Oct 03 2025
5
A far superior choice to McCartney's first solo album for inclusion on the list.
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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Ram
Paul McCartney
Linda McCartney
1971
Album Summary
Note: This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.
Ram (also stylised in all caps) is the only studio album credited to the spousal music duo Paul and Linda McCartney, and the former's second album after leaving the Beatles. Released on 17 May 1971 by Apple Records, it was recorded in New York with guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken, and future Wings drummer Denny Seiwell. Three singles were issued from the album: "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" (McCartney's first number 1 hit in America without the Beatles), "The Back Seat of My Car" and "Eat at Home". The recording sessions also yielded the non-album single "Another Day". The album's release coincided with a period of acrimony between McCartney and the other former Beatles, and followed his legal action in the United Kingdom's High Court to dissolve the Beatles partnership. John Lennon perceived slights in the lyrics to songs such as "Too Many People", to which he responded with his song "How Do You Sleep?". McCartney felt he had addressed the criticism he received for his 1970 solo debut, McCartney, but Ram elicited a similarly unfavourable reaction from music journalists. It nonetheless topped the national album charts in the UK, the Netherlands and Canada. Today, Ram is held in high regard by many music critics and is often ranked as one of McCartney's best albums. In 1971, McCartney produced Thrillington, an instrumental interpretation of Ram released in 1977 under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington. In 2012, an expanded edition of Ram was reissued (Thrillington included) with over two dozen bonus tracks as part of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. In 2023, Ram was ranked number 450 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest albums of all time.
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Sep 25 2025
4
Another one in the category of I thought this was on the main list. I think this is my favourite thing that McCartney did post Beatles.
Oct 08 2025
3
Ram is the second album of Paul McCartney after The Beatles. It was poorly received at the time and very good in retrospect. I think the truth is in the middle. At the time it was compared to the excellent work of The Beatles, now it is compared to the extended catalogue of solo McCartney. If you look at it the latter way, it is not that bad. "Too Many People", "Dear Boy" and "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" are good songs and the rest is nothing special.
Oct 02 2025
5
Very enjoyable, and it makes so much sense that "Uncle Albert" comes from this quirky place. Loved it. (Why have I never heard of it???)
Oct 04 2025
5
Now this is what you love to see when you refreesh the page 🙏 I’ve fallen in love with this album this year so this arrived right on time for me to give it a full score. One of my favourite Beatles related efforts really.
Oct 05 2025
5
Maybe I do like Paul McCartney?
Oct 21 2025
5
Great album. Standouts: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Another Day (1993 CD Edition) Other Greats: Too Many People, Heart of the Country, Monkberry Moon Delight, Long Haired Lady, The Back Seat of My Car, Ram On, Smile Away. Rating: 4.5 / 5
Oct 02 2025
4
This project has made me realize I’m not a huge Paul McCartney fan (I’d have guessed it would have been the opposite before the project). I love the big hit (Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey) - and appreciated the rest although I find the shenanigans a bit tiresome at times.
Oct 03 2025
4
I got Ram the day after Yoko Ono’s horrible Fly, and you’re telling me we don’t live in a simulation? Ram is not the perfect album some retrospectively make it out to be - but it’s a great look into Paul McCartney, the solo artist, and the direction in which he went post-Beatles. Should have absolutely been on the original list; in such a degree that I actually thought it was.
Oct 03 2025
4
Lmao the contrast of getting this directly after Fly by Yoko Ono. Ram is at least as experimenting without being shit.
Oct 04 2025
4
Bunch of granny music and silly love songs
Oct 05 2025
4
A great early Paul McCartney solo album, very underrated when it came out. I've always loved this one. Not perfect, but very good. 4 stars.
Oct 08 2025
4
Spun this up expecting it to be less entertaining than it is. Irritatingly good - but also something I'd not expect to find myself listening to again, mainly because some of the tracks are way too over-long. There is absolutely no justification for Monkberry Moon Delight to be nearly 5½ minutes long. And there is even less reason for Long Haired Lady to be over 6 minutes long. Yes - it's enough to ding the album.
Oct 19 2025
4
These are some well-written songs
Oct 04 2025
3
Paul McCartney never really veers to far from sounding like Paul McCartney and, hey, I get it! If I sounded like Paul McCartney, neither would I. I like the album cover heaps.
Oct 06 2025
3
I don't really listen to the Beatles members' solo career stuff much. Don't listen to the Beatles all that much anymore. I liked this fine, it didn't blow me away, it felt very much in line with late-stage Beatles' McCartney-forward output.
Oct 18 2025
3
Fun, but except for Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey I didn't quite love it.