POLL: How do you rate Paul & Linda McCartney's "Ram" album?

The first LP that I bought for myself, when I was 13. Also my first CD. It remains my favorite album to this day, tied with the White Album.

 

To me this is the quintessential Paul McCartney sound, and yet he's never done another album with just this sound and feel before or since. I've always thought (but realize that it isn't so) that, chronologically, this one belongs after 'Wild Life' -- since 'McCartney' and 'Wild Life' seem not quite fully baked, this one is just right, and from then on he starts to overshoot the mark.

 

Yes. The next thing you know, someone might enjoy one of yours . There's a first time for everything!

 

I guess I will once again have to be one of the lone voices of dissent.

I will never for the life of me understand the praise that this corny, homely, sappy album gets on this forum. It should make every top-30 greatest albums of all time list, someone said? Really?!? Maybe if you only listen to Beatles albums, I suppose. Linda never sounded worse than she does here (except maybe on Wild Life), McCartney's lyrics seldom got as dippy and overwrought as they do here, "fake" music abounds (fake country, fake jazz, fake rock). It is insular and smug. It got panned by almost everyone when it was released, and for me always seemed to illustrate precisely what has always been wrong with McCartney.

I'm not saying the album is unlistenable, although several of its songs come close. It does have a couple of decent moments, like David Spinozza's guitar, which sounds grafted on. But to argue that an album that contains as annoying, cloying, and inane songs as "Uncle Albert", "Eat at Home", "Long Haired Lady", and "Back Seat of My Car" is somehow even remotely close to being among the top 30 musical statements in the history of music (or even rock music) has to be a joke or an example of how love is truly blind (and deaf). Did I mention already how Linda's vocals are absolutely terrible on this album? Oh I did? Well, it's worth reiterating...

I will agree that the album should be included among the lower reaches of the top-12000 or so greatest rock/pop albums of all time. I will concede that it is one of the better albums than McCartney ever put out under his own name, which may be damning with faint praise, but any praise from me for this album is gonna have to be faint... It isn't as bad as his worst stuff, but it isn't a whole lot better.

Nothing I say will convince anyone, so if you are among those who think this is an extraordinary, great album then please feel free to enjoy it over and over again. But when I think of all the great albums in history and in recent years that go unlistened to and then hear praise for this piece of finely wrought bunkum, all I can do is shake my head at how low the bar for excellence is among Macca fans.

2.5/5 is my overly generous rating; I'm a nice guy that way. If this weren't a forum full of McCartney diehards, I'd give it a 2/5 without any qualms whatsoever.

 

I don't think Paul was ever capable of creating a POB. He was Ram. That was the difference between John and Paul and quite honestly, that is why the Beatles packed such a wallop.

The most ironic thing with what I just said is that John's rock-n-roll tribute LP is epic high gloss production, and Paul's two rock-n-roll tribute LPs are two guitars, bass and drums.

 

I think it's his best with Band On The Run a close second ....

Love Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey BTW. I can still remember the first time I heard it.

 

First song that I remember liking so much that I asked my sisters to play it for me many times. I was 6 when it was released! My sisters were 16, 15, 11, 10 at the time, and they all loved the song.

 

Age 6? Wow. You were an early starter. I did not fall in love with music until I was 12.

But man. Once it hit. It hit hard !

 

Yes, but it's all due to my sisters. I remember Sugar, Sugar got played quite a bit at our house. The first albums I remember seeing around the house we're the first four Monkee albums, Yellow Submarine, and a Tijuana Brass album! My sisters were very into the Monkees and Partidge Family.

 

Clearly one of his best. Band On The Run, Venus & Mars and maybe Tug Of War are the only other contenders for Paul's best post-Beatles album.

 

The first side is mildly enjoyable (tracks 1-6) with "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey" being the obvious standout. Side two is tedium. While listening I keep hoping that "Monkberry Moon Delight" or "Long Haired Lady" will end soon. "Back Seat of My Car" isn't bad. Paul should have released an EP instead. No wonder Lennon wrote "How Do You Sleep?" McCartney must've been sleeping pretty well for he paid no attention and came up with an even worse album: Red Rose Speedway. All the condiments of a Beatles' recording but there's no meat. - from Sept. 29, 2009

 

So, just so we are clear about it, you're a big fan of Paul's music then ?

