Linda's singing on RAM | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

LongHairedLady said
I don’t understand why Linda gets so much flack for her singing, especially on this album.  Ok, so she’s not the best singer in the world.  Who says all singers have to be?  What about Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix?  They aren’t known for having amazing voices, but they still have their unique qualities.  I love the rawness of Linda’s singing, its great.  It’s so real.  That’s what I love about the RAM album, the raw quality is has to it.  It’s the best. I honestly like every song on the album.

I know she got flack in general for pairing up with Paul musically.  I just put myself in her shoes.  “Hi, I’m Paul McCartney .  How would you like to marry me, have my babies, and be in my band?”  Ummmm….  YUP.    Who could say no to that?  She had a lot of passion and I think she did a great job.  She’s a great inspiration for me because I am 29, and I am just learning now to play guitar.  It’s never too late!  🙂

Thanks for putting this post up.  I’m surprised there wasn’t a post like this before (maybe there is, I didn’t search the archives yet…)  I agree that Linda’s voice is pleasing, though I wouldn’t call its good qualities “raw”.  To me she has a pleasingly girlish tonality, almost like “cheese and white bread” if that makes any sense — but it often fits fine.

The best use of her voice on Ram , in my opinion, is on the song eponymous with your nickname — “Longhaired Lady”: especially those little refrains

“or is this the only thing you want me for…”

I love the way she so richly pronounces FORRRRRR

However, her vocal contributions didn’t end with Ram .  On the following album, Wings Wild Life , I think her sing-a-long/harmony with Paul on “I Am Your Singer” deserves special mention: that’s my favorite of all Linda efforts (and I believe she is also accompanying Paul on recorder — there are two recorders being played there).

Moving on to Red Rose Speedway , she does well on “Power Cut” and “Hands of Love”.

On Band On The Run , she’s good on the title track, as well as “Bluebird” and “Mamunia” — songs where listeners might not even be aware of how her vocals are adding something unique.  The best use of her on that album to me is “Hell on Wheels”.

Paul obviously had a good ear for what could be used to the advantage of his songs; and I think he put Linda’s voice, with any limitations it had, to good use.

I’m sure I’m leaving out other songs.  I’d have to listen to “Silly Love Songs” again, as I recall her voice is especially audible there.

P.S.:  From everything I’ve seen (numerous interviews, or instances where she’s being filmed along with Paul and the kids), Linda was her own person and strong-willed and very centered: she didn’t need to be bossy or overbearing to compensate for some weakness of character — nor was her laid-back attitude to be mistaken for being a passive shy wallflower. 

Paul told this story of the first time he really came to appreciate Linda, after they had been going out for a little while, back as the Beatles were winding down.  They decided to take a drive into the country, and he was confessing to her that he felt kind of guilty not going back to the city to work with the band that day, but he told her he just felt like he needed a rest.  And she just turned to him and said, “You’re allowed.”  Paul says that really stuck with him.

The other song I mentioned, “I Am Your Singer” is I think the only song where Paul lets Linda sing a line or two without just being in the background or harmonizing.

Here, have a listen to a snippet of it:

http://swf.tubechop.com/tubech…..cid=860218

you mean the mood of that album’s other songs?

Don’t forget Linda singing the “La-las” on the single “Mary Had a Little Lamb” — and here she’s also playing bongos!

http://swf.tubechop.com/tubech…..cid=864681

I’m sorry to be the contrarian in this thread, but I generally don’t appreciate Linda’s voice. To me, her parts are often too high in the mix, sometimes so much it drowns out the main vocal. I can’t help but notice the bum notes, either. And let’s face it: there were plenty of those. She sounds good on some songs too, that’s true. But in general, I am not a fan of her voice. I know Paul wouldn’t agree, but I don’t think he’s particularly objective. To me, many of the Wings songs would have been more enjoyable if Linda hadn’t sung on them. Some songs, I don’t listen to at all. 

I think I should add that I prefer male singing voices in general. There are very few female singers I like. And Linda… well, as much as I think she was a great lady, she just wasn’t a very good singer. Neither am I, though, so there’s that.

I agree Mme Kitty! Her backing vocals are annoying. I like her vocals when they sort of blend with Paul’s, like in Hey Diddle, but otherwise, it’s pretty okay okay, sometimes annoying as well. 

She hasn’t got a great lead voice like she herself admitted, but it’s tolerable, and I really like Seaside Woman so very much that I really don’t mind who is singing it xD

Quite frankly, I don’t think the collaboration with Linda would’ve happened if the partnership between John & Yoko wouldn’t have happened.