It's The Singing That Makes RAM Paul's Best Album
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moptops:
yankeefan7:
Sir Guy Grand:
Was listening to RAM this morning and his singing is way beyond brilliant it's like he's painting with his voice , lots of colour just bursting out of his mouth . Even Linda's singing is good it's kind of kooky . Out of all my albums and I've over 500 I think I like the singing best on RAM , maybe only Bowie's Diamond Dogs comes close to my mind vocally
Don't think Paul will ever TOP - RAM when it comes to singing
Actually my favorite McCartney vocal performance is the RDR album.
That album is lightning in a bottle: energy jumps out at you, and it was his last great "voice" album.
Agreed, RDR is great -- and sometimes underrated because it's mostly covers. On a recent road trip I had it blasting out of my speakers and it was just perfect to listen to while blasting along the interstate!
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ewanme:
wingsoverkc:
RAM continues to be my all-time favorite album ever. Ever. I loved it when I first played it in 1971 as a young teenager, and I love it now in my late 50's. Listen to it at least once a month for over 40 years. Yea, pretty decent little lp.
Agreed. You mean all-time favorite album of any artist, right? That's my opinion. Better than those Beatles!
For me, it probably is my favorite Paul solo studio album, with Flaming Pie a pretty close second. Abbey Road is probably the only Beatles album I'd listen to before listening to Ram (on a consistent basis)...
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I have been listening to the Remastered Ram CD recently as this Post came out. I remember clearly the Ram album when it was originally released and while I liked several of the tracks a lot, I never was really in love with it as a whole Album. I must admit however, that the Remaster has given me a much better appreciation for Ram. Songs like 3 Legs, Dear Boy, Smile Away and Eat At Home sound so much better on the Remaster. And I aways loved Too Many People, Uncle Albert, Ram On, Heart of the Country and Back Seat of My Car. Like most of us here, I think most of Paul's Solo Albums are good to very good and some are classic. What I really like is that they all sound different. Thinking back on Ram, Paul was still very young (under 30) and he had just helped break up the biggest band on the universe. A pretty emotional thing to say the least. It seems like he wanted so much to be out of the unbelievable fishbowl he was in and try to return to a simpler and normal life with Linda. I believe 2 or 3 of the Ram Songs were directed to his former mates basically telling them that he was fine with his new life amid all their criticisms. There were also, of course, love songs about this new life with Linda. While the critics blasted the lyrics of Ram as being too simple, most of the songs in retrospect make sense to me given the madness of that particular time. Especially hearing the clarity on the Remaster, I personally rate Ram as a very good album, I don't put it in my Top 5 or 6 but again a very good CD. The 2 downers for me are Paul's vocals on Monkberry Moon Delight and Long Hair Lady. The latter really drags for me. It is too long (over 6 minutes) and while I liked Linda's back-up vocals on most of Ram, I didn't like her singing on this one. Again, this is totally subjective and I realize that others here may love one or both of these tracks. I do really like the rest of the tracks with Too Many People and Back Seat of My Car being outstanding opening and closing tracks. I also really like Smile Away now. Love Paul's vocals and the guitars on Smile Away. I would also love someday for Paul to do another Acoustic show and do Dear Boy as one of the songs. I have heard acoustic cover versions on U-tube and it is a beautiful song without all the production. Ram is another example of just how underrated Paul's entire Catalog is. Ram is an outstanding album and yet I personally like Band on the Run, Venus and Mars, Tug of War, Flaming Pie, Chaos, New and even Back to the Egg better.
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How can you not like Long Hair Lady or Monkberry Moon Delight?
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Andy_Shofar:
I think it was at MSG when Paul & band played Smile Away and a few other songs from RAM and the whole place went mad!!!
I don't think he's ever done Smile Away live.
Thinking about Too Many People?
