My first memory of listening to Paul's music is laying in the shade in the garden as a child in the 80s, listening to "Back Seat of my Car", "Heart of the Country" and "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey". Shortly after I found out about The Beatles, and my musical world exploded and was never the same. Exploring their catalogue and McCartney's solo work changed my life. The soundtrack of my childhood is composed by McCartney.
RAM was one of the most overlooked solo-Beatle albums for a long time, but the amount of craft and lyricism in RAM makes it one of the most interesting albums of all time imho. For instance, the recurring arpeggiated motive in "Monkberry Moon Delight" being thematically transformed throughout "Backseat of My Car" is pure genius. Also love the clever doublings of repeated notes between the piano & e. guitar in "Dear Boy". "Long Haired Lady" also makes just great use of Linda's voice and recapitulates the "Is this the only thing you want me for" material in the horns near the climax of the piece. RAM and Flaming Pie are my two faves of Macca's solo days.
Zac Lavender From my perspective, as well as my friends coming of age in the early 70's, RAM and albums from Carol King, CSN, Neil Young, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell were hugely played and to this day fondly appreciated. Your comment is well taken but for me makes me feel you missed what was going on back then. I couldn't afford these albums for many many years, so I remember first hand the immense radio airplay most of these songs got. RAM was hardly overlooked.
Whooooa that! What are you on about! It's just the best & I bought it in 1971 & no fancy talk Professor. It's full of Paul's Abbey medley skills & really it's not 12 songs just ONE song that uses both sides. Playing one track as a single doesn't work as they are all connected really & a lot of young fans are picking up Paul's extending plays with Another Day etc which have NOTHING to do with Ram & they think it & B side are Ram. NO NO NO! It's just the original 12 so called tracks, buy the vinyl is best. I bought a original used for £10 but also get the reissue. I rest my case..
Wow, wonderful musicological insight, I believe I know exactly what you're referring to in the arpeggiation, I would have never thought of that, I think Paul was an absolute genius like you said
I only regret this was just 11 minutes long... I was 13 when this came out.. I bought i.. and still have it. It is a masterpiece in my eye and ear. for nearly 50 years these songs have been a powerful part of my life. RAM is an amazing work. It is a shame that at the time most critics just did not get it, and yet I think it is some of the best work Paul ever did..
This album holds up so much better now than when it first came out. I think that's because everyone was ready to compare everything Paul was doing to his output as a Beatle and was not ready to accept and enjoy his artistry on its' own terms. Really, there were some great tunes on Ram and anyone should be happy with it should it have been part of their legacy! Great job Paul!
Agreed! in 1971, anything a "Beatle" put out was expected to be "The Beatles-PLUS". However, we fans did feel as though they put out a lot of crap just to destroy that expectation. But when they shone, they still SHONE.
I bought it in 1971 & my only critique is it's sound is on the brash side but the remix souper douper solved that with no damage. Love it. Alongside Elton J's Honky Château & Gilbert O's Himself my top fav early 70s LPs. Period.
Being obsessed with Lennon for 20 years I'm only now truly discovering the titanic talent of the other one. He's so bloody good, in fact, almost too good if there can be such a thing? God Bless Paul McCartney
Was 11 when this came out,older brother had the album and would listen to it over and over. To this day it’s my go to album . Every track brings me joy ❤
Paul has made many great post Beatle solo albums, but this is my favorite. This captures Paul in a moment in time. He's exposing himself in his way, as did John (Imagine, Plastic Ono Band) ,and George (All Things Must Pass). Just because Paul doesn't write a "coming to God (in any interpretation)" song as the others, it's just as special. If I had to guess, this was Paul channeling his influence from Brian Wilson. If the song "Dear Boy" is not a direct influence from Pet Sounds, or Smile I have deaf ears. Remember Paul crunched celery on BB's "Veg-tables".
thing is many songs on the All things must Pass were actually jammed with the Beatles as George presented his new material for the band but the songs were passed and dismissed by John and Paul...totally different albums ATMPass was a triple album a masterpiece called "the war and peace" of Rock by Rolling Stone magazine - RAM is a small fresh colourful lovable LP also my second favorite post Bleatles along George's Living in the Material World..but No 1 ATMPass...
7yrs on, BoR is not as brill as Ram. Wings changed his style & that's why Ram stands alone & forgotten but not by me. Now the flatterers are jumping on the bandwagon after being on McCartney III. It's a special album to the real lovers of it in '71 & I've nurtured it even Paul kicked it into touch with his new creation Wings.
