“Strike out in a new direction”: The solo album Paul McCartney considers one of his best
When The Beatles disbanded, as inevitable as their break-up was, it marked the beginning of an intriguing chapter in which each member had to rediscover themselves as solo musicians. While their individual contributions—each with distinct talents and personalities—had been integral to the band’s legendary status, their solo journeys provided deeper insights into their artistry. Even so, the era was tinged with lingering tension, as Paul McCartney and John Lennon had yet to officially reconcile.
McCartney’s first couple of solo albums came veiled in this ambiguity, with many unsure whether he would intentionally distance himself from the sound of The Beatles to embrace a more eclectic mix of arrangements. As is usually the case when big bands dissolve, McCartney’s foray into solo music proved his broader musical ambition, with sounds that better reflected his distinctive personality and creative vision.
That’s not to say McCartney’s solo success was surprising. Even during his time with The Beatles, he shared the spotlight with Lennon as one of the band’s central creative forces, with the duo producing some of the greatest songs in music history. His potential to succeed independently was always evident, and it’s unlikely McCartney would have succumbed to complacency—especially when failure wasn’t an option he was willing to entertain.
His second post-Beatles record, Ram, proved to be one of the most pivotal moments in his solo career, not just in terms of boundary-pushing but also in realising his full vision. It allowed the more whimsical and playful sides of his personality to come to the fore in more obvious ways. As expected, some responses were less forgiving, especially those expecting more Beatles-esque sounds, but Ram was, for the most part, one of McCartney’s greatest achievements.
The process of writing Ram started almost instantaneously after his solo debut, McCartney. Unlike the first project, however, the musician enlisted help from external musicians, seeking support for the new, ambitious sonic journey he was about to embark on. And ambitious it was, so much so that McCartney seemingly let his thoughts and feelings run freely, more liberal than before, enough to catch negative attention from his former Beatles musical partner.
In fact, Lennon was so irked by the project that he delivered some choice words afterwards, saying, “I thought it was awful! McCartney was better because at least there were some tunes on it, like ‘Junk’.” Still, potential jabs aside, Ram still holds up today, serving as the perfect timeless capsule of who he was as a musician in 1971 and what he means to music in the contemporary landscape. Speaking to Uncut, the musician made it clear he felt the same way.
“A lot of people have said to me over the years, ‘Love Ram, man—love that album.’ So that sent it up in my estimation. These are young people you wouldn’t have expected to notice it,” he said. “There was nothing we could do to satisfy the critics back then. But I thought it was good. We wanted to do something different, strike out in a new direction, and Ram certainly does that.”
Today, Ram seems more relevant than ever. Upon its release, McCartney wasn’t exactly the fan favourite after becoming scapegoated for many of The Beatles’ problems, and he took it as an opportunity to do the exact opposite of what people expected. Granted, he used it to fuel the fire of his feud with Lennon, but he also proved his ability to push himself, creating music that ventured out into territories the band never felt liberated to explore.
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