History Music / RAM

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

''Ram'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971.

** "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" throws around various song fragments [=McCartney=] had lying around, adding up to some twelve distinct sections according to [[http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/paul-mccartney/songs/uncle-albert-admiral-halsey/The Beatles Bible]], because going UpToEleven wasn't enough.

->''"The songs don't feel collaborative so much as cooperative: little schoolhouse plays that required every hand on deck to get off the ground. Paul had the most talent, so naturally he was up front, but he wanted everyone behind him, banging pots, hollering, whistling-- whatever it is you did, make sure you're back there doing it with gusto. It is exactly this homemade charm that has caught on with generations of listeners as the initial furor around the album subsided. What 2012's ears can find on ''Ram'' is a rock icon inventing an approach to pop music that would eventually become someone else's indie pop. It had no trendy name here; it was just a disappointing Beatles solo album."''

!! Trooooooooooopes across the water! Trooooooooooopes across the sky!

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: The inside cover art features [[Franchise/TheBeatles two beetles]] [[PrecisionFStrike fornicating]]. Also counts as a StealthPun.

Not to be confused with the TraditionalHeavyMetal band Ram.

[[caption-width-right:301:''Ram''.]]

----
!! Bonus Disc (2012 Remaster):

!! Bonus Tracks (iTunes):

# "Eat at Home"/"Smile Away (Live)"
# "Uncle Albert Jam"

----
! Trooooooooooopes across the water! Trooooooooooopes across the sky!

''Ram'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics didn't respond as Paul had hoped in the slightest, with ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s Jon Landau famously calling it "inconsequential", "monumentally irrelevant" and "the nadir of the decomposition of Sixties rock thus far". A. J. Weberman of the Rock Liberation Front was so affronted by an album that "said nothing about what was happening on the street" that he staged a mock funeral to symbolize Paul's death as a "representative of youth culture". Even Music/{{Ringo|Starr}} publicly trashed the album, saying this: "I feel sad with Paul's albums because I believe he's a great artist, incredibly creative, incredibly clever, but he disappoints me on his albums. I don't think there's one tune on the last one, ''Ram''... he seems to be going strange." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on him]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. (Paul later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at John; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

''Ram'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971. ''Ram'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics didn't respond as Paul had hoped in the slightest, with ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s Jon Landau famously calling it "inconsequential", "monumentally irrelevant" and "the nadir of the decomposition of Sixties rock thus far". A. J. Weberman of the Rock Liberation Front was so affronted by an album that "said nothing about what was happening on the street" that he staged a mock funeral to symbolize Paul's death as a "representative of youth culture". Even Music/{{Ringo|Starr}} publicly trashed the album, saying this: "I feel sad with Paul's albums because I believe he's a great artist, incredibly creative, incredibly clever, but he disappoints me on his albums. I don't think there's one tune on the last one, ''Ram''... he seems to be going strange." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on him]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. (Paul later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at John; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

* CoverVersion: Several full-length covers of ''RAM'' have appeared in recent years, in part [[MilestoneCelebration as a celebration of Paul's 70th birthday]].

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar[=/=]StealthPun: The inside cover art features [[Franchise/TheBeatles two beetles]] [[PrecisionFStrike fornicating]].
* InTheStyleOf: "Eat at Home" is a countrified Music/BuddyHolly pastiche.
** "Dear Boy"'s stacked vocal harmonies recall late-[[TheSixties '60s]] [[Music/TheBeachBoys Beach Boys]], circa-''{{Music/SMILE}}''.

** "Too Many People" starts off with a "Piece of cake" that sounds deliberately like "Piss off!" and quickly evolves into a rant about things "too many people" (but mostly John and {{Music/Yoko|Ono}}) were doing at the time, particularly "preaching practices" and "sharing party lines".