On my top ten list. I distinctly remember listening to it all summer in 1971 on 8 track. I've owned vinyl, cassette, CD and still play it often. Linda's voice is an irreplaceable part of the sou d - it wouldn't be the same without her. To me it's one of the quintessential albums of the early 70's.
For me, RAM is the finest rock album ever made bar none! Better than Pepper, BOTR or anything else that came along since. This is Paul's 'Pet Sounds' Just listen to the vocal arrangements, orchestration and production. It is a masterpiece! How any critic could have slammed this at the time is beyond me! So here we are 50 years on and it still holds up today! Take a bow Mr Mcartney. You are a genius!
This is my favorite Paul McCartney album, so honest, so RAW, RAM, WAR! And Linda´s vocals are perfect in everyway. I specially love Monkberry Moon Delight and 3 Legs, Paul gave it all in here! genius! Too bad the album wasnt understood back then, but its a masterpiece!
I've always thought Paul's most underrated quality was his ability to write a real screaming rock track, i.e., "Saw Her Standing There", "Helter Skelter", "Why Don't We Do It In the Road", but in my opinion "Oh Woman, Oh Why" is perhaps the most underrated of them all. Major gem.
I think won this album, I won a couple Beatle albums as well. First one to call WIBG when they were about the last of the AM radio rock stations. I have the remastered CD, and still have the vinyl. Great album, and great documentary series.
Monkberry Moon Delight - fantastic. I'm ancient enough to have bought the LP in 1971 and have played it regularly ever since - it sounds better and better as the years pass !
I was 10 years old and got that album for my birthday. 1971, my parents having 5 kids, rough times for us, living in an apartment in So Cal. Mom caught me crying because I didn't get anything for my birthday, and prior to that, all us kids always got something, even if it was something small. Don't know where mom and dad got the money, but they took me down to the drug store, and of coarse, I picked this one. Some appreciated their gifts by putting them away for safe preservation, pulling it out with kid gloves once and awhile to listen to on special occasions. Me, I appreciated them by listening to my records with reckless abandon, including this one, over and over and over...As far as I know, my copy doesn't exist anymore, except in my mind.
Ram has been in my top favorite 20 albums from the get-go. I never knew, however, that it was a release by Paul AND Linda McCartney. Finding it out does not surprise me, since it has a very charming, homey feel to it. I kind of wondered if she did some of those backing vocals and now I guess I have my answer! Just a brilliant album all the way.
I inherited this album from one of my brothers and I played it a lot. There was just something odd about it that appealed to me, that difference between the professionalism of Paul's voice and the roughness of the playing. It seemed like there were secrets in its lyrics that I didn't understand as a teenager. It's still one of my favorite albums.
Its all very subjective but the beautiful sonic texture this album has throughout makes it one of my favorite albums...from the moody falsetto harmony in the verse of Too Many People to the mandolins and the amazing solo to the gritty folk blues of 3 legs,the melodic charm of Ram On, the urgent harmonys of Dear Boy- the Glibert OSulivan feel of Uncle Albert- the vocal range displayed on Monberry Moon Delight...all in all one of his finest efforts...
“RAM”, the originally misunderstood album masterpiece that was way ahead of its time and set the highest bar for all other Beatles as individuals and for Paul himself. In fact, its mastery was never matched, as much as all four continued to produce fine work. The article shared hereunder is smart and musically sensible enough to give “RAM” the musical justice it deserves. Here’s a mere extract but do access the full content in the link further below. It constitutes a precious and well deserved tribute to a marvelous feat as revolutionary as “Abbey Road” or “Sgt. Pepper”. “…. That attention to the guitar tones points to the larger beauty of Ram: the whole thing just sounds amazing, with a warmth and clarity rarely heard outside of jazz and classical recordings at that time. There is no mush, no desperate layered glue to cover flaws - everything is heard, and everything counts in these arrangements. The orchestral arrangements are, like those in The Beatles’ best work, integral to the instrumentation, rather than grafted on. “The Back Seat of My Car” is gloriously and goofily grandiose, with one of the biggest sounds I am aware of on record in the period, but it never seems to quite get away from itself…. Ram is highly relevant to these art forms, it simply didn’t show much interest in political culture as understood by the rock press of the time…. I think that just about any musician would be thrilled to have created something so beautiful and compelling….” www.culturesonar.com/ram-paul-mccartney/
RAM is up there with the great post-Beatles albums (All things must pass / Plastic Ono Band / Band on the Run), and in my opinion is not far off Beatles quality. Blows me away that this wasn't recognised as a good album on and after release, let alone one of the greatest! Also, 'Quite Well, Thank You' as a response to 'How Do You Sleep?' is absolutely hilarious, I wish he had made that song!
