5 Surprising Facts About Paul and Linda McCartney's 'Ram' r
By 1971, Paul McCartney had traded Abbey Road for his Scottish farm, swapped Ringo for Linda, and swapped global adulation for domestic bliss and critical confusion. Ram, his only album credited to Paul and Linda McCartney, was a patchwork of pastoral charm, baroque pop, and passive-aggressive digs—an album that baffled critics at the time but later found its flock. The vibes were sun-drenched, the melodies pristine, and the drama delicious. It’s no wonder Ram has grown into one of McCartney’s most beloved solo works. Here are five curious facts you might not know about this gloriously weird masterpiece.
1. The thunder on “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” came from a film reel
Norwegian engineer Eirik Wangberg stitched the thunder sounds together using a monaural movie clip. He doubled it onto two tracks to create a fake stereo effect—and it worked. Paul gave him total freedom to mix and sequence the album as he pleased.
2. Linda wasn’t just on backing vocals—she helped choose the band
Linda McCartney may not have had musical training, but she picked guitarist David Spinozza during attic auditions in New York. She later sang co-lead on “Long Haired Lady” and harmonized on nearly every track. Their daughter Heather even chimed in on “Monkberry Moon Delight.”
3. One session yielded 20+ songs—and McCartney couldn’t decide what to cut
From “Another Day” to “Big Barn Bed,” Ram’s sessions produced a trove of unreleased gems. Jim Guercio cancelled his honeymoon to help finish the album, but left after Paul refused to trim the tracklist. In the end, engineer Wangberg helped whittle it down.
4. “Too Many People” was aimed at Lennon—but more subtle than you’d think
While McCartney later admitted “preaching practices” and “you took your lucky break and broke it in two” were pointed jabs, the original lyric said “Yoko” by name. He rewrote it before recording—but the message still landed loud and clear.
Source: thatericalper.com/Eric Alper
