Open Modal
On Air
Monday- Friday: 3PM-7PM

Down Home Ram

paul-mccartney-performs-during-the-one-on-one-tour-concert-in-porto-alegre

Paul McCartney‘s second album, 1971’s Ram, marks its 50th anniversary today (Monday).

Released on May 17th, 1971, it was reissued this past Friday as a limited-edition half-speed mastered vinyl pressing.

The only album to be credited to both Paul and his first wife Linda, Ram was created mostly at their farm in Scotland, after several studio sessions in New York.

Rolling Stone hailed it as a “masterpiece” and “a grand psychedelic ramble full of divine melodies.” Ram included McCartney’s first post-Beatles number-one single “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey,” and the sessions for the album also produced the standalone single “Another Day.”

Paul McCartney on his second album, Ram

“It’s very down home. All of this whole album was really a reaction against the corporate thing that The Beatles had been getting into towards the end. It was a complete sort of reaction against all of that. I didn’t want somebody to be telling me where to go, telling me what to do. You know, I suddenly got to a point in my life where I thought, ‘No, I’m gonna do all that.’ And so it was great. It was really sort of return to basics for me and it was a very good thing for me personally to avoid going off my head I think, you know.”

Paul McCartney on why he decided to call itRam.

Linda and I were traveling through Scotland and yeah, I just remember, Linda often used to say she could see my brain working. My face gets a look on it — just be me filing through ideas. And I just hit upon the word ram. It’s strong. It’s a male animal. And then there’s the idea of ramming — pushing forward strongly. Got a little double meaning. Very short, very succinct kind of title you wouldn’t forget.”

Today (Monday) McCartney’s camp is hosting a Ram Listening Party at 1 p.m. ET. Sync with your Spotify or Apple Music account or play your vinyl copy join the conversation.

REUTERS PHOTO

Recommended Posts

Loading...