My favorite ex-Beatles album. In "The Making of McCartney," it says that he used Fender Telecaster and Epiphone (most likely his Casino) guitars. I wish he had talked a little about the guitars used on Ram. Ram has the GREATEST ELECTRIC GUITAR TONE EVER! Based on photos from that time, PM used a Gibson Non-Reverse Firebird VII for at least part of it. At 4:07, it looks like he has it plugged into a Fender Super Reverb amp. At 4:11, it looks like Hugh McCracken is using a Gibson ES 325. At 4:18, Dave Spinozza is playing a folk guitar, but I believe his electric guitar of choice was a Telecaster. Anyone have any info along these lines?
+gehbw I always got the impression that he wasn't much of a 'gearhead' per se. He'd just use whatever whenever, although I love the look of that Firebird. I think most of the lead guitar parts were split between McCracken and Spinozza anyway. I doubt that he played anything other than piano, acoustic and some pretty elementary electric rhythm parts. There used to be a site devoted to the album that had a lot of details about the recording of Ram, dates, times, personnel, gear, etc, but I can't find it any more. Top five album for me, for sure....
+gehbw I don't know anything more than you say about the guitars but I am glad you flag up the production qualities of Ram - yes, the guitars are superb. But so are the vocals - maybe the best vocals of his career - and the arrangements.
When it came out, I was a callow high school lad. I said, "Oh, nice, but not the Beatles." Some Mennonite neighbors thought it great. I heard some cuts on Buzzard Radio through the years, and then the internet made it widely accessible. One day about 15 years ago, a light bulb went on over my head. "That RAM album was pretty darn good." It's nice to see it get recognition 50 years later. And to remember Linda.
6 ปีที่แล้ว +1
Monkberry Moon Delight, still my favorite McCartney song EVER!
+Duff Baker agreed, Back to the Egg has 6 stellar songs and the album, conceptually, is amazing. I think the art direction is what makes people think it's a bomb, but honestly, one of my favorite Paul albums. So solid.
+Duff Baker - Couldn't agree more. BTTE is a much underrated album, especially it's "rock" style production compared with what came after in the 80's. Rock production fell off the edge of a cliff in 1980 as far as I'm concerned, and its corpse is still lying at the bottom.
Ram is my favorite album of all time and I know that it's many other people's favorite album of all time!! I'm in the process of doing my own cover version of it and I have been trying to reach out to McCartney for his approval...
I love this album. I found it while in college in the mid 80's and loved the feel of the songs. It felt like it was made at home. I still love it to this day.
A piece of music history......and as already mentioned, a truly great album.....chock full of original ideas and musicality. Taking the raw talent and personality of Linda......Paul mentions how working with a female voice was a new challenge....culminating in the mind boggling success of the Wings Over America tour some years later where Linda made a major contribution to the harmonies and vibe of each performance..... Coming so soon after the Beatles' break up.....the string arrangements touch the heart in a big way......
Ram and McCartney are my favorite Paul albums. All four of them did their best work in the 2 or 3 years after the mothership crashed and burned, A lot of the songs on Plastic Ono Band, Imagine, All Things Must Pass and even Ringo were written or at least started while the Beatles were still a functioning unit. None of them had enough good songs on their own to put together a consistently satisfying album, but the best songs on those albums would have made a couple of fine Beatle collections. The best 3 or 4 songs from Ram, the same from Imagine, a couple of George's from All Things Must Pass and one of Ringo's (like "I'm The Greatest") ...and you've got a worthy follow-up to Abbey Road.
Me too, Ram and MCCartney were my favourites Paul's albums but we must admit that Paul's albums since 1997 are quite great, innovative and consistent. Who can top this? A remarkable accomplishment.
It's so funny to me, when he says it seems better to him now than it seemed when he first recorded it. I always thought (and still do) that it was one of the most creative albums ever made. I loved it when it first came out and I still am amazed by it to this day. Just listen to "The back seat of my car" or "Smile away". If that isn't the work of a genius, then there is no such thing. By the way, Red Rose Speedway is also crazy good. You'll never see anybody ever again who is as good as Paul McCartney was when he was in his prime. The elements just aren't there anymore. It was a different time and a different space. When digital processing came along, it ruined the music business just as it eventually ruins everything else. You have to remember that the only thing digital in nature is your fingers. Digital computer technology is a completely man made phenomenon that eventually ruins every type of art form.
