If I had one album to take with me to that mythical desert island it would be Ram.  My favorite album of all time.  So dense and overflowing with musical ideas and yet so light.  The songs on Ram are much like the Ram album cover itself: bright , colorful, glittery, and often held together with Scotch tape.  A homemade electric sousahornical orchestra.

This album got some bad notices back in 1971. Reviews of subsequent solo Beatle albums would often include the line "at least it's an improvement over Ram."  The best that was said of it was that it had a good deal of energy.  John compared Paul's first LP 'McCartney' favorably--"at least that one had actual songs".  George said that Paul had spent too much time isolated up in his Scottish retreat. "He clearly has no idea about the music that is being made today"  Ringo was the most damning: "Paul's a genius, but his albums disappoint me.  There is not one single tune on his last one, Ram.  I feel he's wasted his time--he seems to be going strange." All sorts of people, including me, were wondering when Paul would write his next "Hey Jude" or "Let It Be".  We weren't willing to take the music on its own unique terms.

But the public eventually came around.  The individual songs received a lot of radio airplay.  Too Many People, Heart of the Country, Monkberry Moon Delight, Ram On, Two Legs, and the demented Smile Away all received FM radio airplay throughout the seventies.
And, of course, UA/AH was a number 1 AM radio hit.

Of all the great songs on the album, Dear Boy is my favorite.  It starts out as a typically jaunty McCartney piano thump (see Penny Lane, Good Day Sunshine and Single Pidgeon), but then a cascade of multiple counter harmonies push the song to a delirious finale--all I can say is PLAY IT LOUD.

Just to put this in context I've never cared much for seventies music.  The artistic and musical pretentions of bands like Yes, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd left me cold (though I'm coming around on Floyd).  Ten minute numbers filled with exquisite instrumental solos--no thanks, mate.  The Eagles and Peter Frampton?  Take 'em or leave 'em.  When Punk and New Wave came along I signed right up.  Three minute high energy songs!  And when Indie/alt moved in I was floating off the ground: Badly Drawn Boy, Elliot Smith, Of Montreal, Bloc Party, the Shins--a great mix of lo fi, melodic songwriting with wonderfully inscrutable lyrics.  RAM was the antecendent of all the indie shoe-gazer music.  Take the monumental "Long Haired Lady".  This horn and dulcimer filled Paul and Linda squabble/cum duet could be a Michael Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes or an Of Monsters or Men number.

I've always loved Ram.  It is Paul McCartney's purest, most personal musical statement.  And an album unlike any before it.
If I had one album to take with me to that mythical desert island it would be Ram. My favorite album of all time. So dense and overflowing with musical ideas and yet so light. The songs on Ram are much like the Ram album cover itself: bright , colorful, glittery, and often held together with Scotch tape. A homemade electric sousahornical orchestra. This album got some bad notices back in 1971. Reviews of subsequent solo Beatle albums would often include the line "at least it's an improvement over Ram. "  The best that was said of it was that it had a good deal of energy. John compared Paul's first LP 'McCartney' favorably--"at least that one had actual songs". George said that Paul had spent too much time isolated up in his Scottish retreat. "He clearly has no idea about the music that is being made today"  Ringo was the most damning: "Paul's a genius, but his albums disappoint me. There is not one single tune on his last one, Ram. I feel he's wasted his time--he seems to be going strange. " All sorts of people, including me, were wondering when Paul would write his next "Hey Jude" or "Let It Be". We weren't willing to take the music on its own unique terms. But the public eventually came around. The individual songs received a lot of radio airplay. Too Many People, Heart of the Country, Monkberry Moon Delight, Ram On, Two Legs, and the demented Smile Away all received FM radio airplay throughout the seventies. And, of course, UA/AH was a number 1 AM radio hit. Of all the great songs on the album, Dear Boy is my favorite. It starts out as a typically jaunty McCartney piano thump (see Penny Lane, Good Day Sunshine and Single Pidgeon), but then a cascade of multiple counter harmonies push the song to a delirious finale--all I can say is PLAY IT LOUD. Just to put this in context I've never cared much for seventies music. The artistic and musical pretentions of bands like Yes, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd left me cold (though I'm coming around on Floyd). Ten minute numbers filled with exquisite instrumental solos--no thanks, mate. The Eagles and Peter Frampton? Take 'em or leave 'em. When Punk and New Wave came along I signed right up. Three minute high energy songs! And when Indie/alt moved in I was floating off the ground: Badly Drawn Boy, Elliot Smith, Of Montreal, Bloc Party, the Shins--a great mix of lo fi, melodic songwriting with wonderfully inscrutable lyrics. RAM was the antecendent of all the indie shoe-gazer music. Take the monumental "Long Haired Lady". This horn and dulcimer filled Paul and Linda squabble/cum duet could be a Michael Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes or an Of Monsters or Men number. I've always loved Ram. It is Paul McCartney's purest, most personal musical statement. And an album unlike any before it.