Fairly certain we had posted this before ?! Have I come full circle? Annnnnyhooo it's a fine fine album and a welcome addition to the 'Albums I bought when they came out' series . . . . I LOVED [LOVE] this album . . . notwithstanding all the argument with John brouhaha which was a shame but understandable . . . . I sided with Macca generally . . . . .John could be a right nasty bastard when he wanted . . . still that's 'brothers' for ya . . . . Macca could be more subtly snide and the 'F*** The Beatles' reference struck us all has hilarious! . . . . glad they made up before John's untimely and shocking murder . . . . . . the nonsense around this time was just filial bile and venom and having lost a brother who always treated me well and I not so well by return . . . know something of what this was like. No-one wished John dead except the spook Chapman . . . . 

On this day in music history: May 17, 1971 - “RAM”, by Paul & Linda McCartney is released. Produced by Paul & Linda McCartney, it is recorded at Columbia Recording Studio in New York City from November - December 1970, A&R Recording Studios in New York City in January 1971, and Sound Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA from February - March 1971. His second album following the break up of The Beatles, Paul McCartney records in the US during the Winter of 1970/71. It is an immediate commercial success in spite of taking a major drubbing from critics, also raising the ire of his former Beatle band mates, particularly John Lennon, who feels that several songs are directed at him. Lennon’s suspicions (and many fans) about this are further heightened by a photo of two beetles copulating on the back of the album jacket, and that it is another thinly veiled message against them. Lennon responds with the songs “How Do You Sleep?” and “Crippled Inside”, included on his album “Imagine” released later in 1971. The front cover photo of McCartney holding a male sheep by the horns is spoofed by Lennon on a postcard inserted into the “Imagine” album, with John holding a pig by the ears. In spite of the negative critical response, the album is well received by the public, and in time, opinions change and is regarded as one of McCartney’s best albums. In the US, it is initially released without a single. Radio stations begin playing the track “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” which is released as a single three months after the album, hitting number one in September of 1971. In 2012, the album is remastered and reissued in three different editions which includes a four CD + DVD archival box set that also include the rare promo mono mix of the album as well as the long out of print album “Thrillington” (featuring instrumental versions of the songs played by an orchestra). The bonus disc also includes the stand alone single “Another Day” and it’s B-side “Oh Woman, Oh Why” (#5 Pop), as well as the later B-side “Little Woman Love” and other outtakes from the sessions. “RAM” hits number one on the UK album chart, peaking at number two on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

another from Jeff Harris' wonderful music blog

on checking discover it was the wonderful post from the legendary Willard's Wormholes posting of SEVEN (count 'em) versions of 'RAM' that I had referenced before and with the sad demise of the truly awesome blog we are all still weeping out here in the blogosphere . . . . . what did happen? Where did he go? It is now beset with adverts for some movie streaming nonsense and I have heard nothing to say where 'Willard' went and we will miss him, his site alone was responsible for one of the best collections of 'articles' on modern rock music not least the definitive box set of Richard Thompson which was a staggering piece of work. I will really miss him 

RAM discussed earlier