pmills1210's Full Review: Ram by Paul & Linda McCartney
As the Beatles reached the end of their run as a band, their chief songwriters, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, not only married, but their wives became musical partners. Linda McCartney didn't have a background in music, but that didn't stop Paul from teaching her some basic skills. While Lennon and Yoko Ono, who had some prior musical experience, enjoyed modest success when they recorded music together, Paul and Linda McCartney had a streak of chart success for more than a decade, primarily in their band Wings. She would continue to be a part of her husband's pop recordings until her death from breast cancer in 1998. Before Denny Laine became a part of their musical lives in 1971, Paul and Linda recorded an album together. It would be Paul's second LP after leaving the Beatles, and the only time where Paul and Linda would be billed together. Their 1971 album "Ram" is a continuation of Paul's back-to-basics philosophy from his late Beatles period, as well as other musical ideas from around that time. Some of the tracks even have a pastoral feel. Half of the album's twelve tracks were written by Paul and Linda, while the others were credited to Paul himself.
The album is also a confident series of songs about people taking a break from city and business life. It's also about a couple growing closer in this process. Much of "Ram," in fact, was written at the McCartneys' farm, Mull Of Kintyre, which would be celebrated in song by Paul in 1977. The album begins with "Too Many People," a song of frustration with the demands of people and business in the city. Some believe that this is one of many songs on "Ram" that are a dig at Lennon, and inspired Lennon to write "How Do You Sleep?" McCartney has stated that only a couple of lines were directed at his former collaborator, including how he handled his "lucky break." This song sets the stage for songs with a more relaxed tone. Songs like "3 Legs" and "Dear Boy" have lyrics that some believe have references to Lennon, but Paul seems more at ease about the change, and how change may have been the best thing for all concerned. "Heart Of The Country" is a nice acoustic number about life on the farm.
The lone US single from "Ram" was the #1 hit "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey." It's a medley whose mood gradually changes from sadness to joy. The "Uncle Albert" part was inspired, in name, by Paul McCartney's uncle. The character in the song might remind some listeners of Eleanor Rigby, as Uncle Albert is left by himself, with nobody making time for him in their plans. The mood changes in the "Admiral Halsey" part, as Paul and Linda get playful and tell the Uncle Alberts of the world that they can create their own merriment. There were, by the way, real-life Admiral Halseys in both England and the United States, though it is not clear which Halsey, if either, the McCartneys are referencing. The medley reminds me of the "Golden Slumbers" medley from "Abbey Road," where McCartney also blended moods and songs to create an innovative melody.
The lone UK single from the album, "The Back Seat Of My Car," barely cracked the British Top 40. It's a lovely, Beach Boys-flavored look at adolescence, with Paul often singing in the highest part of his vocal range. It's about two teens spending some quiet and intimate time together. They wonder if they should go all the way, contrary to the advice of their parents. They're letting the moment, at the very least, carry them away from the place where they are. They're pretending they're in a more exciting place as Paul sings, "We may end up in Mexico City." The song includes a lovely arrangement of strings and horns that highlights that the teens' fantasy is not the reality. A single released in other countries was "Eat At Home," a fifties-sounding rocker that shows a more adult side of the McCartneys as they spend the evening in their own dining room instead of somebody else's. The two versions of "Ram On" are old-fashioned and fanciful romantic ditties with a ukulele as the lead instrument.
"Ram," after its opening track, has a wonderfully relaxed tone. Linda McCartney, who was a photographer before she met Paul, will never be remembered as an accomplished musician. Yet, she played and sang as well as she could, with her husband providing her with the ability and encouragement to be a part of his post-Beatles music. She and Yoko Ono are probably going to be remembered as musical jokes. One can laugh, but these ladies were a part of albums that sold in the millions. Linda was never an impediment to the success she and her husband experienced for nearly three decades. Paul McCartney, with this album, showed he had left one musical family and started another. That family grew after "Ram," and it deservedly prospered.
Tracks: 1. Too Many People 2. 3 Legs 3. Ram On 4. Dear Boy 5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey 6. Smile Away 7. Heart Of The Country 8. Monkberry Moon Delight 9. Eat At Home 10. Long Haired Lady 11. Ram On 12. The Back Seat Of My Car
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