I love this album . Linda and Paul are the Best ! Love that girl ! Such a nice person to talk to. Linda thank you for Taking to me at the overseas terminal waiting for the gate to open in Philly after the May16th Wings over America . Keep Paul out of trouble ! Stay by his side 24 HRs a day ! Ok good 👐
.Paul inferred that "Too Many People" was an answer to "How Do You Sleep". But it actually was the other way around. "Ram" was released BEFORE John's "Imagine" album. In fact in the inner sleeve of the "Imagine" album, John had a picture of him fondling a pig, a parody of the picture in "Ram" where Paul fondled a ram.
Beatles were Brilliant, Paul and Linda were Brilliant, Wings was Brilliant. Literally anything McCartney set out to do was Brilliant. They great part of getting older is I have all the vinyl. 😊
This was Paul when he was unsure, insecure, and all he ever wanted to do is to make music. Then when he got really into Wings (from "Red Rose Speedway" and forwards), he began to make music to sell records. Some of it worked, and some didn't. I compare his first 3 solo albums ("McCartney", "Ram", "Wild Life") as Paul at his prime and most innocent and real, just like The Beatles first few albums. Nowadays, he makes records because he's bored, and it shows.
How could he do a documentary on "Ram" and not mention the biggest hit single from it "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"? Also, the way Paul says it it sounds like he thought "How Do You Sleep" came out before "Ram". Memory can be faulty sometimes.
best album solo by a beatles
Dimitri Bitu John Lennon mother album is pretty good
Robert Huges it's called John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Dimitri Bitu thanks man
put LENNON PLASTIC ONO BAND ,ALL THINGS MUST PAST and RINGO albums with RAM you get the best
Cloud Nine tho
My first memory of listening to Paul's music is laying in the shade in the garden as a child in the 80s, listening to "Back Seat of my Car", "Heart of the Country" and "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey". Shortly after I found out about The Beatles, and my musical world exploded and was never the same. Exploring their catalogue and McCartney's solo work changed my life. The soundtrack of my childhood is composed by McCartney.
RAM was one of the most overlooked solo-Beatle albums for a long time, but the amount of craft and lyricism in RAM makes it one of the most interesting albums of all time imho. For instance, the recurring arpeggiated motive in "Monkberry Moon Delight" being thematically transformed throughout "Backseat of My Car" is pure genius. Also love the clever doublings of repeated notes between the piano & e. guitar in "Dear Boy". "Long Haired Lady" also makes just great use of Linda's voice and recapitulates the "Is this the only thing you want me for" material in the horns near the climax of the piece.
RAM and Flaming Pie are my two faves of Macca's solo days.
Zac Lavender From my perspective, as well as my friends coming of age in the early 70's, RAM and albums from Carol King, CSN, Neil Young, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell were hugely played and to this day fondly appreciated. Your comment is well taken but for me makes me feel you missed what was going on back then. I couldn't afford these albums for many many years, so I remember first hand the immense radio airplay most of these songs got. RAM was hardly overlooked.
Whooooa that! What are you on about! It's just the best & I bought it in 1971 & no fancy talk Professor. It's full of Paul's Abbey medley skills & really it's not 12 songs just ONE song that uses both sides. Playing one track as a single doesn't work as they are all connected really & a lot of young fans are picking up Paul's extending plays with Another Day etc which have NOTHING to do with Ram & they think it & B side are Ram. NO NO NO! It's just the original 12 so called tracks, buy the vinyl is best. I bought a original used for £10 but also get the reissue. I rest my case..
Well I, for one, appreciate your comment Zac.
Wow, wonderful musicological insight, I believe I know exactly what you're referring to in the arpeggiation, I would have never thought of that, I think Paul was an absolute genius like you said
Excellent description of the mastery of RAM.
I only regret this was just 11 minutes long... I was 13 when this came out.. I bought i.. and still have it. It is a masterpiece in my eye and ear. for nearly 50 years these songs have been a powerful part of my life. RAM is an amazing work. It is a shame that at the time most critics just did not get it, and yet I think it is some of the best work Paul ever did..
I absolutely love Linda's vocals on RAM. Always have.
Me too!
Me too! Agree 👍🏻
Definitely ❤️ two fingers up to the people that put her down
McCartney's first (Bowl of Cherries) and second album Ram are some of his best work. Ram is one of my all time favorite albums!
