"Ladies and gentlemen, this is an album from a long, long time ago, when the world was different. This is an album that is part of my history - it goes back to the wee hills of Scotland where it was formed. It's an album called RAM. It reminds me of my hippie days and the free attitude with which was created. I hope you're going to like it, because I do!" - Paul McCartney, 2012
Following the successful recent reissues of McCartney, McCartney II, and this year's Grammy winner for Best Historical Album, "Band on the Run," "RAM" is the latest album from Paul's iconic back catalogue to get the deluxe Paul McCartney Archive Collection treatment.
As with the previous releases in the series, Paul has personally overseen every aspect of the project and the result is spectacular. In keeping with the reissue campaign to date, the Deluxe Edition Box Set is the ultimate collectable for any fan of this album. Its stunningly presented 112-page book, photo prints, handwritten lyrics and notes, four CDs and a bonus film DVD, tells the full story of a classic album that has gone down in music history as one of the most revered in McCartney's catalogue.
"RAM," originally released in May of 1971, is the only album to be credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney and was Paul's second post-Beatles LP. It was overshadowed at the time by the drama of the dissolution of The Beatles, as played out in the world's media.
The album topped the charts hitting #1 in the UK and #2 in the US. While "RAM" polarized critics upon its release, music fans and critics alike since have overwhelmingly embraced it, with Rolling Stone, for example, revising their original review up to 4 stars. Recently, "RAM" has enjoyed even further re-appraisal and acknowledgement including a number of tribute albums.
It was written by Paul and Linda, mostly at their Scottish farm on the Mull of Kintyre. In the autumn of 1970, they flew to New York to start the recording process. Without a band in place they auditioned and drafted musicians, who included future Wings drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken.
The band completed the album in early 1971 along with non-album tracks "Another Day" and "Oh Woman, Oh Why," which were released together as Paul's first post-Beatles single ahead of the release of "RAM" and became a Top 5 global hit. The multi-disc editions of the reissue include both songs as bonus tracks. The album also gave Paul his first solo US number 1 single with "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" and a Grammy win for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.
"RAM" was also issued in mono with alternate mixes, which were only made available to radio stations at the time. This version has gone on to become one of the most sought after McCartney collectables. It will now be commercially available for the first time ever on CD as part of the Deluxe Edition as well as a limited run on vinyl.
1977 saw the release of Thrillington, an instrumental interpretation, which was originally recorded in 1971 at London's Abbey Road Studios and arranged by Richard Hewson. It was released under the pseudonym Percy 'Thrills' Thrillington, an unknown eccentric socialite who often cropped up in mysterious newspaper classifieds. In reality, Percy was a character devised by Paul and Linda. The idea behind it was simply to have some fun and the concept of doing a full orchestral album was an ambition long held by Paul.
The additional film content features previously unreleased and exclusive content including the brand-new documentary, "Ramming" narrated by Paul, as well as the original music videos for "Heart Of The Country" and "3 Legs".
The remastering work was done at Abbey Road using the same team who recently remastered the complete Beatles' catalogue.
"RAM" will be available across a variety of different formats:
Standard Edition: 1 CD digipak
Single disc, digitally remastered 12- track standard edition
Special Edition: 2 CD digipak
Remastered album and 8-track bonus audio CD including rarities, b-sides and the hit single, "Another Day".
Deluxe Edition Box Set: 4 CD/1 DVD box set & download
Remastered album, bonus audio CD, remastered Mono album, Thrillington CD, bonus film DVD, 112 page book, 5 prints in vintage style photographic wallet, 8 full size facsimiles of Paul's original handwritten lyric sheets and mini photographic book of outtakes from the original album cover photo shoot.
Hi-Res: 24bit 96kHz files of the remastered and bonus audio CD, accessed via a download code inserted on a card within the deluxe edition package.
Vinyl: 2LP 180gm, gatefold vinyl with download
Remastered album, bonus audio disc plus digital download of all 20 tracks
Limited Edition Mono Vinyl: 1LP
Remastered mono album
Digital: "RAM" will be available for download across a variation of digital configurations including Mastered for iTunes and High Resolution
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