When people think of Paul McCartney, they instantly recognize him as a legend. And he is, in so many ways. For one, he is a member of one of the world’s biggest rock bands. He is also known for his distinct and versatile voice and is celebrated for dabbling in different genres, a testament to his taste for reinvention. He is a great and influential songwriter as well, having helped write some of The Beatles’ most beloved songs, including “P.S. I Love You,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” “All My Loving,” “Yesterday,” “Yellow Submarine,” “Blackbird,” “Hey Jude,” and “Let It Be,” to mention only a few. He is, in fact, everything you’d look for in a talented musician. However, when he released Ram in 1971, critics weren’t exactly fond of it — initially, at least. It was considered his worst album at the time, so much so that even his bandmate and longtime friend, Ringo Starr, felt he had “wasted his time” on it.
When The Beatles broke up in 1970, each member pursued their own creative paths and went on to launch successful solo careers. While their years together in the band — spanning nearly a decade — helped establish their names, it was always their unmistakable talent that ultimately carried them forward. McCartney, in particular, was already regarded as a prolific songwriter and a talented musician. And the Lennon–McCartney partnership is widely deemed one of the most influential in music history. However, things didn’t start smoothly when McCartney eventually stepped out on his own in his solo career. His debut album (1970’s <em>McCartney</em>) as a solo artist was widely criticized, prompting him to reflect on and respond to the backlash in an effort to get everything right for his second album, Ram, which he co-wrote with his wife, Linda McCartney. Unfortunately, critics weren’t too kind about it either. The reviews were largely negative, questioning his songwriting abilities and overall credibility as a solo artist.
Paul McCartney’s ‘Ram’ Was Once Considered His Worst Album
Nowadays, calling a Paul McCartney work bad would be appalling. He is widely respected — a legend, even. But that wasn’t really the case when he released Ram in 1971. His venture into indie music wasn’t well-received by critics. Some even went as far as to compare his work to that of his bandmates. Although some listeners loved the record even before it was considered a masterpiece, music journalists at the time weren’t at all kind to McCartney’s second album. A review from Rolling Stone even called the record “incredibly inconsequential and so monumentally irrelevant.” And that’s just one of the many harsh comments the album received. Of course, the criticism hurt McCartney’s feelings. But nothing could have stung more than criticism coming from his own former bandmates, especially considering that they were doing considerably well critically in their respective solo careers. In the same year, Lennon released “How Do You Sleep?,” a song believed to be aimed directly at McCartney’s Ram. Moreover, in a conversation with Melody Maker (via Far Out Magazine), Starr also did not hesitate to call the album a waste of McCartney’s time, saying:
“I feel sad about Paul’s albums. I don’t think there’s one tune on the last one, Ram. I just feel he’s wasted his time. He seems to be going strange.”
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There’s some truth to Starr’s statement, though. On Ram, McCartney did venture into stranger territory, but that’s precisely where the album’s strength lies. Released as a collaborative effort with Linda, Ram saw McCartney experimenting with his sound. If anything, the album proved that McCartney wasn’t afraid to explore unfamiliar musical terrain, even at the risk of being critically panned. It was far from a bad album, though it’s easy to understand why critics initially dismissed it. The record was innovative, perhaps too far ahead of its time. Fortunately, the tone toward Ram has shifted over the years, and it is now often considered one of the best albums McCartney ever produced — a stark contrast to the early reviews that once labeled it “the worst thing Paul McCartney has ever done.”
Ram was a misunderstood album. Fortunately, it eventually received the recognition it truly deserves. If there’s one thing Ram has proven, it’s that early reviews don’t matter — what matters most is how an album stands the test of time. While the record didn’t receive a positive critical reception at first, it went on to become a fan favorite McCartney album; some even consider it the best solo album released by any of The Beatles’ members. The negative reviews didn’t hurt Ram’s impact either. It still achieved significant commercial success, even giving McCartney his first number-one hit outside of The Beatles.
