#450: Paul and Linda McCartney, ‘Ram’
APPLE, 1971
John Lennon and Ringo Starr hated this album. They were both so sad and disappointed by Paul for this. They thought all the songs royally sucked. This was the second album Paul made after the big breakup. This album is good but not great and I don’t know why it is on this list.
I wonder if it made the list because it has Paul McCartney’s name up front and center. I also wonder if the reason why I don’t like this album is that John and Ringo have these big, important opinions about it.
I don’t have big opinions about this album, which is strange because, at the end of the day, I always have opinions about things that don’t matter. Sign me up for the silly and benign. Let’s talk grass texture, altitude sickness prevention (that is not benign), blanket sizes and shampoo.
Jumping to the other side of the pendulum, let’s talk politics. My throat gets tight because the feelings are just that big. Soul-shaking feelings.
I thrive in the extremes. The middle ground is where I have trouble. What to do with my life, where to live and when to make a move.
I feel very out of sorts not having a strong opinion about this album. This is usually my sweet spot for aggressive conversations with strangers insisting they are wrong. This is where I build a hill and die a pitiful death defending absolute nonsense.
John Lennon and Ringo Starr threw their opinions at me so quickly that I shrunk and passively borrowed their feelings. I hate that. I know I borrowed from them because…they are John and Ringo.
I have a creeping suspicion that this is the beginnings of a bout of depression. Indifference is not like me. Maybe depression, maybe exhaustion, maybe it is just a meh album? Maybe I need to increase my dosage of Zoloft. Also maybe this album is meh.
So, what I am saying is…what do you think about it?
Your homework assignment: listen in full and tell me if this is good or bad. I want to find some sort of reaction within myself to your opinions. Maybe I will agree and maybe I will disagree but I desperately hope I will not be passive.
Top songs: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Medley), Heart of the Country, Long Haired Lady, Another Day
This lp was performed completely by Paul. Showing that he could do it with out the others . The songs are a variety of styles proving he does not need the others . He intentionally wrote every song to NOT sound like a Beatles song. .
One of my favorite albums. Not mediocre to me. But Brilliant ! “Uncle Albert “ nothing like it anywhere. “ Dear boy” beautiful.