This album holds up so much better now than when it first came out. I think that's because everyone was ready to compare everything Paul was doing to his output as a Beatle and was not ready to accept and enjoy his artistry on its' own terms. Really, there were some great tunes on Ram and anyone should be happy with it should it have been part of their legacy! Great job Paul!
Agreed! in 1971, anything a "Beatle" put out was expected to be "The Beatles-PLUS". However, we fans did feel as though they put out a lot of crap just to destroy that expectation. But when they shone, they still SHONE.
j4bologna1998
1971 is the year that rock music really took off including Ram.
I bought it in 1971 & my only critique is it's sound is on the brash side but the remix souper douper solved that with no damage. Love it. Alongside Elton J's Honky Château & Gilbert O's Himself my top fav early 70s LPs. Period.
Being obsessed with Lennon for 20 years I'm only now truly discovering the titanic talent of the other one. He's so bloody good, in fact, almost too good if there can be such a thing? God Bless Paul McCartney
Was 11 when this came out,older brother had the album and would listen to it over and over. To this day it’s my go to album . Every track brings me joy ❤
Too Many People is such a great song.
Peace of cake!
Paul has made many great post Beatle solo albums, but this is my favorite. This captures Paul in a moment in time. He's exposing himself in his way, as did John (Imagine, Plastic Ono Band) ,and George (All Things Must Pass). Just because Paul doesn't write a "coming to God (in any interpretation)" song as the others, it's just as special. If I had to guess, this was Paul channeling his influence from Brian Wilson. If the song "Dear Boy" is not a direct influence from Pet Sounds, or Smile I have deaf ears. Remember Paul crunched celery on BB's "Veg-tables".
Thought "Smile" was binned and wasn't released until 2004, although Paul did play "Pet Sounds" to his kids because he thought it the perfect album
All Things Must Pass was my favorite forever, but I think RAM is my favorite post-beatles album
thing is many songs on the All things must Pass were actually jammed with the Beatles as George presented his new material for the band but the songs were passed and dismissed by John and Paul...totally different albums ATMPass was a triple album a masterpiece called "the war and peace" of Rock by Rolling Stone magazine - RAM is a small fresh colourful lovable LP also my second favorite post Bleatles along George's Living in the Material World..but No 1 ATMPass...
Ram and Band On The Run are my favorite of his solo career
Another great one
Flowers in the Dirt and Flaming Pie are good too
alphadogstudio not just the best of his solo career but the best out of all the solo Beatles albums!
7yrs on, BoR is not as brill as Ram. Wings changed his style & that's why Ram stands alone & forgotten but not by me. Now the flatterers are jumping on the bandwagon after being on McCartney III. It's a special album to the real lovers of it in '71 & I've nurtured it even Paul kicked it into touch with his new creation Wings.
@@seltaeb3302 One has to wonder whether Wings would've happened if Ram had been better received by critics. Where would he have gone next?
One of my favourite albums of all time. Brilliantly written.
The song "Ram On" ... same spelling as the last name he used when staying at hotels for many, many years.
Paul Ramon
Interesting little piece of trivia
On my top ten list. I distinctly remember listening to it all summer in 1971 on 8 track. I've owned vinyl, cassette, CD and still play it often. Linda's voice is an irreplaceable part of the sou d - it wouldn't be the same without her. To me it's one of the quintessential albums of the early 70's.
natural and organic. I still listen to this great great album.
Always was my favorite album by Paul. Great tracks throughout.
For me, RAM is the finest rock album ever made bar none! Better than Pepper, BOTR or anything else that came along since. This is Paul's 'Pet Sounds' Just listen to the vocal arrangements, orchestration and production. It is a masterpiece! How any critic could have slammed this at the time is beyond me! So here we are 50 years on and it still holds up today! Take a bow Mr Mcartney. You are a genius!
This is my favorite Paul McCartney album, so honest, so RAW, RAM, WAR! And Linda´s vocals are perfect in everyway. I specially love Monkberry Moon Delight and 3 Legs, Paul gave it all in here! genius! Too bad the album wasnt understood back then, but its a masterpiece!
Linda was such a beautiful, courageous, tough, inspirational, creative, caring, and loving woman. God broke the mold when he made her.
I've always thought Paul's most underrated quality was his ability to write a real screaming rock track, i.e., "Saw Her Standing There", "Helter Skelter", "Why Don't We Do It In the Road", but in my opinion "Oh Woman, Oh Why" is perhaps the most underrated of them all. Major gem.