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Sir Guy Grand:
Was listening to RAM this morning and his singing is way beyond brilliant it's like he's painting with his voice , lots of colour just bursting out of his mouth . Even Linda's singing is good it's kind of kooky . Out of all my albums and I've over 500 I think I like the singing best on RAM , maybe only Bowie's Diamond Dogs comes close to my mind vocally
Don't think Paul will ever TOP - RAM when it comes to singing
I'll agree that the versatility of the singing on Ram is amazing...but it just isn't my favorite McCartney album. I still like his singing on Venus and Mars better. My favorite solo vocal of his though is the studio version of Beware My Love. on Speed of Sound. On that he simply rivals any great Lennon vocal, and that's saying something!
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beatlesfanrandy:
Andy_Shofar:
I think it was at MSG when Paul & band played Smile Away and a few other songs from RAM and the whole place went mad!!!
I don't think he's ever done Smile Away live.
Thinking about Too Many People?
He did "Smile Away" during the University Tour and the Wings Over Europe Tour in 1972.
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beatlesfanrandy:
Sir Guy Grand:
Was listening to RAM this morning and his singing is way beyond brilliant it's like he's painting with his voice , lots of colour just bursting out of his mouth . Even Linda's singing is good it's kind of kooky . Out of all my albums and I've over 500 I think I like the singing best on RAM , maybe only Bowie's Diamond Dogs comes close to my mind vocally
Don't think Paul will ever TOP - RAM when it comes to singing
I'll agree that the versatility of the singing on Ram is amazing...but it just isn't my favorite McCartney album. I still like his singing on Venus and Mars better. My favorite solo vocal of his though is the studio version of Beware My Love. on Speed of Sound. On that he simply rivals any great Lennon vocal, and that's saying something!
I heard the studio version of Beware My Love after I was accustomed to the live version... I was wrapped in Wings Over America before I got to retrospectively get into At the Speed of Sound.... and I agree... the less-heralded studio version is a vocal treat!.... I still think his vocal during that concert tour was his peak... Thus, I agree, his singing in Venus and Mars was simply brilliant. And that album is brilliant. Not a bad follow-up to one of the best albums of the 70's! very underrated.
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Sgt._Pepper:
beatlesfanrandy:
Andy_Shofar:
I think it was at MSG when Paul & band played Smile Away and a few other songs from RAM and the whole place went mad!!!
I don't think he's ever done Smile Away live.
Thinking about Too Many People?
He did "Smile Away" during the University Tour and the Wings Over Europe Tour in 1972.
Awesome. Quite simply... I love "Smile Away"
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love2travel:
How can you not like Long Hair Lady or Monkberry Moon Delight?
My question would be, how can you like those 2 songs? There are very few Paul songs that I actively dislike (as opposed to just being indifferent to or unmoved by), and these are near the top of the list. Long Haired Lady in particular is just an endless cringefest.
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Well well well well well, I always enjoy reading Bruce's posts and I respect his views. But he don't like long haired lady? He must work for Braun!
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greenmetalsuit:
Well well well well well, I always enjoy reading Bruce's posts and I respect his views. But he don't like long haired lady? He must work for Braun!
MONKBERRY! It's not just a 70s thing.
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oobu24:
greenmetalsuit:
Well well well well well, I always enjoy reading Bruce's posts and I respect his views. But he don't like long haired lady? He must work for Braun!
MONKBERRY! It's not just a 70s thing.
Like "Long Hair"...can't stand Monkberry! It ruins Ram IMO.
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greenmetalsuit:
Well well well well well, I always enjoy reading Bruce's posts and I respect his views. But he don't like long haired lady? He must work for Braun!
Who or what is Braun? I just find the song totally grating and dumb.
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Bruce M.:
moptops:
yankeefan7:
Sir Guy Grand:
Was listening to RAM this morning and his singing is way beyond brilliant it's like he's painting with his voice , lots of colour just bursting out of his mouth . Even Linda's singing is good it's kind of kooky . Out of all my albums and I've over 500 I think I like the singing best on RAM , maybe only Bowie's Diamond Dogs comes close to my mind vocally
Don't think Paul will ever TOP - RAM when it comes to singing
Actually my favorite McCartney vocal performance is the RDR album.