Seriously though, it's like you are astounded that people can have a different opinion than yours.

It's certainly your right to say you hate the album and think it's dreck, but saying things like..."Nothing I say will convince anyone, so if you are among those who think this is an extraordinary,great album feel free to enjoy it over and over again", and "all I can do is shake my head at how low the bar for excellence is among Macca fans" is pretty condescending IMO.

No one here is "the great expert", you included.
You don't like the album. We get it. Please just state your opinion though and spare me the history lesson of "all the great albums", somehow trying to tie that in with why YOU don't like the album.

Of course, I'm the guy that loves Wildlife and Driving Rain , so I may be the biggest rebel here.

 

I'm not into anything else Paul did post-Beatles, but I do think this album is essential.

 

Yes, and then,( per your PM to me a few months ago), you fell in love with Helen Reddy, The Captain and Tennille and the Starland Vocal Band and have loved heavy music like these rockers ever since !

BTW, thanks for sending me that early working version of "Afternoon Delight." I know you mentioned it's your favorite song , but not being a fan, I had no idea the song was originally recorded as
"After Breakfast Shag". As you've mentioned to me, a lyric change = all time classic hit!

I depend on you for these Starland Vocal Band factoids, but no, I don't think your campaign to get Mark Lewisohn to write a Complete Starland Vocal Band Recording Sessions book will get very far. He's kind of busy working on....something or other.

 

Phenomenal album. Especially the mono mix. Better than anything by Lennon and Starr.

 

Wow, 400 votes in the top category so far...

 

Yeah. But that includes all of Jon Landau's family, relatives, and friends, who were allowed to vote. Without them, there would only be a couple dozen votes for the top category...

 

Glad you agree with me. Were you saying something else...I believe I might have dosed off...I mean it's certainly not your fault that you have some sort of droning on disease.

 

You say "rebel" I say "foolish old man," but let's not quibble over semantics.

 

Thanks for running all of this! Great fun...looks like "Ram" will finishe in 2nd place, behind "Band On The Run"...

 

Funny you mention it: Once in a while if I've had too much coffee I accidentally quibble on the floor.

Of course, I'M not the guy that thinks... Jack Benny is new, fresh talent. Compared to your love of Al Jolson though, I guess he is.

 

You are a true friend, always giving me openings to talk about the Gospel of Jack Benny! Anywho, I have introduced over 700 Jack Benny shows and we are now in his final season on radio. Only three episodes left! It's interesting to me that Jack and David Letterman were both on network broadcasts for 33 years, and David check's out exactly 60 years after Jack left radio and exactly 50 years after Jack ended his weekly television series. This last year has been a victory lap for Jack as he has said goodbye to a lot of his guests and routines, as David Letterman is doing currently. Here are some highlights from Jack's last year in radio, I'm sure you'll want to listen to:

Jack Benny Podcast 1955-04-03 (917) Ed and the Vault (Buck and Rogerchester) - Jack finally let's Ed come out of the Vault!

Jack Benny Podcast 1955-04-17 (919) Guest Bob Hope and Jack double date (Transcribed 1955-02-02) (Buck and Rogerchester) - Bob Hope is Jack's final guest!

Jack Benny Podcast 1955-04-24 (920) Renting the Maxwell to a movie studio - Jack spends some time with the Beverley Hills Beavers - still popular today, and gives the Maxwell one last spin!

 

And, Jack and David both had turkey dinners on Thanksgiving in 1972 , and if that's not enough..... they both were born on the EXACT dates of their births ! The parallels just keep piling up and there are too many to be a coincidence. It's spooky.

 

Did you know that Mr. Benny had a paperboy named David and Mr. Letterman has a pizza delivery boy named Jack! Who knew!