+Drake Holliday Agree 100% -- Oh Woman Oh Why -- phenomenal.... I'm Down, Smile Away.... screamin' bliss!
and the middle bit of " Ive got a feeling"
Totally agree. Yo u forgot dizzy mizzy lizzy. I love all Paul's Music but particullary, all those mellodys You've mentioned.
Fricken awesome album, brings back childhood memories galore :)
a very devoted dad husband father he is...thats how you measure a mans character...may he live a long and healthy and happy life.
+Dean Martin OH BOY, you are exactly right, I could not add another word. He is a proper father and man.
regards Colin. uk.
I agree. I believe he was totally faithful to Linda.
Monkberry Moon Delight...what a vocal performance! Incredible!
I think won this album, I won a couple Beatle albums as well. First one to call WIBG when they were about the last of the AM radio rock stations.
I have the remastered CD, and still have the vinyl.
Great album, and great documentary series.
Monkberry Moon Delight - fantastic. I'm ancient enough to have bought the LP in 1971 and have played it regularly ever since - it sounds better and better as the years pass !
I was 10 years old and got that album for my birthday. 1971, my parents having 5 kids, rough times for us, living in an apartment in So Cal. Mom caught me crying because I didn't get anything for my birthday, and prior to that, all us kids always got something, even if it was something small. Don't know where mom and dad got the money, but they took me down to the drug store, and of coarse, I picked this one. Some appreciated their gifts by putting them away for safe preservation, pulling it out with kid gloves once and awhile to listen to on special occasions. Me, I appreciated them by listening to my records with reckless abandon, including this one, over and over and over...As far as I know, my copy doesn't exist anymore, except in my mind.
Ram has been in my top favorite 20 albums from the get-go. I never knew, however, that it was a release by Paul AND Linda McCartney. Finding it out does not surprise me, since it has a very charming, homey feel to it. I kind of wondered if she did some of those backing vocals and now I guess I have my answer! Just a brilliant album all the way.
I inherited this album from one of my brothers and I played it a lot. There was just something odd about it that appealed to me, that difference between the professionalism of Paul's voice and the roughness of the playing. It seemed like there were secrets in its lyrics that I didn't understand as a teenager. It's still one of my favorite albums.
I still think it was the best Paul produced!!
I concur
+Mark Zimmerman I concur with your concurrence. I also concur.
bdalem .. This comment has been conquered!
ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL & BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME A MUST IN EVERY HOUSEHOLD
Its all very subjective but the beautiful sonic texture this album has throughout makes it one of my favorite albums...from the moody falsetto harmony in the verse of Too Many People to the mandolins and the amazing solo to the gritty folk blues of 3 legs,the melodic charm of Ram On, the urgent harmonys of Dear Boy- the Glibert OSulivan feel of Uncle Albert- the vocal range displayed on Monberry Moon Delight...all in all one of his finest efforts...
my fav album ever
this album reminds me of summer
“RAM”, the originally misunderstood album masterpiece that was way ahead of its time and set the highest bar for all other Beatles as individuals and for Paul himself. In fact, its mastery was never matched, as much as all four continued to produce fine work.
The article shared hereunder is smart and musically sensible enough to give “RAM” the musical justice it deserves. Here’s a mere extract but do access the full content in the link further below. It constitutes a precious and well deserved tribute to a marvelous feat as revolutionary as “Abbey Road” or “Sgt. Pepper”.
“…. That attention to the guitar tones points to the larger beauty of Ram: the whole thing just sounds amazing, with a warmth and clarity rarely heard outside of jazz and classical recordings at that time. There is no mush, no desperate layered glue to cover flaws - everything is heard, and everything counts in these arrangements. The orchestral arrangements are, like those in The Beatles’ best work, integral to the instrumentation, rather than grafted on. “The Back Seat of My Car” is gloriously and goofily grandiose, with one of the biggest sounds I am aware of on record in the period, but it never seems to quite get away from itself…. Ram is highly relevant to these art forms, it simply didn’t show much interest in political culture as understood by the rock press of the time…. I think that just about any musician would be thrilled to have created something so beautiful and compelling….”
www.culturesonar.com/ram-paul-mccartney/
Mmm...I think George did it better and first with "All Things Must Pass".
@@johnmacdonald4527 All things must pass is a wonderful album but it is RAM which really revolutionized. People didn’t get it at the time.
RAM is up there with the great post-Beatles albums (All things must pass / Plastic Ono Band / Band on the Run), and in my opinion is not far off Beatles quality. Blows me away that this wasn't recognised as a good album on and after release, let alone one of the greatest!
Also, 'Quite Well, Thank You' as a response to 'How Do You Sleep?' is absolutely hilarious, I wish he had made that song!