''Ram'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971. ''Ram'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics didn't respond as Paul had hoped in the slightest, with ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s Jon Landau famously calling it "inconsequential", "monumentally irrelevant" and "the nadir of the decomposition of Sixties rock thus far". A. J. Weberman of the Rock Liberation Front was so affronted by an album that "said nothing about what was happening on the street" that he staged a mock funeral to symbolize Paul's death as a "representative of youth culture" Even Music/{{Ringo|Starr}} publicly trashed the album, saying this: "I feel sad with Paul's albums because I believe he's a great artist, incredibly creative, incredibly clever, but he disappoints me on his albums. I don't think there's one tune on the last one, ''Ram''... he seems to be going strange." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on him]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. (Paul later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at John; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

''Ram'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971. ''Ram'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics did not respond as [=McCartney=] had hoped in the slightest, with ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s Jon Landau famously calling it "the nadir in the decomposition of sixties rock so far" and holding a mock funeral for Paul as a spokesman for the counter-culture. Even Music/{{Ringo|Starr}} publicly trashed the album, wondering if his former band-mate had "gone strange" as "there wasn't a good tune on the record." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on himself]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. (Paul later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at John; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat at Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line-up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''Ram'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, ''Ram'' has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it has been [[VindicatedByHistory/{{Music}} Vindicated by History]]).

''Ram'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971. ''Ram'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics did not respond as [=McCartney=] had hoped in the slightest, with ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s Jon Landau famously calling it "the nadir in the decomposition of sixties rock so far" and holding a mock funeral for Paul as a spokesman for the counter-culture. Even Music/{{Ringo|Starr}} publicly trashed the album, wondering if his former band-mate had "gone strange" as "there wasn't a good tune on the record." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on himself]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. (Paul later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at Lennon; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat at Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line-up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''Ram'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, ''Ram'' has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it has been VindicatedByHistory/{{Music}}).

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat at Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line-up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''Ram'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, ''Ram'' has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it has been Music/VindicatedByHistory).

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat at Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line-up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''Ram'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, ''Ram'' has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it has been VindicatedByHistory/Music).

[[caption-width-right:301:''RAM.'']]

->''"The songs don't feel collaborative so much as cooperative: little schoolhouse plays that required every hand on deck to get off the ground. Paul had the most talent, so naturally he was up front, but he wanted everyone behind him, banging pots, hollering, whistling-- whatever it is you did, make sure you're back there doing it with gusto. It is exactly this homemade charm that has caught on with generations of listeners as the initial furor around the album subsided. What 2012's ears can find on ''RAM'' is a rock icon inventing an approach to pop music that would eventually become someone else's indie pop. It had no trendy name here; it was just a disappointing Beatles solo album."''

''RAM'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971. ''RAM'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics did not respond as [=McCartney=] had hoped in the slightest, with ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s Jon Landau famously calling it "the nadir in the decomposition of sixties rock" and holding a mock funeral for Paul as a spokesman for the counter-culture. Even Music/{{Ringo|Starr}} publicly trashed the album, wondering if his former band-mate had "gone strange" as "there wasn't a good tune on the record." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on himself]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. ([=McCartney=] later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at Lennon; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat at Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line-up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''RAM'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, the ''RAM'' album has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it has been VindicatedByHistory).

In 1977, Percy "Thrills" Thrillington - [[AlternateRealityGame actually an adventurer persona McCartney invented to amuse himself]] - released an [[RearrangeTheSong orchestral]] version of ''RAM'' in its entirety. This version had been recorded during the original sessions, then stayed in the vault for six years.

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat at Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line-up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''RAM'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, the ''RAM'' album has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it could be considered to have been VindicatedByHistory).

# "A Love For You"

* CoverVersion: Several full-length covers of ''RAM'' have appeared in recent years, in part [[MilestoneCelebration as a celebration of McCartney's 70th birthday]].
* FaceOnTheCover: Paul's face can be seen on the album cover.

** "Dear Boy"'s stacked vocal harmonies recall late-[[TheSixties '60's]] [[Music/TheBeachBoys Beach Boys]], circa-''{{Music/SMILE}}''.

* SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud: Paul mimics a ringing phone vocally about a minute into "Admiral Halsey/Uncle Albert".

** "Too Many People" starts off with a "Piece of cake" that sounds deliberately like "Piss off!" and quickly evolves into a rant about things "too many people" (but mostly John and [[Music/YokoOno Yoko]]) were doing at the time, particularly "preaching practices" and "sharing party lines".

