Ram Sessions in LA, 1971
Paul McCartney recorded dozens of demos for Ram, his second studio album. This list of Ram demos appeared on Internet forums a couple months ago. I copied the text as it was originally posted, without any corrections. A quick scan of the titles is enough to make a McCartney fan give a left arm.
Recorded in scotland and in London for a period of 4 months ( May to August ), here is the listing of the 29 songs put on tape just before going to New York ). But sorry, no other infos, and never heard any of them . Just have the listing thanks to a good friend of mine, with handwriting notes by a unknown listener, could be eddy Pumer. Enjoy. I hope we will hear these one day.
- HEART OF THE COUNTRY ( great voice and feel )
- TOO MANY PEOPLE ( embryonic version )
- WHY AM I CRYING ( embryonic )
- BACK SEAT OF MY CAR ( wonderful )
- JUST ANOTHER DAY ( great )
- GYPSY GET AROUND ( wonderfulm beach boys song ) on uké
- RAM ON ( on uké )
- RUPERT SUNSHINE SOMETIME ( cool )
- RUPERT GUITAR SONG INSTRUMENTAL ( with whistling )
- RUPERT LITTLE LAMB DRAGONFLY ( magical )
- SMILE AWAY ( at the end , Paul talked to Linda about having Jimi Hendrix and a jazzy drummer for forming a trio and records this song soon )
- LOVE IS LONG ( with unknown verses ) with Linda
- EAT AT HOME / BUDDY’S BREAKFAST / INDEED I DO medley with Linda, loose
- MONKBERRY MOON DELIGHT / FRENZY medley ( wonderful and crazy)
- GET ON THE RIGHT THING ( with another talk between Paul & Linda about Jimi possible involvment at the end ), great take
- LITTLE WOMAN LOVE
- COUNTRY DREAMER ( with insects noise around )
- LONG HAIRED LADY ( with Linda )
- I LIE AROUND ( country feel )
- 3 LEGS ( drunk version ) totally out of tune version
- WE RE SO SORRY ( drunk too )
- A LOVE FOR YOU ( bluesy slow version )
- SHE CAN’T BE FOUND ( country tune )
- SOME PEOPLE NEVER KNOW ( great home version)
- HANDS ACROSS THE WATER ( fun but too long )
- TOMORROW (with a fun quote about yesterday at the end, Paul said he wrote this as a game) )
- BIG BARN BED ( embryonic version on guitar )
- GREAT DAY ( with the kids around )
- I AM YOUR SINGER ( with Linda )
I think we can account for all of these songs. It’s interesting to note that remarks made at the time referred to 22 tracks or 30 tracks being recorded during the Ramsessions. I thought it is was an exaggeration, but it seems quite likely based on these demos.
Some notes:
- “She Can’t Be Found” is almost certainly part of what became “Hey Diddle”.
- “Rupert Guitar Song Instrumental” sounds like it could be “When The Wind Is Blowing”, as that song features whistling throughout.
- We also see that “Little Lamb Dragonfly” was, in fact, a “Rupert” song.
- “Why Am I Crying” is probably the song later known as “Fourth Of July” which was recorded by John Christie.
- “We’re So Sorry” is unidentifiable.
- Jimi Hendrix on Ram? What would that have done for Paul’s damaged rock cred I wonder?
The McCartney Archive Collection seems to be moving forward with Ram as the next album. I don’t expect to see many of these demos on that set. He should probably give away some of the fragmentary demos, then hold the more complete demos for his supposed “demos collection”.
“We’re so Sorry” should be Uncle Albert, shouldn’t?
I’m sure it is. I copied the text as it was originally presented. “We’re So Sorry” was probably the name for the “Uncle Albert” section. He may have had the “we’re so sorry” part before “Uncle Albert”.
Ok, it is not clear on the post what is the original source and what is your writing. By the way, great blog. It is nice to find a blog in which I agree in almost everything (like the David Kahne dislike).
The listing of Ram demos came from a source close to McCartney who occasionally shares his info online. He has been very accurate with his information so I don’t feel uncomfortable re-posting it. Also, pretty much any knowledgeable McCartney fan could come up with that list. I probably wouldn’t re-post something that was really challenging to what we already basically know. For instance, had “Band On The Run” been on the list, I probably would’ve passed on the list entirely.
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Interesting to see “Great Day,” which appeared on the 1997 album “Flaming Pie.” When I first heard it on “Pie,” I immediately pegged it as something from the Ram era, as I recalled hearing the guitar licks on one of the instrumental bridges between Ram tracks (with Paul singing the lyrics “Who’s that coming ’round that corner?/Who’s that coming ’round that bend?”). Those particular chords/lyrics also made an appearance in “Big Barn Bed” on “Red Rose Speedway.” Good stuff.
He was insanely prolific during those years. He sings a little of “Great Day” during the Highland farm footage where he’s sitting down playing outside. I never made note of it as a song until he put the song out and said it was old.