then increasingly became more and more like a sulking child upset with his older brothers having greater talents. George's debut solo was definitely a great work but after that he never found any great success or acclaim. John could be a hypocrite but also could be honest about his own faults. Paul could be domineering but then showed he could back off when things needed cooling down. George though just sulked and grizzled. When he created great material John and Paul included it and with 'Something' released it as a single. Frankly early on in the Beatles history George simply couldn't compete with the giants of John and Paul.

[@martinmcgrath1985]

FINALLY someone says it.. George matched them with all things must pass..something and here comes the sun..but never before or again!

[@TerryTutor-cv3hh]

George's hypocrisy and lack of gratitude was always staggering...We have all seen "Get Back"; There is a moment where George, at his most ungrateful, asks Lennon and McCartney that to get material for the projects Are we going to get better songwriters?"....To the guys who were the major reason he had his opulent lifestyle.....

[@ronster58]

Yep George could be a real Jealous Guy. Isn’t THAT a Pity?

[@danny1959]

George is my favorite Beatle. His solo stuff is seriously underrated.

[@josephblue4135]

Excellent review and all kinds of information > I never knew. Thank you 😊

[@erniericardo8140]

RAM is an okay album, but its No Masterpiece (or like some silly comment by someone calling it Abbey Road part Ii) - had Paul got rid of Long Haired Lady and Smile Away and put instead Another Day and Oh Woman Oh Why or Little Woman Love then it would be a really Great Album, and quite possibly a Masterpiece.

[@martinmcgrath1985]

George attacking wild life..no great album by any means but the garbage George later released it’s RICH coming from him.

[@ronster58]

I prefer “Wild Life” over the pious “ Living in the Material World.”

[@martinmcgrath1985]

@@ronster58 George is the least likeable Beatle I know that

[@ronfowlermusic]

what garbage is that?

[@allanforrester2612]

It's all a matter of personal taste, but I don't think anything released by any Fab can be dismissed as "garbage". Even the weakest albums have some merits, I would argue.

[@martinmcgrath1985]

@@allanforrester2612really? Have you never listened to extra texture? Dark horse?

[@Whytemonkee]

I almost consider RAM a Wings album

[@erniericardo8140]

Long Haired Lady is Awful, I always scratch my head when People call RAM a "Masterpiece", I even saw a silly comment by someone calling RAM Abbey Road part ll -??? Go figure - IMO its an okay album that had its moments, nothing more, nothing less.

[@stephenlegg262]

Ram would not even be in the top 50 best albums of 1971. As with Rod Stewart, bringing in session musicians is not always a good idea.

[@danny1959]

Self Portrait is miles better than McCartney, which IMHO is a sloppy underwritten mess. Ram is a much better album.

[@ronfowlermusic]

I like McCartney. It's unpretentious. Charming. Ram contains three of the worst tracks Paul's ever done. For that reason alone, I dock it three stars.

[@danny1959]

@@ronfowlermusic Horses for courses.

[@ronfowlermusic]

@@danny1959 how now brown cow

[@JimReid-cb8lx]

Waste of time that so called revisit.

[@ronfowlermusic]

I don't get the belated love for this album. It was trashed by the critics back in the day, now everyone calls it a masterpiece. There are some nice moments on it, but other parts I find unlistenable. Monkberry Moon Delight, I'm looking at you! Paul's worst vocal ever, stupid lyrics, it's just plain awful! Smile Away stinks like a pair of feet, it's supposed to rock, but it just lumbers along, more stupid lyrics and annoying backup vocals. 3 Legs might have been okay as a little filler piece, but it drags on and on - and it's only 3 minutes long! I made my own CDR, replacing those songs with Another Day and Oh Woman, Oh Why.