+bdalem Also, I am still in the womb and I listen to the Beatles, what's wrong with my shitty generation?!
Paul is the master at capturing melody, this is an excellent album.
I grew up with that album, the best among all his amazing albums.
Great album. Beautiful arrangements. Very warm.
Whatever else, it is great to have Paul talk about why Linda sang and what he got from it. It is very informative.
Great album...... underrated by most .
One of my favorite McCartney albums. Like the re-master. My other is Wild Life
Great to hear Paul talk from the heart about Ram, an album that remains fresh with wonderful golden memories of some classic songs.
Thank you - one of my favorite LPs. I'm reading the fist book McCartney Legacy right now and it's good to be able to put this video in that context.
My favorite ex-Beatles album. In "The Making of McCartney," it says that he used Fender Telecaster and Epiphone (most likely his Casino) guitars. I wish he had talked a little about the guitars used on Ram. Ram has the GREATEST ELECTRIC GUITAR TONE EVER! Based on photos from that time, PM used a Gibson Non-Reverse Firebird VII for at least part of it. At 4:07, it looks like he has it plugged into a Fender Super Reverb amp. At 4:11, it looks like Hugh McCracken is using a Gibson ES 325. At 4:18, Dave Spinozza is playing a folk guitar, but I believe his electric guitar of choice was a Telecaster. Anyone have any info along these lines?
+gehbw I always got the impression that he wasn't much of a 'gearhead' per se. He'd just use whatever whenever, although I love the look of that Firebird. I think most of the lead guitar parts were split between McCracken and Spinozza anyway. I doubt that he played anything other than piano, acoustic and some pretty elementary electric rhythm parts. There used to be a site devoted to the album that had a lot of details about the recording of Ram, dates, times, personnel, gear, etc, but I can't find it any more. Top five album for me, for sure....
+gehbw I don't know anything more than you say about the guitars but I am glad you flag up the production qualities of Ram - yes, the guitars are superb. But so are the vocals - maybe the best vocals of his career - and the arrangements.
When it came out, I was a callow high school lad. I said, "Oh, nice, but not the Beatles." Some Mennonite neighbors thought it great. I heard some cuts on Buzzard Radio through the years, and then the internet made it widely accessible. One day about 15 years ago, a light bulb went on over my head. "That RAM album was pretty darn good." It's nice to see it get recognition 50 years later. And to remember Linda.
Monkberry Moon Delight, still my favorite McCartney song EVER!
I absolutely wallowed in this album as an 8 year old. I had no idea about any Lennon/McCartney controversy in the lyrics.
My favorite McCartney album.
Awesome little film. Thank you.
One day Back To The Egg will get a similar re-appraisal that it too deserves.
+Duff Baker agreed, Back to the Egg has 6 stellar songs and the album, conceptually, is amazing. I think the art direction is what makes people think it's a bomb, but honestly, one of my favorite Paul albums. So solid.
+Duff Baker - Couldn't agree more. BTTE is a much underrated album, especially it's "rock" style production compared with what came after in the 80's. Rock production fell off the edge of a cliff in 1980 as far as I'm concerned, and its corpse is still lying at the bottom.
+Duff Baker And London Town!
my second fave album...man, where does the time go?
BTTE is an excellent album
Ram is my favorite album of all time and I know that it's many other people's favorite album of all time!! I'm in the process of doing my own cover version of it and I have been trying to reach out to McCartney for his approval...
I love this album. I found it while in college in the mid 80's and loved the feel of the songs. It felt like it was made at home. I still love it to this day.
Very good in seeing documentaries like this.
☺ ☺ ☺One of the must beautiful music I ever heard! ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺
A piece of music history......and as already mentioned, a truly great album.....chock full of original ideas and musicality.
Taking the raw talent and personality of Linda......Paul mentions how working with a female voice was a new challenge....culminating in the mind boggling success of the Wings Over America tour some years later where Linda made a major contribution to the harmonies and vibe of each performance.....
Coming so soon after the Beatles' break up.....the string arrangements touch the heart in a big way......
SUCH A GREAT ALBUM, ONE OF MY FAVORITES.. RAM ON!
wonderful video, such rare pics inside.
