Ram cover art

  Studio Album · No. 2

Ram Songwriting Credits by Paul McCartney

1971 Apple Records 12 tracks 43 min

Produced by Paul McCartney  ·  Engineered by Eirik Wangberg

Apple Records RockPopIndie popPsychedelia
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 12 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 12 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Paul McCartney carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
12 trackswritten by Paul McCartney 0 tracksoutside writers
Paul McCartney's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
2
Lyricists
1
Producers
1
No.1 Single
over 3 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1971
Released
Data Insight

Ram is the only album credited to Paul and Linda McCartney as a duo, and Linda shares songwriting credit on several tracks. The Wikipedia track listing credits Dear Boy, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Heart of the Country, Monkberry Moon Delight, Eat at Home and Long Haired Lady to both Paul and Linda McCartney, while the remaining songs are credited to Paul alone. McCartney later said some lyrics of Too Many People were a dig at John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Ram is the second studio album by Paul McCartney, released in May 1971 on Apple Records and produced by McCartney himself, his first album credited to Paul and Linda McCartney, reflecting both Linda's actual contribution as backing vocalist and arranger and McCartney's desire to establish a collaborative creative partnership with her, and the album from which 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' was drawn as a single that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. McCartney wrote or co-wrote all material with Linda; the album's songs range from the country-folk simplicity of 'Heart of the Country' to the dense, layered production of 'Monkberry Moon Delight,' demonstrating the stylistic range McCartney would explore through the 1970s. The album was critically savaged on release, John Lennon responded to its perceived barbs against him on his Imagine album ('How Do You Sleep?'), but has been substantially rehabilitated in subsequent decades, with critics noting its melodic invention and production ambition as examples of McCartney at his post-Beatles peak. Ram reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the Billboard 200, and its reappraisal as a cult classic, driven partly by the influence of its dense, layered production on subsequent artists, has made it one of the most reconsidered albums in the Beatles-adjacent catalog. The album is now regularly cited by critics as McCartney's finest solo work.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Too Many People
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
2
3 Legs
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
3
Ram On
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
4
Dear Boy
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
5
Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
6
Smile Away
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
7
Heart of the Country
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
8
Monkberry Moon Delight
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
9
Eat at Home
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
10
Long Haired Lady
Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartneyLinda McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
11
Ram On (Reprise)
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)
12
The Back Seat of My Car #39
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Paul McCartney (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 2 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions Ram

Why is Ram credited to Paul and Linda McCartney?
Ram is the only album credited jointly to Paul and Linda McCartney. Linda shares songwriting credit on several tracks and contributed harmony and backing vocals throughout. She also took co-lead vocals on Long Haired Lady.
Which songs on Ram did Linda McCartney co-write?
Per the Wikipedia track listing, Linda McCartney co-wrote Dear Boy, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Heart of the Country, Monkberry Moon Delight, Eat at Home and Long Haired Lady. The other songs, including Too Many People, 3 Legs, Ram On, Smile Away and The Back Seat of My Car, are credited to Paul McCartney alone.
Was Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey a hit single from Ram?
Yes, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was released as a single in August 1971. The song is credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney.
Is the song Too Many People on Ram about John Lennon?
Paul McCartney said some of the lyrics of Too Many People were a little dig at John and Yoko. The album was made during conflict among the former Beatles, and Lennon perceived slights in the track. Lennon responded with his own song How Do You Sleep?
Who played on Paul and Linda McCartney's Ram album?
Paul McCartney handled lead vocals, guitars, bass, and keyboards, with Linda McCartney on harmony and backing vocals. Session musicians included guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken and drummer Denny Seiwell. Members of the New York Philharmonic also contributed.
When was the Ram album released?
Ram was released in May 1971 on Apple Records. It was recorded in New York and Los Angeles between October 1970 and March 1971. It is credited to Paul and Linda McCartney.
How did Ram perform on the charts and in sales?
Ram reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart and number 2 on the US Billboard 200. It was certified Platinum in both the US and Canada and Silver in the UK. Total sales exceeded 3 million copies.

Sources