On its release in 1971, the album went to #2 in the U.S., #1 in the U.K.... and the bottom of most critics' lists. Contemporary albums like "Sticky Fingers" and "Tapestry" fared much better. Sadly, the whimsy of "Ram" was lost on most self-important reviewers of the time; it is an incredibly dense and complex album with -- at worst -- silly lyrics. I keep picturing Chris Thile with a crazy handlebar mustache.
Most intriguing, it's one of the last major albums to get a separate mono mix for radio stations. That was made available as part of the deluxe reissue of "Ram" in 2012. So was an all-instrumental version that was recorded in 1971 and shelved until 1977, when it came out eponymous-ly credited to Percy "Thrills" Thrillington... although the mono mix got a vinyl release, "Thrillington" sadly did not. Missing entirely is the insanely rare promotional disk of mini lead-ins for the album's tunes, titled "Brung To Ewe By" (and including bits of the song "Now Hear This Song of Mine").
One thing that struck me about the mono mix was the incredible, almost overpowering bass. In this article, engineer Dixon Van Winkle comments on how there was almost too much bass on the album. His fault, I'm guessing, because Paul never allowed THAT again (and never worked with Van Winkle again, as far as I can tell). Too bad -- it sounds great.
For "Ram" fans who want even more, these gems may already be laying around in your record collection; they were recorded during the same sessions as the album...
-Another Day / Oh Woman Oh Why (released as a preview single, but not included on the album)
-Dear Friend (released on Paul's next album, "Wild Life," credited to Wings)
-Get On The Right Thing; Little Lamb Dragonfly: Big Barn Red (released on "Red Rose Speedway," credited to Paul McCartney & Wings)
-A Love For You (released on the soundtrack to 2003's "The In-Laws")
-Little Woman Love (released as the b-side to 1972's "Mary Had a Little Lamb")
-I Lie Around (released as the b-side to 1973's "Live & Let Die")
-Great Cock and Seagull Race; Rode All Night; When The Wind Is Blowing; Sunshine Sometime (unreleased until the deluxe edition)
-Hey Diddle (a snippet is available on 2001's "Wingspan" compilation)
-Seaside Woman (re-recorded and released in 1977 as a single credited to "Suzy & the Red Stripes")
This was the album that launched Paul's feud with John Lennon, with the latter feeling many of the songs were digs at him and Yoko. Paul says maybe two lines on the whole LP are about his former partner, although there IS a pic of two beetles screwing on the back. John reciprocated with the rocking "How Do You Sleep?" on his also-excellent "Imagine" LP later that year. Plus, there was a postcard inside of Lennon mocking the cover to "Ram." Google the pic, because I have yet to see a copy in real life that still included the postcard. (By the way, same goes for the postcard in Todd Rundgren's 1973 album "A Wizard/A True Star," which is ironic since Rundgren would shortly insert himself into John and Paul's feud).
Also, try and tell me that Mexican EP (bottom right of the pic above) does NOT look like some weird, late 90s independent release. Try it.
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