Ram was recorded over a five-month period from the autumn of 1970 onwards, in the time immediately after the dissolution of The Beatles. The LP was started in sessions in New York but created mainly at the couple’s farm in Scotland, and first released by Apple in May 1971.

The album’s appearance came just over a year after Paul’s solo debut McCartney, and unlike that one-man recording, Ram featured guests such as Denny Seiwell, the drummer who would soon become a co-founding member of Wings. Hugh McCracken and David Spinozza also featured on guitar.

The sessions for the album yielded McCartney’s major hit of early 1971, Another Day, which was not included on the original release, but was added to the 1993 reissue in the Paul McCartney Collection series. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey was released as a US single from Ram in August 1971 and reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 a month later; it didn’t become a single in the UK, where Back Seat Of My Car came out as a 45 instead. Eat At Home was subsequently a single in other parts of Europe.

The 50th anniversary, limited edition half-speed mastered vinyl pressing of Ram is reissued on 14 May. Order from the Abbey Road Shop.