Awesome work cheers Sir
Ram and McCartney are my favorite Paul albums. All four of them did their best work in the 2 or 3 years after the mothership crashed and burned, A lot of the songs on Plastic Ono Band, Imagine, All Things Must Pass and even Ringo were written or at least started while the Beatles were still a functioning unit. None of them had enough good songs on their own to put together a consistently satisfying album, but the best songs on those albums would have made a couple of fine Beatle collections. The best 3 or 4 songs from Ram, the same from Imagine, a couple of George's from All Things Must Pass and one of Ringo's (like "I'm The Greatest") ...and you've got a worthy follow-up to Abbey Road.
Me too, Ram & McCartney are my favorites of Pauls with Band On the Run a close 3rd.
Me too, Ram and MCCartney were my favourites Paul's albums but we must admit that Paul's albums since 1997 are quite great, innovative and consistent. Who can top this? A remarkable accomplishment.
Agreed except I would say a lot more than just a couple of songs from ATMP.
Played this everyday for a year!
great wonderful magic album!!!! ram, mccartney, london town my favourites.
I adore everything about this album. It defines everything about Paul, for me.
Headed over soon to see if I can find the farm.
And the sound!! Analog and from vinyl it's sound sooo good :)
I always suspected Ram was a play on Paul's early Beatles stage name, Paul Ramon. He's probably too embarrassed to mention the connection.
I so love this album!
Best Paul McCartney album!
The first Album I ever bought (LP) some time in 1971. Probably one of his best works, together with the "Band on the Run" Album.
I love the album and the artwork on the album!
My fave Macca album...
Awesome album amazingly underated
Love this doco! ✌🏻👏🏻👍🏻🇦🇺😃
I love this Album ♡
It's so funny to me, when he says it seems better to him now than it seemed when he first recorded it. I always thought (and still do) that it was one of the most creative albums ever made. I loved it when it first came out and I still am amazed by it to this day. Just listen to "The back seat of my car" or "Smile away". If that isn't the work of a genius, then there is no such thing. By the way, Red Rose Speedway is also crazy good. You'll never see anybody ever again who is as good as Paul McCartney was when he was in his prime. The elements just aren't there anymore. It was a different time and a different space. When digital processing came along, it ruined the music business just as it eventually ruins everything else. You have to remember that the only thing digital in nature is your fingers. Digital computer technology is a completely man made phenomenon that eventually ruins every type of art form.
You guys release better videos than the official TH-cam channel! Keep up the good work!
I love this album .
Linda and Paul are the Best !
Love that girl !
Such a nice person to talk to.
Linda thank you for Taking to me at the overseas terminal waiting for the gate to open in Philly after the May16th Wings over America .
Keep Paul out of trouble !
Stay by his side 24 HRs a day !
Ok good 👐
A pure gem.
My favorite of his!
A Classic. Fantastic album I still love listening to, as well as the Wings LP's Better than CD's
.Paul inferred that "Too Many People" was an answer to "How Do You Sleep". But it actually was the other way around. "Ram" was released BEFORE John's "Imagine" album. In fact in the inner sleeve of the "Imagine" album, John had a picture of him fondling a pig, a parody of the picture in "Ram" where Paul fondled a ram.
One of my favorite McCartney LP
I thought Paul did a fantastic job incorporating Linda's vocals to this record . . . I luved it!!
Beatles were Brilliant, Paul and Linda were Brilliant, Wings was Brilliant. Literally anything McCartney set out to do was Brilliant. They great part of getting older is I have all the vinyl. 😊
Amo este álbum tiene una esencia muy especial
This was Paul when he was unsure, insecure, and all he ever wanted to do is to make music. Then when he got really into Wings (from "Red Rose Speedway" and forwards), he began to make music to sell records. Some of it worked, and some didn't. I compare his first 3 solo albums ("McCartney", "Ram", "Wild Life") as Paul at his prime and most innocent and real, just like The Beatles first few albums. Nowadays, he makes records because he's bored, and it shows.
I love this man
Amazing album!
A superb album
His best post Beatles effort.......
Amazing album.
Absolutely one of Macca`s best albums
If there is ONE album that I would take to a deserted island !! Ram on ram on !!
favorite album of mine by Anybody hands down
Yes, this is my favourite of Paul's as well. I liked RAM, Red Rose Speedway, Band on the Run and Venus and Mars the most.
I've never even heard of this guy before? Nice music though.
........you've never heard of Paul McCartney?
John S. Awsome
John S. I'm sure he knows you.
beautiful
How could he do a documentary on "Ram" and not mention the biggest hit single from it "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"? Also, the way Paul says it it sounds like he thought "How Do You Sleep" came out before "Ram". Memory can be faulty sometimes.
Clássico álbum !
1:40 nice bit of masterful speaking there, Billy.
"Ram" is such a haunting song.