That album is lightning in a bottle: energy jumps out at you, and it was his last great "voice" album.
Agreed, RDR is great -- and sometimes underrated because it's mostly covers. On a recent road trip I had it blasting out of my speakers and it was just perfect to listen to while blasting along the interstate!
You are right it is underrated because mostly covers but I think the three original songs are pretty darn good and fit in nicely with the covers. Love the band that played with him for this album, would have love to have heard them do a McCartney concert.
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yankeefan7:
Bruce M.:
moptops:
yankeefan7:
Sir Guy Grand:
Was listening to RAM this morning and his singing is way beyond brilliant it's like he's painting with his voice , lots of colour just bursting out of his mouth . Even Linda's singing is good it's kind of kooky . Out of all my albums and I've over 500 I think I like the singing best on RAM , maybe only Bowie's Diamond Dogs comes close to my mind vocally
Don't think Paul will ever TOP - RAM when it comes to singing
Actually my favorite McCartney vocal performance is the RDR album.
That album is lightning in a bottle: energy jumps out at you, and it was his last great "voice" album.
Agreed, RDR is great -- and sometimes underrated because it's mostly covers. On a recent road trip I had it blasting out of my speakers and it was just perfect to listen to while blasting along the interstate!
You are right it is underrated because mostly covers but I think the three original songs are pretty darn good and fit in nicely with the covers. Love the band that played with him for this album, would have love to have heard them do a McCartney concert.
They did... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_Cavern_Club
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Sgt._Pepper:
yankeefan7:
Bruce M.:
moptops:
yankeefan7:
Sir Guy Grand:
Was listening to RAM this morning and his singing is way beyond brilliant it's like he's painting with his voice , lots of colour just bursting out of his mouth . Even Linda's singing is good it's kind of kooky . Out of all my albums and I've over 500 I think I like the singing best on RAM , maybe only Bowie's Diamond Dogs comes close to my mind vocally
Don't think Paul will ever TOP - RAM when it comes to singing
Actually my favorite McCartney vocal performance is the RDR album.
That album is lightning in a bottle: energy jumps out at you, and it was his last great "voice" album.
Agreed, RDR is great -- and sometimes underrated because it's mostly covers. On a recent road trip I had it blasting out of my speakers and it was just perfect to listen to while blasting along the interstate!
You are right it is underrated because mostly covers but I think the three original songs are pretty darn good and fit in nicely with the covers. Love the band that played with him for this album, would have love to have heard them do a McCartney concert.
They did... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_Cavern_Club
I guess I should have been more specific, that was basically them doing the RDR album. I would have like to seen them do a 2 1/2 hr tour concert with McCartney
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moptops:
yankeefan7:
Sir Guy Grand:
Was listening to RAM this morning and his singing is way beyond brilliant it's like he's painting with his voice , lots of colour just bursting out of his mouth . Even Linda's singing is good it's kind of kooky . Out of all my albums and I've over 500 I think I like the singing best on RAM , maybe only Bowie's Diamond Dogs comes close to my mind vocally
Don't think Paul will ever TOP - RAM when it comes to singing
Actually my favorite McCartney vocal performance is the RDR album.
That album is lightning in a bottle: energy jumps out at you, and it was his last great "voice" album.
It didn't hurt that he had band mates from Pink Floyd and Deep Purple on that album. RDR is fantastic as is the Live at the Cavern concert!
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moptops:
Andy_Shofar:
I think it was at MSG when Paul & band played Smile Away and a few other songs from RAM and the whole place went mad!!!
Too Many People wasn't it?
Yes, they played and sang that too
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Bruce M.:
love2travel:
How can you not like Long Hair Lady or Monkberry Moon Delight?
My question would be, how can you like those 2 songs? There are very few Paul songs that I actively dislike (as opposed to just being indifferent to or unmoved by), and these are near the top of the list. Long Haired Lady in particular is just an endless cringefest.
We obviously have different ears for music
No worries Bruce, it's all Paul... So lots to enjoy for each one of us
!