071: Paul and Linda McCartney - Ram (1971)
As we’ve discussed on this show before, rock critics are sometimes terribly, terribly wrong. When Paul and Linda McCartney released Ram in 1971, not only was everyone still mad about the Beatles breaking up, but the album was just innovative and groundbreaking enough that plenty of the tastemakers of the time just didn’t get it. Fortunately, the general public has known for quite a long time that Ram is amazing, and there’s recently been a big critical re-assessment of it. We’re here to help that process along. It’s an excellent album, containing some of McCartney’s best work, and we’re doing our best to convince anyone who is still in doubt.
Miscellany
After holding out for three years, Amanda has finally covered an album from the 70s.
In “3 Legs,” Paul was presumably referencing Thomas Hardy’s novel Far From the Madding Crowd, or Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” but he didn’t do it right.
One thing we forgot to mention about “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” is that prog rock had already started to happen, in which songs could have multiple sections. Paul took that format and made it silly, which was apparently not allowed at the time, and we love it.
We hope it goes without saying that Yoko Ono did not actually break up the Beatles.
“Hey Jude” was released as a single in August 1968 and “The Boxer” in March 1969. Simon and Garfunkel did not waste any time jumping on the “extended coda” train.
This is the only album credited to Paul and Linda McCartney.
There is a tribute album called Ram On coming out in May!
Other links
Paul and Linda McCartney: Ram (The AV Club)
Paul McCartney: Where to start in his solo back catalogue (The Guardian)
Jon Landau reviews Ram (Rolling Stone)
“Wow, Paul McCartney! I read about you in history class.” (YouTube)
“Remember when you were with the Beatles? That was awesome.” (YouTube)
Paul and Linda McCartney: Ramming - The Making of RAM (YouTube)
Discord & Rhyme’s Ram playlist (Spotify)
Discord & Rhyme Roll Call
Amanda Rodgers (host)
Ben Marlin (moderator)
Mike DeFabio
John McFerrin
Ram tracklist
Too Many People
3 Legs
Ram On
Dear Boy
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
Smile Away
Heart of the Country
Monkberry Moon Delight
Eat at Home
Long Haired Lady
Ram On
The Back Seat of My Car
(Bonus) Another Day
Other clips used
Paul McCartney/Wings:
Helen Wheels
Jet
Maybe I’m Amazed
Every Night
Dance Tonight
Band On the Run
Temporary Secretary
The Song We Were Singing
Riding to Vanity Fair
Listen to What the Man Said
Ever Present Past
My Love
Others:
XTC - The Wheel and the Maypole
Canned Heat - Going Up the Country
The Beatles - And I Love Her
The Beatles - She’s a Woman
The Beatles - Lady Madonna
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - Monkberry Moon Delight
Big Star - When My Baby’s Beside Me
Simon and Garfunkel - The Boxer
Donovan - Atlantis
Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill
The Kinks - Oklahoma U.S.A.
Percy “Thrills” Thrillington - Too Many People
Percy “Thrills” Thrillington - Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
Band/album personnel
Paul McCartney – lead, harmony and backing vocals, bass, piano, keyboards, guitars, ukulele
Linda McCartney – harmony and backing vocals
David Spinozza – guitar
Hugh McCracken – guitar
Denny Seiwell – drums
Heather McCartney – backing vocals on "Monkberry Moon Delight"
Marvin Stamm – flugelhorn on "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
New York Philharmonic on "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" and "The Back Seat of My Car"
Credits
“Discord & Rhyme (theme),” composed by the Other Leading Brand, contains elements of:
Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
Amon Düül II - Dehypnotized Toothpaste
The Dukes of Stratosphear - What in the World?? ...
Faith No More - Midlife Crisis
Herbie Hancock - Hornets
Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Talking Heads - Seen and Not Seen
Paul & Linda McCartney - Ram On (this episode only)
You can buy or stream Ram and other albums by Paul and/or Linda McCartney and/or Wings at paulmccartney.com, your local record store, or the usual suspects such as Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and Amazon. Follow Discord & Rhyme on Twitter @DiscordPod for news, updates, and other random stuff. Editing is by Rich, and special thanks to our own Mike DeFabio, the Other Leading Brand, for production and original music. See you next album, and be ever wonderful.