''RAM'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971. ''RAM'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics did not respond as [=McCartney=] had hoped in the slightest, with ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s Jon Landau famously calling it "the nadir in the decomposition of sixties rock" and holding a mock funeral for Paul as a spokesman for the counter-culture. Even [[Music/RingoStarr Ringo]] publicly trashed the album, wondering if his former band-mate had "gone strange" as "there wasn't a good tune on the record." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on himself]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. ([=McCartney=] later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at Lennon; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat At Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat Of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line-up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''RAM'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, the ''RAM'' album has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it could be considered to have been somewhat VindicatedByHistory).

# "Heart Of The Country" (2:21)

# "Eat At Home" (3:18)

# "The Back Seat Of My Car" (4:26)

# "Great Cock And Seagull Race"

# "Eat At Home"/"Smile Away (Live)"

!! Trooooooooooopes across the water! Trooooooooooopes across the sky!

* InTheStyleOf: "Eat At Home" is a countrified Music/BuddyHolly pastiche.

* IntercourseWithYou: "Eat At Home" is about oral sex with one's wife. "The Back Seat Of My Car" is similarly about making love [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin in the back seat]] [[AutoErotica of a car.]]

** "The Back Seat Of My Car" alternates pop and orchestral sections before building into a big PowerBallad finish.

''RAM'' is the second studio album by Music/PaulMcCartney and debut studio album by Linda [=McCartney=], released in 1971. ''RAM'' was styled as an attempt to respond to criticisms of 1970's ''Music/McCartney'' with a more fleshed-out production. Gone were the one-man band approach and [[EverythingIsAnInstrument shot glass and bow-and-arrow soloing]], replaced with a more typical series of pop songs. Critics did not respond as [=McCartney=] had hoped in the slightest, with Rolling Stone's Jon Landau famously calling it "the nadir in the decomposition of sixties rock" and holding a mock funeral for Paul as a spokesman for the counter-culture. Even [[Music/RingoStarr Ringo]] publicly trashed the album, wondering if his former band-mate had "gone strange" as "there wasn't a good tune on the record." Music/JohnLennon had the strongest response as, [[ItsAllAboutMe convinced the album was a long attack on himself]], he convened [[Music/GeorgeHarrison George]] and Ringo for an AnswerSong, "How Do You Sleep?", later to appear on ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. ([=McCartney=] later admitted that the song "Too Many People" was a dig at Lennon; they buried the hatchet a few years later).

** "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" throws around various song fragments [=McCartney=] had lying around, adding up to some twleve distinct sections according to [[http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/paul-mccartney/songs/uncle-albert-admiral-halsey/The Beatles Bible]], because going UpToEleven wasn't enough.

* MusicIsPolitics: Music/RingoStarr attempted to delay the release of ''RAM'', as it coincided with the planned release of ''Music/LetItBe''. Paul was not amused.

[[CriticalDissonance The critical slings and arrows stopped nobody from buying the record]], which spawned the hit singles "[[SongStyleShift Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]]", "[[IntercourseWithYou Eat At Home]]", and "[[PowerBallad The Back Seat Of My Car]]" on its way to the top of the charts worldwide. Taken aback by the cold reception, [=McCartney=] became convinced he needed to form a real band to feel like a real musician again, birthing the first line=up of Music/{{Wings}} with Linda, ex-Music/TheMoodyBlues member Denny Laine and ''RAM'' drummer Danny Seiwell. Over time, the ''RAM'' album has gained in reputation, and while not quite receiving the praise of its most [[Music/AllThingsMustPass direct]] [[Music/JohnLennonPlasticOnoBand competition]], is now considered a key forerunner of JanglePop. (Its reputation has recovered enough that popular music review site Allmusic has given it the maximum rating of five stars, so it could be considered to have been somewhat VindicatedByHistory).

** "Dear Boy"'s stacked vocal harmonies recall late-[[TheSixties '60's]] [[Music/TheBeachBoys Beach Boys]], circa-[[Music/{{SMILE}}]].

** "Dear Boy"'s stacked vocal harmonies recall late-[[TheSixties '60's]] [[Music/TheBeachBoys Beach Boys]].