Ram by Paul and Linda McCartney – US Album Release, 17 May 1971
Monday 17 May 1971 | Paul McCartney, Release
On 17 May 1971, Ram was released in the United States — four days before its UK release on 21 May. Paul McCartney's second post-Beatles album, and the only album ever credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney, Ram received a mixed critical reception on release but was a significant commercial success. It reached number two in the US and number one in the UK, and spawned 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' — McCartney's first post-Beatles US number one single.
The Making of Ram
Ram was recorded primarily at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City in late 1970 and early 1971, with additional sessions at A&R Recording Studios in New York. McCartney worked with a group of New York session musicians rather than the members of Wings, who had not yet been assembled. The album was produced by McCartney himself, with his wife Linda as co-producer.
The recording sessions were characterised by a deliberate informality — McCartney wanted to capture a loose, spontaneous feel that contrasted with the polished productions of the late Beatles era. The result was an album of considerable eclecticism: melodic pop, country-inflected ballads, hard rock, and the kind of playful, genre-hopping experimentation that would later be reassessed as one of its defining strengths.
Critical Reception: Hostile Reviews
The initial critical response to Ram was largely negative. Rolling Stone gave it a dismissive review, and Playboy was similarly hostile. Critics found the album lightweight, unfocused, and lacking the ambition of McCartney's Beatles work. The perception that McCartney had retreated into domestic contentment — the album's cover showed him holding a ram by the horns on his Scottish farm — was read by some as a creative withdrawal.
McCartney's fellow former Beatles were also lukewarm. John Lennon's response was pointed: he interpreted several tracks — particularly 'Too Many People' — as personal attacks, and responded with 'How Do You Sleep?', one of the most devastating songs in rock history, on his Imagine album later that year. George Harrison and Ringo Starr were less combative but equally unenthusiastic.
Commercial Success
Whatever the critics thought, the public disagreed. Ram peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200, held off the top spot only by Carole King's Tapestry — one of the best-selling albums of the decade. It spent five months in the US top ten and was certified platinum. In the United Kingdom it reached number one.
The US single 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' — a medley of two song fragments joined by a mock radio announcement — reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1971, becoming McCartney's first post-Beatles US number one single. It was not released as a single in the UK.
Reassessment
Ram has been substantially reassessed since its release. Critics who dismissed it in 1971 have returned to find an album of considerable charm, melodic invention, and emotional directness. Its influence on subsequent generations of musicians — particularly in the indie and lo-fi traditions — has been widely noted. It is now frequently cited as one of McCartney's finest solo works, and one of the great albums of the early 1970s.
The orchestral version of Ram — recorded in 1971 and released in 1977 under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington — is a further measure of McCartney's affection for the album. He kept the Thrillington project secret for over a decade before confirming his involvement at a press conference in 1989.
Key Facts: 17 May 1971
- US release date: 17 May 1971
- UK release date: 21 May 1971
- Credited to: Paul and Linda McCartney
- Recorded at: Columbia Recording Studios and A&R Recording Studios, New York City
- US chart position: Number two (held off by Carole King's Tapestry)
- UK chart position: Number one
- US certification: Platinum
- Time in US top ten: Five months
- Lead US single: 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' — US number one (September 1971)
- Orchestral version: Thrillington (recorded 1971, released 1977)
- John Lennon's response: 'How Do You Sleep?' (Imagine, 1971)
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Ram released?
In the United States on 17 May 1971, and in the United Kingdom on 21 May 1971.
Why is Ram credited to Paul and Linda McCartney?
Ram is the only album credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney. Linda contributed to the recording sessions and is credited as co-producer. The joint credit was also a personal statement about their partnership.
Did Ram reach number one?
In the UK, yes — it reached number one. In the US it peaked at number two, held off by Carole King's Tapestry. It spent five months in the US top ten and was certified platinum.
What was the connection between Ram and John Lennon's How Do You Sleep?
Lennon interpreted several tracks on Ram — particularly 'Too Many People' — as personal attacks on him. He responded with 'How Do You Sleep?', recorded for his Imagine album in 1971, which was a direct and pointed attack on McCartney.
What is the connection between Ram and Thrillington?
Thrillington (1977) is an orchestral version of Ram, recorded in London in 1971 and released under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington. McCartney kept his involvement secret until 1989.
→ Thrillington – the orchestral Ram (released 1977)
→ John Lennon | Paul McCartney | George Harrison | Ringo Starr
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