Ram on

Ram is gearing up to be the best reissue yet:

Pual McCartney's 1971 album, Ram which was critically slammed on initial release but as since gained higher regard and is now rightly placed among the best of the Fabs solo albums. The earth, down home, rocker of a record gets a remastered release this May - and I can't wait for this one as the other remastered reissues have been excellent and Ram is, on times, my favorite of all Macca's non Beatle albums. It's definitely in my top five in any case.

Ram is a almost folksy rocker of an album with songs about sheep, cows and long haired ladies. It also started a war of word between McCartney and Lennon, when John spotted little jibes in tracks Too Many People and Dear Boy - 'too many people preaching practices' - George Harrison and Ringo Star were also annoyed by Three Legs which was McCartney's nickname for his  ex - bandmates.

The great thing about the new issue is that we'll also get the rare mono version of the album which was originally recorded for playback on AM radio stations - I've only ever heard the mono tracks in bootleg and several songs differ to those on the standard release.

The album was originally released in the days when albums were described as funky and groovy, and critics were still waiting for something Beatle from McCartney and Ram was slated, but it's an excellent album and it's certainly groovy - these days most people seem to think so. Though why the critics felt this was so far removed from McCartney's usual style is beyond me - this collection of rustic rockers seems perfectly in standing with Mother Nature's Son. You know when you read the critical response to McCartney through the years and then hear the albums, you begin to wonder if the bad press was not a response to the Beatles break - for many years following the split of the band it was generally considered that McCartney was the instigator of the band falling apart. And even although McCartney has made a few weak albums, Ram is not one of them.

Expect some great packaging and a track listing that runs:

CD1: Ram (remastered)
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart of the Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat at Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat of My Car

CD2: Bonus tracks (remastered):
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly remix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle mix)
6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle mix)
7. Rode All Night
8. Sunshine Sometime (earliest mix)

CD3: Ram mono (remastered)
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart of the Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat at Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat of My Car

There will also be a deluxe version which will include the barking album, Thrillington which is a lounge music instrumental version of the Ram album Arranger Richard Hewson was asked to arrange the orchestration before Ram had yet been released and it was recorded in June 1971—with McCartney as producer—and with an intended release shortly thereafter. It wouldn't be released until 1977

CD4: Thrillington (remastered)

1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Back Seat Of My Car

.